As Kukri Sports continue to shine a light on the accomplishments of Women in Sport this month, we recently sat down with Northern Diamonds star Phoebe Turner in an exclusive interview.
Turner, who has been described as a dynamic batter, earned a professional contract ahead of the 2023 season. The 19-year-old featured eight times for Northern Diamonds’ senior side in 2022, including playing at Lord’s in their triumphant Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Final.
With the Diamonds now hoping to kick on after beginning their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy title defence with an emphatic victory, Turner was pleased to see how far sportswear has come in Women’s Cricket and praised Kukri’s involvement.
“It shows the values that are now in place in Cricket and the bigger focus that there now is on equality. I think it’s great that Kukri have tailored sportswear for men over at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, and are now doing the same for Northern Diamonds players too.
“The fitting and feel of the kit is absolutely perfect on us. I go out there during a match and feel proud and honoured to wear it, because I know the value and thought that has gone into sportswear designed specifically for Women’s cricket by Kukri.“
Turner, who is also a graduate student from the Headingley based Yorkshire Cricket College, also shared her thoughts on the importance of sportswear designed for women, and the impact it can have on their performance on the pitch.
“It’s important for us players that we feel comfortable and confident when we are playing and on the pitch, rather than wearing sportswear that doesn’t fit us.
It’s vital that we do get the right clothing in terms of size and breathability of the material, because it helps us perform to our maximum. If we were to wear men’s bottoms on the pitch, it would be difficult for us to even run in them, so it’s pleasing to see how far it has come over recent years and it’s very beneficial to us as players to add comfort and help us perform to our best on the pitch.“
Turner, who is now embarking on her second season with the Northern Diamonds first team, is now excited to see what the future holds for Women’s sportswear in Cricket.
“I think it’s really important that you see girls wearing their own cricket kit. You can spot our fans watching our games with kit on and you can tell they want to and feel proud wearing it.
“There have been lots of positive changes this year with our kit and Kukri have played a massive part in that which has been really great to see, and long may it continue.“
Kukri have been a proud official kit supplier of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Northern Diamonds since March 2022, supplying both teams playing and training wear, as well as kit for the Academy and Pathway teams.
To find out more about Northern Diamonds, click here.