Danielle Hazell ready for a busy year

Danielle Hazell is one of the current England Squad’s most experienced players and made her international debut in 2009. Hazell was at one time ranked the best T20I bowler. Her off-spin bowling has accounted for many of the world’s best.



As well as being the squad that won the World T20I in 2009 at Lord’s, Hazell was also part of the squad that won the ICC Women’s World Cup at the same venue in 2017.



Hazell is the captain of the Lancashire Thunder having moved from Yorkshire Diamonds for the start of 2017. Hazell also captained England in an ODI during 2016 when Heather Knight was injured.



We spoke to Hazell at the media day to announce the squads for the tour of India including the tri-series and ODI series to follow.



 



You have been to India before, is it still exciting to go to a country with a love of cricket?



Anytime we get the chance to go over to India, it’s always exciting. They love their cricket and playing India and Australia is going to be tough competition.



 



How are you going to transition to the hot and humid climate?



We had some decent snow the last week or so. It will be a bit of a culture shock going over there and it being 30 degrees. A lot of the girls have been there before, it’s just about adapting those first few days, and getting used to that and performing on the cricket field which we are programmed to do.



 



There are three new faces in the squad what help do they have to help integrate them into the squad?



It will be exciting for them to be involved, and our job is to help them along the way. Some might not have been to India before, I’m sure they have with the academy. It’s for us to help them along that they feel comfortable and able to perform when and where they are called upon.



 



Who was it helped you settle in the squad?



I’ve been around for a few years now, you’ve got a few of the older faces shall we say the Jenny Gunn’s and people like that. I think I’m now one of the older faces and now it is my responsibility now to take on that role to help people out where they can come and ask me questions or whether to feel comfortable around the group.



They are three big characters and I’m sure they will enjoy themselves and really embrace what touring is all about and being in an England squad is.



 



There is also a recall for Kate Cross you captained her last year, how do you think she will do?



It’s great to have Crossy back, another northern lass in the group. She is a fiery northerner, she loves her cricket and loves the competition, so I’m looking forward to having her back around the group. She is a big character in the group, she brings a few smiles to peoples faces and plays the game hard but plays the game in the right spirit.



 



How do you think the KSL has helped to bring on players that are ready to play for England?



There are players that have come out of the KSL that are coming into the squad. It puts you in the shop window and playing against some of the best players in the world for other teams. It can only help you out and it’s only going to grow our game and around the world.



 



How do Lancashire Thunder help develop those young players?



We have got a few of the young girls coming through and international players as well and some of the more senior members so it’s putting place what we have learnt playing cricket and what we can pass on to those younger ones and hopefully they can take a big part in our KSL team this year and push on for greater honours beyond.



 



Who are the Thunder players coming through that can make that step up?



We have got a few in the squad now which is good for us going into that competition we have got four or five of us which obviously good for Lancashire that they are starting to get represented at higher levels. The game is growing and hopefully, the Super League can push that on.



 



With more games in the Kia Super League, this year do you think we will see more of the characters that we see?



Naturally, more games make more competition. With the five games if you lost early on you were under a lot of pressure, now there is time. Twenty20 is a volatile game you can have a great game and then the next game you can have an absolute shocker.



It is now going to give a true reflection of the good teams that are going to get to the semi-finals. More games are going to be televised and on radio, that’s exciting and hopefully Lancashire ourselves can have a better year this year.



 



How do you think the players will cope with the extra games this year, as it moves on from the international series KSL and then the World T20 without much of a break?



That is just the nature of our schedule now. When I first started there wasn’t many tours or games. Now, this is a professional sport, and we are now conditioned to deal with this. When you do have your windows always from cricket to really switch off, and when it is cricket time it’s cricket time.



 



How you personally switch off?



I’m a bit of a shopping bandit, any kind of shopping to get away.



 



I guess there are some that will still be wanting to watch cricket?



Yes, and there is nothing wrong with that, you can obviously learn from watching, but each have their own ways, some play golf, some just get out and go shopping. It’s what you are like as an individual and what you enjoy.