Female Freddie

Charlotte Edwards with the Women's Cricketer of the Year 2004 trophy © Getty Images

Before playing for England you were captain of the Huntingdonshire Under-16 boys' team. Was that hard?
Oh definitely, I had to prove myself every time I played. The things I had to put up with, playing in the boys team, weren't easy at all. I remember incidents where I would turn up and parents were going to pull their boys out of the game because they didn't want them to play against a girl. The opposition lads used to bowl beamers at me just to try and intimidate me, it was really quite hard. I'm not fazed by anything now after going through that. It makes you so much tougher.

What's your proudest moment in an England shirt?
I suppose the recent tour to South Africa. Something I'd set out to do at the start of the winter was to be consistent, working with David Capel at Northants, and to do that - setting a goal and achieving it - was fantastic. The hundred at Buffalo Park was emotional. My dad was quite unwell, I went away and he fell ill, so it was quite an emotional time for me. Being under the strain I was under, and achieving what I did, I was really happy.

Are the Super 4s achieving the ECB's aim of reducing the gulf between county and international cricket?
Yeah, definitely. I think every year it is coming on. We've managed to regionalise it now and the teams are quite equal. It has definitely helped me; I am facing really, really good opposition every weekend, and that sets you up then for the internationals. And there are five or six overseas internationals over here playing club cricket which has helped produce a really strong club competition. This is the best I've seen the women's game.

Could a Super 4s format benefit the men's game?
I think it would work really well with the men. I think it is something that the ECB has probably got to look at.

Edwards batting against South Africa in 2003 © Getty Images

You badly damaged your knee ligaments in 2000. How did that affect you?
For the first year after I came back it was pretty hard. I'd had a whole year off the game, which at 21 is not ideal because I was just establishing myself. But I think it has made me a stronger person. I think you can start taking things for granted. It made me look hard at my fitness and looking after my body.

Have you ever faced any of the England men's bowlers?
No [laughs]. After seeing Steve Harmison in the nets last week I don't think I want to. He looked pretty sharp.

What's the sledging like in the women's game?
When you play against Australia, they're not shy. It can get quite offensive but I take it with a pinch of salt. As a batter you can't retaliate because you're always going to lose out somewhere along the line. Even if you get 90 and they get you out they get the last laugh, so you've just got to take it on the chin and do your talking at the end of the game when you know you've won.

Is the aim for women's cricket to turn professional?
I can't see us turning professional. I just don't think we generate the money. At the moment we're funded by the Lottery and Sport England and we're the best-supported women's side in the world. When I made my debut, at 16, it was under the Women's Cricket Association, and the difference now is unbelievable. For the younger girls it is quite easy to get carried away with it all but I was there when I had to pay for my England tracksuit and when I had to pay for my England blazer and it made me appreciate what I was doing.

Do you get fan mail, or recognised by people?
Oh yeah, especially where I live in Huntingdon. It's nice to be recognised for what you do. You've been called a female Freddie Flintoff by some. Does that flatter you or annoy you? It flatters me really. He's an amazing player and, if I can play half as well as him, I'd be happy. A lot of people have said to me recently that I am a hard-hitting opening bat but it is how I naturally play. It is something I do keep working on; I feel I am definitely hitting the ball a lot harder than I was last year. You play to your strengths and I seem to hit gaps really well. For the first 50 runs I like to hit it along the floor. Obviously I'm not shy when it comes to hitting over the top but I wouldn't say it is a real strength of mine.

Who's the fiercest opponent you've come across?
Cathryn Fitzpatrick from Australia. She's the quickest women's bowler in the world. I've always had really good tussles with her and I have a huge amount of respect for her. When you pull Fitzpatrick for four there's no better feeling.