Raf Nicholson
Women’s cricket historian & journalist. Sports Journalism lecturer at Bournemouth University & writer for Guardian Sport. Vice Chair of The Cricket Society.
- I love Sarah Taylor, but I don't agree with Firdose & Valkerie that her success = "women are now respected as coaches in men's cricket". We are talking about ONE person who is literally one of the best cricketers the women's game has ever produced. If men didn't respect her they would be idiots.
- In class today, our journalism students had to pretend to be the sports desk of a national UK newspaper & write a plan for covering this weekend's sporting events. Almost every group included 1 or 2 #WSL fixtures in their plan. Women's football is just totally normalised for Gen Z, isn't it?

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- 🚨 WATERSTONES DISCOUNT OFFER COMING SOON! 👀 The book isn't officially out until 1 June, but there is a special pre‑order offer dropping on 17 February. Watch this space! #TheWomenInWhites
- This is exactly the kind of message that Keir Starmer should be sending to wavering voters who might be tempted by Farage - and isn’t. Well done the Lib Dems 👏
- 12 years ago today: Australia employ a very tall, dark-haired net bowler during the 2014 Women’s Ashes. Wonder whatever happened to him? Photo by me (hence why it’s so blurry) 😂
- Apropos nothing… an idea for brand maximisation in #WPL (we definitely need more of them) “The Dr Fixit Fix of the Match”

- A major milestone yesterday: I submitted the manuscript of The Women in Whites 🍾🥳 This book has been years in the making - I started writing it during lockdown - so it feels surreal to actually have it off my desk! Due out in May. Publisher: Pitch Publishing.
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- I was delighted to chair this session. Lots to enjoy and some thought-provoking reflections on how to engage with communities to co-create sports history. Plus some moving poems. Give it a listen!
- For those unable to join us last night at our @ihr.bsky.social seminar last night, you can now listen to the event with @fionaskillen.bsky.social, @juliemcneillwrites.bsky.social & Karen Fraser discussing their 2024 book, A most beautiful game Available now ⬇️ open.spotify.com/episode/6jVS1v…
- Wow. This is, um, a left-field choice. It would be the equivalent of England making Freya Kemp captain. It does beg the question, what is so wrong with T-Mac & Gardner that CA are forced to turn to a player who is not even an automatic selection (plus often injured!)?
- In this video from Sunday you can watch me complaining about the ridiculous number of decisions referred which should be down to the on-field umpires. That last over was a case in point: infuriating and silly. #WPL
- Anya Shrubsole always speaks so wisely. In this case, her points about player use of social media and (near the end) about what makes a good coach are spot on. Hopefully we do manage to keep her in the game in some form or another. (The Anya portion of the podcast starts at 18.44)
- Refreshing to actually hear someone admit this. Coaching women is not the same as coaching men! Nobody quite seems to make the logical leap that coaching roles shouldn’t be handed out to men who haven’t ever coached women though… funny that. www.espncricinfo.com/story/wpl-up...
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- Who will I ironically boo now?? 😭
- “Successful woman replaced by man with no track record in women’s game”
- This match has swung more than a Louis Theroux Weird Weekend! #WPL
- Well that was a bonkers start to #WPL! 🏏
- It’s a year to the day since @syd-e13.bsky.social and I flew Down Under for the Ashes. This photo now is like one of those pictures of Britain in 1913: they didn’t know what was about to hit them.
- We had the hottest summer on record. How come it’s always raining in #thetraitors?!!

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- Well, these 2 have just gone up in my estimation. Not sure why this hasn't been more widely talked about (unless I missed it in the mainstream media).
- First long run of the year ✅ Bushy Park was gorgeous this morning - but very cold! 🥶
- “A generation of Afghan Australians no longer see themselves reflected on Australia’s biggest cricket stage.” Mate, try being a woman. 🤦🏼♀️
- That was really strange continuity - “we imagine what would happen if…”. So is this bit not #thearchers cannon then??
- I really, really disagree with this. If 2-day Tests are “no less of a Test”, why is anyone bothering to argue for the importance of 5-day or even 4-day cricket?
- My Christmas present to you all - it’s my annual Women’s Team of the Year for @theguardian.com! What do you reckon - did I get it right?