England's Jenny Gunn to become first cricketer, male or female, to play 100 T20Is

With father Bryn Gunn being an ace defender – he was a part of Nottingham Forest that won the European Cup (as Champions League was then known as) in 1980 – it was only natural that England all-rounder Jenny Gunn had a liking towards football.

But, "cricket happened at school", Gunn said here on Saturday as she is all set to become the first cricketer ever, male or female, to appear in 100 Twenty20 Internationals when England take on India in Match 3 of the Women's T20 tri-series here on Sunday.

"I wanted to play football for England. Cricket just happened at school. My dad played both. I hate the (England) cold. I am glad I chose cricket because you come to places like India for the heat. It is not warm in England," the 31-year-old right-arm medium-pacer and a handy lower-order batter said at her team hotel to a select journalists.

Gunn surpassed Pakistan male all-rounder Shahid Afridi as the most capped T20I player on Friday against Australia. Having made her debut in all the three formats at different points in 2004, Gunn has had doubts cast on her bowling action right from the start.

But, with the International Cricket Council clearing her action, she is not bothered about what others think. 'Whiff' is the name her captain Heather Knight has given to her bowling – the slow ball that she releases at a point that even the cameramen find it difficult to track the ball.

"For 14 years, people have called me a chucker," Gunn laughs. "I try to bowl slow balls, something that I found works on batters. It just happened by accident. Heather gave it the name 'whiff'. I have so many people telling me my action is dodgy, I am chucking, it is ugly... You know you are doing something right if more people are watching. If more people are remarking about my action, it is positive and negative in a way."

Ask how she feels on the eve of her 100th T20I, and Gunn says: "I can't until the captain tells me it is going to be my 100th game. I just want to play cricket for England, wear the Three Lions. We had three girls yesterday (Friday) make their debuts. Hopefully in my 100th game, I will cap off a very good win.

"We had some discussions with the youngsters in our team. When I actually made my debut in 2004, a few of the girls weren't even five years old. So, I can't really believe I am going to play my 100th game, hopefully tomorrow (Sunday). It is a huge honour."

Gunn, who holds the record for the highest wickets in ODIs for England Women – 135 – and, at 73, is second behind team-mate Danielle Hazell (76) in T20Is, attributed the secret behind her longevity in the game to the support system back home in England.

"Just turning professional has massively helped. Having our fitness expert, nutritionist, physios, we have such good support back in England that helped me, and hopefully for a few more years," she said.
Just as long, or even longer in the international circuit have been India's own Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, both debuting in international cricket before Gunn.

"It is amazing they are still going strong. Goswami still running in and bowling, shows India missed her in the ODIs against Australia. She is still a threat. She will still keep going until her body can't anymore. Mithali Raj is such a good batter and a very annoying person to bowl to. She is a class batter and it shows on her record she has achieved so far," Gunn said of her admiration to the Indian stalwarts.

People in India may remember Gunn for dropping India's Poonam Yadav at mid-off in the nervous final moments of last year's ICC Women's World Cup that prompted her captain Heather Knight to say "I felt she dropped the World Cup". But, thankfully for Gunn, the bowler Anya Shrubsole clean bowled No. 11 Rajeshwari Gayakwad off the very next ball to help England lift the title.

"I had one dropped off my bowling and no one is talking about it! It (the drop) will always be there. If I caught, it would have been the best series I have ever had. I did not mean to drop it. It did not get to me as much as I wanted to. No one is perfect. I just happens, it's not good when it happens on TV," Gunn recollected.

Having also been part of England's 2009 World T20 squad, Gunn chose last year's triumph as sweeter.

"Beating every team in last year's 50-over World Cup showed we were the best team in that year. That is the best memory," she said when asked to choose between the 50-over and 20-over World title.

But, among her best T20 matches so far has been the 2009 semifinal. "Chasing down chase down 164 (target) at The Oval at that time was never thought of in women's cricket. To go through to the final beating Australia has got to be up there. Hopefully tomorrow (Sunday) will be another one," Gunn said.

Coming from a family that has loved and encouraged sports, despite her mom initially not taking a liking – "my mom is a super stat now" – and her grandmom, a Belarussian, who did not understand cricket initially but would sit in front of the teletext for hours to follow the game, Gunn has broken the shackles of women belonging in the kitchen doing household chores.

"You always have people tell you that you belong to the kitchen and you shouldn't be playing cricket. They would be saying pretty much behind social media. They wouldn't say it to you on your face. And half the times you would want them to go to the nets and face us and actually prove that they can do better than us. That's something we will always find. But I say if we can be more successful and show what we can do, I think we can have things going our way," Gunn said as one of the challenges women's cricket faces even today.

With Gunn all set for her 100th, that is just another reason for women to get out of kitchen and take to the sport.

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