Groves hoping Netball experience can help her conquer Hundred

By Milly McEvoy

Multi-talented youngster Josie Groves hopes her experience playing netball can help her take plenty of wickets, as she looks to soak up as much knowledge as possible during her first season playing in The Hundred.

The 18-year-old leg spinner has signed for the Trent Rockets for the 2023 edition of the limited overs format, having signed her first professional contract for The Blaze earlier this year.

It means the Milton Keynes-born bowler will be rubbing shoulders alongside England legends Nat and Katherine Sciver-Brunt, as well as Australian spinner Alana King.

And while such illustrious names mean Groves knows game time might be hard to come by, the teenager is intent on gaining as much knowledge as she can across August while hoping her multi-sport background can give her an extra edge.

“I don't know how much actual game time I’ll get,” she admitted. “Obviously, everyone hopes that they'll play a game we'll see.

“But I'm playing with the likes of Alana King, so to be able to learn off her as a fellow leg spinner is incredible.

“I've been working with Sarah Glenn at The Blaze, So being able to work with her and then with the Kingy who are both leg spinners, but both different, it is about how much can I get out of them?

“Obviously, there's international experience there so it's how much can I soak up and learn from them?

“Nat has been around a couple games at the Blaze, so I've sort of seen her go about her business a little bit, but to really see how they all go, see how they work in an environment like that, I think that will be interesting to take away.

“How they approach their game being the international stars that they are.”

Groves has impressed in both domestic and international cricket so far in her fledgling career, with the 18-year-old part of the England side who finished runners-up at the women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup in January this year.

It is all part of a jam-packed schedule that also sees Groves play netball for Saracens Mavericks and is part of England’s Roses Academy.

But Groves wouldn’t have it any other way and hopes all those different experiences will serve her well when she plays on her biggest stage yet this summer.

“I would never not recommend doing multiple sports,” she added. “I think it’s so beneficial.

“The athleticism that you're able to get out of it, you get skills from netball that I don't get with cricket. My fitness probably more comes from a netball side.

“It keeps the enjoyment there as well. If I am having a bit of a rough period with cricket, I’ve got the netball escape and can do something else but still in a competitive environment.

“The Under-19 World Cup had good crowds, lots of good support and everything but I think when you played like a semi-final like we like we did, the belief that I took from that is that crazy things do happen in pressure situations.

“If I take a step back and have a look at what I’ve achieved this year, and what opportunities I've been given. It's special.”

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