A WOMAN from Dorset has spoken of her pride at being asked to score two of England's high-profile Test matches this summer.

Christine Drew from Wimborne was called up by the England and Wales Cricket Board to score the first Test against the West Indies yesterday and and the third Test against Pakistan, which is due to begin in late August.

Mrs Drew has been scoring cricket since 1978 when she started out at Colehill Cricket Club. In 1993 she got involved with Dorset County Cricket Club and took over the scoring permanently in 2001. Since 2002 she has not missed a single match for Dorset.

Yesterday's rain-affected proceedings was her Test match debut. Speaking before the match to Echosport, Mrs Drew said: "Chris Kelly from the ECB wrote asking if I'd be prepared to be considered to score within a bio-secure venue. I replied in the affirmative and he sent through my first tranche of fixtures.

"To say I was surprised and delighted was an understatement. Apart from all of the security, the Covid-19 tests and the health screening, scoring this match is really no different from scoring for Dorset. The scoring procedures and methods are exactly the same, it's just that I have more people wishing me good luck and far fewer spectators today."

Despite scoring the men's game, Mrs Drw added that there have been plenty of opportunities for women to take part in the sport behind the scenes as she has done.

"Cricket is one sport where, I believe, women do get a fair crack at the whip," she said. "I'm sure there are far more female administrators around today than there ever were. The ECB match manager at today's Test is a woman."

Due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, cricket lovers have been unable to enjoy the sport in recent months, and Mrs Drew can't wait to cheer on England from the comfort of her own home once her scoring duties have been fulfilled.

"Honestly, I've been too busy working to have missed cricket too much but, yes, it's good to be back in the hot seat again," she said.

"I scored the warm-up match last week, so have had a practice and I'm working with Kevin Baker, the Hampshire scorer, so have a good and amiable companion.

"If I was at home, I would certainly be glued to my seat for this match, as I will be for all of England's subsequent matches... except the third Test versus Pakistan, because I shall be scoring that too."