Lionesses Win Would Be 'huge' For Women's Sport

When Danni Wyatt-Hodge visits her section supermarket she is greeted by nan acquainted faces of nan Lionesses astatine almost each turn.

The England batter is looking to adhd different trophy to her ever-growing postulation astatine nan inaugural women's T20 Blast finals time astatine The Oval connected Sunday.

But she will besides beryllium firmly down Leah Williamson, Chloe Kelly and co erstwhile they look Spain successful Sunday's Euro 2025 last because she knows what different triumph would mean for women's athletics successful England and nan maturation of cricket wrong that.

"I said to my woman this is going to beryllium immense if nan Lionesses triumph nan Euros again. It's going to beryllium truthful bully for women's shot and for women's athletics because it gets everyone talking astir it again," Wyatt-Hodge, 34, told BBC Sport.

"You spell into supermarkets now and each complete nan shelves you spot nan Lionesses. I dream 1 time it's nan England cricket girls.

"It's going to beryllium astonishing if they tin get that triumph connected Sunday and women's athletics is going to support connected going up and up."

Wyatt-Hodge has watched intently from location arsenic nan Lionesses person battled their measurement to a 2nd consecutive Euros final.

They will beryllium retired for revenge against Spain, who emerged victorious erstwhile nan 2 teams met successful nan World Cup last 2 years ago.

Wyatt-Hodge said women's athletics had "gone done nan roof" since England's triumph complete Germany successful nan Euro 2022 last connected location ungraded astatine Wembley.

Now England's all-time starring T20 run-scorer is hoping her broadside tin emulate that occurrence erstwhile England and Wales big nan Women's T20 World Cup adjacent year, and animate nan adjacent procreation of female players.

"It's going to beryllium monolithic for america if we tin triumph nan location World Cup adjacent summer," she said.

"When I first started playing cricket location was nary women's cricket wherever I lived. I was nan only woman playing successful Stoke-on-Trent and now we've sewage a full league, which is amazing. I conscionable dream girls cognize schools wherever they tin play successful their area.

"The much that we're connected TV, and we're winning and performing past we'll beryllium inspiring nan adjacent procreation and that's going to beryllium massive."

Wyatt-Hodge is already a World Cup victor pinch England and has played successful nan Big Bash League successful Australia, arsenic good arsenic successful packed stadiums astatine nan Women's Premier League successful India.

She represents Southern Brave successful nan Hundred and has enjoyed a stellar first play pinch Surrey, having signed a caller contract earlier this month.

Her broadside spell into Sunday's finals time arsenic favourites, taking their spot straight successful nan last aft topping nan group shape by 10 points.

They will look nan victor of The Blaze and Bears Women, who look each different successful nan semi-final, and Wyatt-Hodge is keen to decorativeness nan occupation connected location turf.

"It's an honour to play for Surrey and I conscionable really dream we get nan occupation done aft a really successful campaign, everyone has turned up astatine immoderate constituent astatine nan tourney and that shows nan squad depth," she said.

"It's been astonishing to play successful nan double-headers pinch nan boys astatine immoderate of nan champion grounds successful nan country.

"For me, playing astatine The Oval arsenic a batter is simply a dream. It's truthful level and nan outfield is truthful quick.

"The modular of cricket has been truthful good. I've been astir for a agelong clip now and I've seen nan modular of women's cricket spell done nan roof, which is amazing."

Euro 2025 final: England v Spain

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