The Heat Is On...

I hit club training on Wednesday night, having got there early with Dan, we had a session beforehand. A few of the club people were watching, including some Under-16s. As I came out of the net and took my helmet off a young blonde boy said: "Oh, it's a girl!"

While taking off my pads he approached me and dared me to have a net, saying: "I bet we can get you out," so I said "Game on." It's not the first such challenge – while I can't speak for all female players, there is a certain responsibility to represent women's cricket and I like the battle. Anyway, he added: "But it's Twenty20 mode," so I joked, cheekily: "Even better, I'll smack you out of the park!"

Sizing them up quickly - an inswinger, a seamer and a few spinners – I played sensibly for a few overs, although being bowled by a inswinging yorker early doors. I hit my groove though and felt like Viv Richards, deciding to tell the bowlers where I was going to hit them before I did so. A bit cocky but it riled them up.

I then smacked boundary after boundary; I was enjoying myself in this mini-Ashes, it was good experience and they soon became quiet. One of the dads who was watching decided to get stuck in and he was a good bowler but couldn't get me out. My favourite comment was from a leggie who, after being despatched, put his hands behind his heads and solemnly declared: "It's hard being a spinner on days like this." It ended well and we've all arranged another net.

Game day soon followed near the city, an utter scorcher on a decent track with a fast outfield, the last thing you want when fielding in the burning sun. It was 38C, the hottest day of cricket I've experienced, and other cricket in lower levels was called off. Not ours. They racked up 230 with one of the state players making a ton, and so the heat was certainly on.

I was dying in the field 30 overs in, while my fellow Pommie Jenny had already ducked under the cold shower mid-innings with spikes on which I may do next time! The Aussies told me afterwards of tips such as using cooling neck crystals, soaking your cap in the drinks-break ice and making sure you're properly hydrated. It was a huge learning experience to play in such extreme heat and in hindsight actually great experience for the future.

Coming in early at my by-now customary number three slot, I played a cut and a pull but I couldn't watch the ball all the way on to the bat and didn't even have any energy to move my feet. I was eventually trapped lbw to a good, low outswinger and headed straight for the cold shower for ten minutes. We put up a fight and my experienced team-mate Jatz added 70 to go with her four wickets but it wasn't enough.

At the clubhouse in the evening the guys had played the first day of a two-dayer and one of the members came up and said he'd heard of the Under-16 net earlier in the week. That sparked conversation with the others that led to… yet another challenge!

Locky, a left-arm spinner, said he needed only four overs to get me out, but I win if I hit four boundaries. A free meal rests on it… so tune in next week to see who's buying.