England v India: Sophia Dunkley on being first black woman to play Tests for England

Dunkley made 74 not out in the drawn Test against India and has played in every game of the multi-format series that England lead 8-6

Sophia Dunkley made an unbeaten 74 on her England Test debut last month.

That is momentous enough, especially at just 22 and in a format not regularly played in the women's game.

But the match had the added significance of Dunkley becoming the first black woman to play Test cricket for England.

"I'd argue it's more important than anything that happens on the pitch," she told BBC Sport.

"It was one of the highlights of my small career so far."

Dunkley, who grew up in north London, says she does not feel any pressure despite her position.

"It is just nice to have any positive influence that I can. If that comes through playing, brilliant," she told Ebony Rainford-Brent, who was the first black woman to play for England. Rainford-Brent won 22 one-day caps and seven Twenty20 caps, but never played a Test.

"To me that doesn't even feel like a task; it's just what we do," said Dunkley.

"If it does inspire any boys or girls that's amazing, but anything I can do to try and make an impact and difference is great."

'It hadn't crossed my mind'

Dunkley made her England debut as a 20-year-old at the 2018 T20 World Cup in the West Indies, although she batted only twice in five games.

"It [being the second black woman to play for England] definitely didn't cross my mind until I played in that World Cup and someone asked me about it in an interview," she said.

"They asked 'how does it feel to be the second black woman to play for England?' and I didn't even know what to say. It took me by surprise.

"Since then it has cropped up now and again in interviews and discussions, and in the last year it has become an even more prominent subject.

"I've then reflected on it and realised what it actually means, and how important and special it is."

Dunkley did not play in the 2019 Ashes against Australia and missed out on the T20 World Cup in Australia last year.

However, she has been a regular in the team under coach Lisa Keightley, who took over from Mark Robinson in October 2019.

And an impressive start for South East Stars in this season's Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy - she made 92 and an unbeaten 104 - pressed her claim in the longer format.

Dunkley has played in every game against India this summer, including making a match-winning 73 not out in her second ODI at Bristol.

She has helped England open up an 8-6 lead in the multi-format series, and they need only to avoid defeat in the final Twenty20 at Chelmsford on Wednesday to clinch the series.

'She took me to grounds with sheep on'

A key figure in Dunkley's life has been her mother, whom she says raised her "pretty much single-handily".

"She's an amazing person," Dunkley said. "She has grown her business and become really successful.

"Managing that and me, and taking me up and down the country, and staying in hotels in the middle of nowhere, and going to grounds with sheep on... she has scarified a lot to get me where I am.

"It is really nice now to have her in the crowd."

Introduced to cricket by her next-door neighbour before going to a Middlesex Under-11s trial day, Dunkley still remembers the phone call to tell her about her England call-up in 2018.

"I just screamed down the phone," she said.

"You can't even put that feeling into words. It was so good, I was so happy.

"I rang my mum straight away. She said 'I'm getting off the phone and looking at flights'."

Judging by Dunkley's impact this summer, there promises to be many more happy moments for mother and daughter to share.

Watch live coverage of the third and final Twenty20 between England and India on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website from 18:00 BST on Wednesday.

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