By Paul Eddison, Sportsbeat
AS a world cricketer, Maia Bouchier has first-hand expertise of simply how a lot local weather change is remodeling our planet.
Now the 25-year-old needs to play her half in combating again.
The place some sportspeople pay lip service to sponsor initiatives or campaigns, Bouchier is not only alongside for the journey, she is attempting to drive change inside cricket.
Whether or not meaning a change to journey plans for abroad excursions, or adjusting the quantity of equipment delivered to England gamers, the opener has a lot of concepts about how the game can evolve for the sake of the planet.
“I’ve grown up with loads of alternative, my dad and mom have been fairly wonderful and we obtained to journey to loads of locations,” mentioned Bouchier, talking as MCC launched its ‘Batting For a Higher Future’ sustainability marketing campaign.
“We realized the significance of wildlife and pure conservation, we obtained to see loads of cultures. So by way of why I’ve began to talk up about it (local weather change), I noticed the environments impacted. Cricket has been impacted by the surroundings from what I’ve seen.
“I wished to make individuals conscious of what we are able to do as a group, as a result of that’s what we’re, to assist the surroundings.
“There are various issues we are able to do. The massive one is knowing there may be loads of journey concerned and there’s a large carbon footprint for all of us. As a result of the ladies’s sport is enhancing a lot, it’s extra of an influence there. We have to speak about what the very best methods are of lowering that carbon footprint as a lot as we are able to.
“We get loads of equipment, it’s one thing I’ve chatted to the ECB sustainability supervisor about, what we are able to do to cut back that. It’s an enormous a part of lowering the carbon footprint and the waste. There may be a lot waste round equipment
“Issues like gloves and pads and helmets. We go away and go to those international locations the place it is vitally sizzling. So it’s enthusiastic about the method after we’ve used our equipment, how can we reuse it? Or can we discover a solution to cut back the influence on the surroundings.
“It’s arduous when you need to go to Australia, on the lengthy journeys we must be a bit lenient. However if you happen to’re travelling six hours to a rustic, the place you can most likely simply go economic system. That’s my opinion, if as a workforce, we might be actually cautious and select the proper time to go on an economic system flight. I feel that might be wonderful. It’s one thing I’m going to attempt to encourage but it surely’s about how we are able to do it as a workforce.”
MCC’s Batting For a Higher Future marketing campaign goals to make use of the Membership’s uniquely unbiased place inside cricket to focus on the challenges that local weather change pose on the game.
Bouchier might be a part of the England squad that travels to South Africa this week forward of a collection towards the Proteas, the place she might make her Take a look at debut.
The opener was most lately in motion on the T20 World Cup within the United Arab Emirates, with the hovering temperatures and excessive humidity on one other stage to something she has beforehand skilled.
And with subsequent 12 months’s 50-over World Cup heading to India, Bouchier is aware of that coping with excessive climate circumstances is turning into a part of the job.
She added: “After we go overseas and it’s 45 levels and we’ve to play in that warmth. I solely actually skilled that in Dubai, luckily it was day for me, I obtained a fifty towards Scotland. However that was the most well liked I’ve ever performed in.
“It was the center of the day and you need to play in pads and full equipment. Then I take into consideration the lads having to play in Sri Lanka or India, the extreme warmth, you see it in articles in regards to the gamers fainting and go off for warmth stroke.
“I’ve undoubtedly skilled extra of it within the final two years as a result of I’ve been on that worldwide stage.
“A Take a look at debut for me could be unbelievable, I’ve dreamt about that second for a very long time. However that’s one thing we’ve to consider with how we put together. We now play 5 days, we used to play 4. The additional day is a profit since you might get extra outcomes, however taking part in in that warmth is a scary thought. We didn’t assume Dubai was going to be that sizzling but it surely was. Now we have to go and play in India subsequent 12 months within the 50-over World Cup, it does scare me somewhat bit. You all the time wish to be within the high health stage however figuring out find out how to mentally go on the market and play in that warmth is one other thought.
“I performed final 12 months in India, I stayed for the Take a look at match final 12 months, I used to be within the squad. I performed within the T20s. That wasn’t that dangerous, I used to be okay in that warmth, however I didn’t play within the Take a look at match.
“Listening to from the women that you simply come off the sector and everyone seems to be simply mendacity within the altering room and having to get in an ice bathtub which is minus 5 levels with blocks of ice. The temperature shock is loopy. I feel I’ll solely perceive that after I’ve performed.”
Maia Bouchier was talking on the launch of MCC’s Batting For a Higher Future marketing campaign. For extra data, go to www.lords.org/better-future.
