Happy Galentine's Weekend!

The Galentine's Club of the Century: A Celebration of Cricket Widows

It’s funny—I’ve never really felt the need to celebrate Galentine’s Day before. But yesterday? I would have absolutely loved to have a CW Galentine’s party with you all! 🎉

Imagine us getting dressed up (or maybe not—it could be a casual one). We’d turn up, drinks in hand, with pizza and nibbles, and the most hysterical chatter you’d ever hear. I can just picture it!

Cricket Widows in the wildddd

We wouldn’t just talk cricket (although I think that would be a hot topic, haha). We’d dive into each other’s lives, meet new like-minded folks—something that rarely happens as adults—and make new friends. Friends who wouldn’t replace the ones we’ve already got, but who lighten the heavy feeling just by being there.

The Struggles We Face

I used to keep everything bottled up. I’d suck it up and not do a very good job of it. I’d suffer in silence, do things alone, and couldn’t quite explain how I felt. It made me even lonelier. My confidence dwindled, and suddenly, social environments felt like a no-go zone.

Going down to the club was a battle. Not because people weren’t lovely, but because my confidence was so low. A busy place full of familiar faces became overwhelming.

But over the last two years, you’ve given me the confidence to speak about how I feel. That’s not just me; that’s all of you! Your support and cheering from afar have shown me how much speaking up can help. It’s given me the confidence to keep spreading the word.

Finding Our Tribe

It feels so special to have a group of girls who share so many of the same emotions and can relate to each other so strongly. I feel incredibly lucky to have stumbled across you all on this journey. What we have—and who we are—is powerful.

We’re strong women and girls because we’ve had to be. We’ve learned to be independent and adjust our emotional levels to toughen up. We’ve lived, learned, and figured things out on our own.

The group we’ve created is powerful—not just in personality, but in our nature. It’s friendly, it’s safe, and we all want the same thing for each other: to be the happiest we can be!

Your name is on the guest list to The Cricket Widow Club. Please come along for the ride—I’m so excited for us to get together this year!

Cricket Couples: They’re Built Different

Speaking of Valentine’s, Tyler and I spent it on a flight to Austria for some skiing. England was playing in the World Cup, so I wasn’t expecting a Happy Valentine's until at least midday!

We’re off for six days, and it got me thinking: this is probably the longest holiday we’ve ever had together. We haven’t quite reached a full week yet—and yes, this six-day trip is in the middle of winter. Nearly ten years in, and if I tried to explain this to any non-cricket friends, they’d say, “What do you mean? That’s the best reason for being in a relationship!”

I know. But you guys are secretly smiling at this, thinking, “Yep, that’s me too.” Some of you may have even made it to seven days at some point, but you get where I’m coming from!

Any top tips or hints for surviving a long holiday are very much welcome—I’ve not quite made it there yet!

In a recent post, I wrote that cricket is “a third person in the relationship—yet somehow the reason some of the strongest relationships exist.” And I really do believe that. Not just in mine and Tyler’s case, but in the cricketer/cricket widow dynamic as a whole. If you can get past the early stages, I genuinely think it’s one of the most solid partnerships out there.

The Unique Bond We Share

There’s a level of understanding and commitment that’s unmatched. The sacrifice and compromise involved are next level. Being able to navigate the logistics of summer without constantly questioning it is something that, if any other couple stepped into, would probably fall apart.

Do I think we, as women, create this? Absolutely! At any point, we could have said, “Nah, fk this”—but we didn’t. Our personalities have moulded to it, and we’ve built a solid foundation.

Through learning to be flexible, finding independence, and realising that love doesn’t always mean being together every minute of the day, we’ve adapted. Not because we were forced to, but because we wanted to make it work alongside the game. In doing that, we’ve created partnerships grounded in mutual respect—not constant reassurance.

Embracing the Cricket Community

Cricket is different in that it creates a community you can actually enjoy with your partner. How many girls do you see following their boyfriends around on a golf day? How many stand outside a football stadium waiting to join them for a pint afterwards? It doesn’t really happen.

Cricket gives us that opportunity—to be part of it, not just around it—and I think that’s pretty cool!

So maybe Galentine's isn't just about a date on the calendar. Maybe it’s about finding people who understand the version of you that’s grown alongside cricket. The ones who don’t need things explained. Who sit with you in it, laugh with you through it, and remind you that you’re not doing any of this alone.

And if nothing else, I hope it reminds you that there’s space for your life, your joy, and your people too—amidst it all.

Join The Cricket Widow Club

If you’re looking for a vibrant, supportive online community, look no further! The Cricket Widow Club is here to offer a relatable space for sharing experiences and finding humour in the challenges of life dictated by cricket fixtures. Join us and become part of our digital hangout!

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