Danielle McGahey will make her international debut in Los Angeles. Photo: Scott French
History came quietly and in a highly unusual setting on Monday afternoon as cricket entered a new era with Danielle McGahey's debut for Canada's Twenty20 Women's Team.
McGahey became the first transgender player to compete in an official international match at the International Cricket Council's T20 Americas qualifier for next year's World Cup. Cup, and if it was big news in the world of cricket, it hardly made a splash on the cricket grounds of Woodley Park in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.
Cricket usually attracts «crickets» — silence driven by extreme disinterest — outside of the handful of immigrant communities in the United States, so there were virtually no crowds, no signs of protesters (and supporters), and only one local media outlet serving the Caribbean community of Los Angeles. ready for action.
In front of hardly 80 spectators — some of these kids are playing on the sidelines, a few more are grilling steaks on a Labor Day outing across a distant border, some are engrossed in dominoes and cards, and about a quarter of the total while away the time between the more popular matches for the Sheikh Kamal Prize are held in the adjacent oval.
The Canadians crushed Brazil on the opening day of a regional qualifier held in a cricket wasteland, and McGahey's presence was simply noticed.
What this means is unclear, as is McGahey's future in women's football, but it is another step in modernity of this sport. The result aside, it proved disappointing for the 29-year-old Australian, who moved to Canada in February 2020, began her transition nine months later and made her debut for the national team at the 2022 South American Championships in Brazil.
Promotion starts tomorrow!! Details below and subscribe to https://t.co/iKTg0rhvpZ. @Cricketarg @brasil_cricket @canadiancricket @usacricket pic.twitter.com/8NniGKuLde
— ICC Americas (@iccamericas), September 3, 2023
Canada was the guest team at the event and their matches were not officially considered international , so the McGee era began shortly after 2:00 p.m., when she conceded the first ball from Brazil's Renata Dina to the wicket.
McGaee, known for her prowess with the ball, became frustrated, making just 13 runs off 23 balls before Laura Cardoso pinned her with an early foot. She struggled to keep the ball in the center but hit the boundary twice, bringing Canada to 30 before becoming the second wicket to fall.
For most of Brazil's innings, she played deep into the leg and caught Nicole Monteiro in 14th place, while Canada turned their rivals on 45.
What McGahey thinks of her historic match — and her performance — is anyone's guess. ICC Americas officials did not allow the media to interview anyone. Only commentators on the ICC livestream were allowed to speak to the players, and McGahey was not allowed to speak to them either.
Canada captain Divya Saxena was asked about McGahey's involvement after winning the draw. “We are all teammates,” she said. «We will support each other.»
McGahey was able to play because she met the necessary criteria for transgender players, which require her «serum testosterone concentration» to be below a certain level (five nanomoles per liter) continuously for 12 months. The ICC, unlike the world governing bodies in rugby, swimming, cycling and athletics, reflects the International Olympic Committee's approach to transgender athletes, which assumes that there are no unfair advantages in women's sport.
McGahey's presence has been criticized by several women's sports groups and some of the media, and she has apparently received threats, though she told BBC Sport last month that she «can't remember a single negative experience, especially on the pitch or outside of it.» field with your team. Everyone was incredibly supportive.»
Brazil captain Roberta Moretti Avery told BBC Sport that McGahey had been discussed ahead of the tournament in the Van Nuys area of Los Angeles and that she «will be treated the same as anyone another player.»
“In cricket, we can only play what the rule makers give us and abide by the current rules,” said Moretti Avery. “I don't think this rule is perfect, but it's not the fault of the individual player. I think we'll see how Dani affects the game in the future. We don't know what it will be like. The current situation, I think, is fair.”
The ICC and its medical advisory committee have been reviewing their rules for transgender participation since March, and if they follow suit in other sports, McGahey could be banned from women's cricket. There's also speculation that it should dominate the remaining five matches in the double round robin tournament — and Canada upset tournament favorites the United States by securing the only spot in next year's global qualifier to determine the last two teams heading to Bangladesh — which the official US cricket officials will discuss the matter with the ICC and seek rule changes. Time will tell.
McGahey didn't dominate, but that didn't stop the Canadians, who won the game by a low margin of 53 points. «Our battle didn't go as planned,» Saxena said. «Obviously we had two quick wickets, but the rest of the team did great.»
In the game against Argentina on Tuesday afternoon, McGaey pulled off a rather boring seven-round game in his 86-round win. On Thursday, Canada will face the undefeated USA, beating Argentina by 79 points and Brazil by 39 points.
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