England opener Tammy Beaumont has hit out at comparisons between women's and men's cricket saying they're "the biggest thing that sometimes holds it back".
Beaumont made her England debut in 2009 but took a while to establish herself as a key member of the side, becoming one of the best openers in the world after earning a recall in 2016. Her development has coincided with more investment in the women's game, with Beaumont one of 18 players awarded central contracts in 2014 in a move that saw women's cricket in England enter a new professional era.
Since then, investment in the sport has continued, with England funding 41 new professional contracts in 2020. And that has directly translated into greater interest in women's cricket.
