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We continue our build up to the Irish Women’s Team playing in the the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifying 2017 in Sri Lanka, where we had a chat with YMCA and Typhoons player Robyn Lewis.
What were your earliest memories of cricket?

“Well I remember being down at YM watching my dad play for the 1st Team during the summer weekends, and there would have been my sister there and other kids such as the Dunlop family also there. I can remember kids running onto the pitch saying ‘Daddy Daddy!’ after a game was over. So cricket was always in my summer life.

Do you have any other sports that you play?

“Yeah I play hockey with Pembroke. I think it is good that I do play a different sport to cricket because you can have new friends and other experiences from cricket in your life. I know Aaron Hamilton says that we should keep playing other sports so we don’t miss out on those experiences with other friends.”

How did 2016 go for you? Were there any highlights?

“The highlight for me was the World T20 out in India back in March last year. I was in TY, so it was the perfect year for me to do it. I was very lucky that my school was really supportive and they wanted me to enjoy India. We didn’t do as well as we had hoped, but I feel the team got really close after that competition, and that has helped for the rest of the season and now leading into this qualifying tournament.

“However, I had to have a wrist operation during the season. It was really frustrating because I missed out on the South Africa and the Bangladesh games during the summer. I also realised how much I like playing cricket because I missed playing it so much when I was out with the injury.

“The girls did so well in those games at home, especially against South Africa. It gave us confidence against teams that are ranked higher than us and showed that we can compete with the bigger nations.”

You must be pleased to see Kim Garth & Isobel Joyce doing well in the WBBL?

“I am surprised that they didn’t play even more games over there. There are a lot of girls in our group that could be there playing against the best players in the world and they would be holding their own if they had the chance. I think if the Associate players were given overseas contracts, it would give players like Kim and Isobel more opportunities to train in excellent facilities, become ever more professional about their game as well as playing more against the best players.

“What I think their debuts have shown is that Irish players can do well in these big competitions. If more of us were going over there, that exposure of facilities, match preparation for tournament competition and gaining experience against the best players would only improve the standards of our players at home.”

What have you been working on during the winter sessions?

“A lot of what I was doing during our break from the summer was reheb on the wrist. I have also been working on my action, so I don’t have as much of a skip in it as well as having more straight lines as I bowl. This is to help with being stronger at the crease when I release the ball. I had been trying to do this a bit during the summer, but I found it hard. This was because I was training with the new action and then playing with the old action, and I never quite got it right. But with the winter break I was able to focus just on the new action and it feels so much better now.

“The other big thing I have been doing this winter is building up my workloads, so that I can bowl well for a long period if it is needed, especially in the conditions we will experience in Sri Lanka. So it is important that we get used to this in our preparation for the tournament.”

What has Aaron Hamilton done to help your game?

“Aaron has done so much for me. He felt that he saw something in me and keeps on encouraging me to believe in myself. Aaron wants you to get what you need to get done. He will also tell you if he is not happy about something!! He has helped me a lot since he has been here.”

What are you hoping for out of the World Cup Qualification Tournament?

“I think for this group that it is to qualify for England. I feel that we are going to do a lot better than what people outside of Ireland think we will do. The trip to La Manga and our pre-tournament tour in Dubai are going to really get us into it and be fully prepared for what is to come in Sri Lanka. I know all the girls are really excited about this tournament, and we want to do well at it.”

Finally, what are you looking forward to in 2017?

“The big focus for the national team is this World Cup Qualification Tournament and then hopefully the World Cup in England. I am also looking forward to the Super 3s and playing more 50 Over cricket, because that will help us at the national level. Along with this, YM are going for a 3 in a row in the league, so hopefully we can achieve that.”

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