News and Events

Ashes challenge awaits BU coach

23 January 2008

Our Strength and Conditioning Co-ordinator is flying the flag for BU during the England ladies cricket tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Caroline Atkins is ready for the challenge that all England cricketers look forward to most – retaining The Ashes.

BU’s Strength and Conditioning Co-ordinator is on her first ever tour down under with the England women’s cricket team. Over five weeks, Caroline and her team mates will face Australia and New Zealand, the two teams she considers the world’s best at women’s cricket.

The tour will feature ten one-day international matches to play (five in each country) plus one 20-20 international and a major test match in Australia.

For Caroline, the itinerary is a challenge, but the thought of playing on the hallowed wickets at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Melbourne Cricket Ground is a dream come true.

“Playing the top two teams in the world in their own back yard is the best place to test yourself,” says the Sussex all-rounder who made her England test debut in 2001 versus Australia in North London.

“It’s going to be an exciting tour and it’s the perfect build-up to the women’s World Cup which will be played a year from now in Australia.”

Caroline’s opportunity to play in Australia means that she'll miss the BU student women’s team playing in the national BUSA indoor cricket final at Lord’s in February.

“Our Excel programme has developed well over the last few years and our results are improving which is much like the England team.”