Former England cricketer Alex Hartley has found herself at the center of a media storm following comments she made about the fitness levels of the England Women's team during the Women's Ashes. The remarks, which suggested that some team members were "letting the team down" during the previous autumn's T20 World Cup, have led to tensions with her former teammates. Hartley, who now works as a pundit for the BBC and Australian television networks, was notably given the "cold shoulder" by some of her ex-colleagues.
The controversy reached a peak when Sophie Ecclestone, a prominent player on the team, refused Hartley a TV interview during the first T20 match on Monday. Ecclestone expressed disappointment over the missed opportunity, remarking that Hartley failed to follow through with the interview. The incident has been widely covered by the UK press, adding to Hartley's distress.
"It's been a pretty tough few days for me," said Hartley. "I wasn't expecting it to be in the newspapers and all over the UK press so it has actually hit me, personally, pretty hard."
Despite this, England wicketkeeper Amy Jones denies any notion that Hartley has been ostracized by the team. Jones insists there is still a "lot of love" for Hartley among her former teammates. Meanwhile, ex-Middlesex captain Isabelle Westbury suggests that England's struggles in Australia, compounded by increasing player demands, have intensified the issue. Westbury sees no problem with Hartley's candid commentary.
Ebony Rainford-Brent, a fellow commentator and former player, supports Hartley's right to speak her mind.
"What I like about Hartley is that she is saying the truth, that she feels the players haven't been fit and she's put it out there. She is doing what she should be doing as a broadcaster," Rainford-Brent commented. "From Ecclestone's perspective, I'm disappointed she didn't follow through with the interview because as a player, there are jobs on the field and jobs off the field."
Rainford-Brent also reflected on the challenges of transitioning from player to pundit.
"I know about moving out of the dressing room, I moved into commentary two weeks later and you don't want to be rubbishing your mates because you're then going to call them for a prosecco and they don't want it," she explained.
Leave a Reply