Former White Ferns cricket captain Maia Lewis is joining the Sky Sport TV commentary team this weekend. Photo / Peter Meecham
Former White Ferns cricket captain Maia Lewis is joining the Sky Sport TV commentary team this weekend. Photo / Peter Meecham
Maia Lewis finally gets to play out ‘secret passion’ for commentary as she pitches in to call test action with the men at Seddon Park.
Maia Lewis, for years, had "a secret passion".
During her formative years, and even in her days as one of New Zealand's best women cricketers, she'd find herself commentating while watching a game on television.
"It would end up being similar to what they were saying and I thought 'I could do this'," Lewis said.
She gets her chance from today, along with former White Ferns teammate and now New Zealand Cricket president Debbie Hockley when the second (men's) test against the West Indies starts at Seddon Park in Hamilton today.
Hockley has commentated on about 15 women's internationals and even joined the ESPN team for the 2002 women's World Cup in Australia, to a large degree, she admitted, due to having nudged herself forward.
But these women will join the Sky commentary box, enlarging the number of females being used in a widening range of sports.
They will join a group of seven men — former New Zealand internationals Ian Smith, Craig Cumming, Scott Styris, Simon Doull, Mark Richardson and Ken Rutherford, and former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop — behind the microphone.
Hear the sound of walls crumbling? If so, then not before time seems the common, and logical view.
"I think we've moved beyond acceptance to 'where are they? Why aren't they there," Sky's director of sport Richard Last said of the influx of women into previously male commentary domains. "That's not just women. It's just modern times."
Last pointed out there are 14 women working behind the cameras in Hamilton at this test. Viewed that way, having women in front of the mic would seem a natural progression.
Women are involved in commentating, or presenting, on rugby, league, hockey as well as the old staple, netball. Expect the tide to continue turning.
By Last's estimation there have been about 25 new faces tried in the last 18 months.
Some, such as Rikki Swannell, long a top class sports radio journalist, look to be keepers.
An experienced sports voice, Swannell has been a netball commentator for some time, covered the women's world league hockey finals at North Harbour recently, and will be doing rugby and cricket in the coming months.
Back to Lewis and Hockley.
Lewis, a former New Zealand captain, who last played for her country at the 2005 World Cup in South Africa, admits she wasn't averse to pushing herself forward if there were to be any doors opening. After her playing career ended she got into coaching and video analysis with the White Ferns.
New Zealand Cricket president Debbie Hockley. Photo / Photosport
"Now I've been away from the game a little bit and the timing of it makes sense, especially with a lot more women doing commentary around the world. The fit is better all around."
Former England captain Charlotte Edwards has dipped her toes into commentary; in Australia Lisa Sthalekar and Mel Jones are becoming more seasoned behind the microphone.
Here's a clue why Christchurch-born Lewis, 47, is having a go.
She coached the Auckland Hearts women's team and has been involved with the New Zealand Blind Caps when they went to India last February for their T20 World Cup; is on the Northland Cricket board and is lead disability sport adviser at the Halberg Disability Sports Foundation.
She's finishing that fulltime job shortly and moving from Whangarei to Auckland to take up a role with College Sport Auckland as relationship manager, all the while raising 10-year-old Elijah. You get a hunch Lewis doesn't like to be idle.
Hockley acknowledged she's seen as "go-to person for the women's game". She played 19 tests, averaging 52.04 with four centuries and 118 ODIs, for a 41.89 average.
Hockley was inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame in 2014, one of only three New Zealanders, along with Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe.
As for the male domain thing, that's no big deal for Lewis, who has spent much of her working life around men through the Halberg Trust and the Blind Caps' work.
Diversity of voices and opinions matter.
Lewis agreed there is an element of trailblazing for women in this.
"I do feel we're leading the way a little bit, and for Maori as well because very few Maori play cricket.
"So it's a bit of a mixed bag in terms of trailblazing and promotion as well."
Lewis knows there will be the odd mistake — there hasn't been a commentator born who hasn't made them, after all — but "that's part and parcel of being human, as long as you learn from what you do. Hopefully the guys will be supportive".
White Ferns coach Haidee Tiffen played for New Zealand alongside Lewis and Hockley. She uses one word to characterise Lewis' qualities.
"She has courage, a lot of courage. Maia was someone willing to break new ground, she had that type of character, willing to risk, to say what she feels, and that's a positive thing.
"She was really knowledgeable around cricket, a competitive, passionate cricketer."
Last believes an upswing in female viewership is a factor.
"They are now starting to say, as all audiences do, 'how come what I see on television isn't reflecting me or my views?'."
Australia's Channel 9 has copped heavy flak for their so-called male, stale and pale Ashes commentary team. Last said there was no intention of getting in ahead of the Aussies; Sky's plans had already been firmly in place before then.
"We need to get on with the times," Last said as a broad brush view of who should be calling sports. "Having these different voices appear with the men will hopefully enhance what people see at home."
