Rewind 12 months and Emma Marlow had stepped up from the Northern Diamonds Academy to train with the senior squad and was hoping for just a bit of game time in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and Charlotte Edwards Cup.
She fulfilled that aim and some, cementing her status as a rising star of Yorkshire Cricket.
The 18-year-old off-spinner from Harrogate went on to play pretty much a full season of regional cricket, she played at Lord’s as the Diamonds won the RHF Trophy, earned her maiden professional contract for 2023 and represented England in the inaugural Under 19s T20 World Cup in South Africa.
Marlow is a product of the Beckwithshaw club and plays her county cricket with Yorkshire – she debuted for the senior team in 2020.
She may not be the household name in the Broad Acres that say Hollie Armitage, Katie Levick, Lauren Winfield-Hill and Katherine Sciver-Brunt are.
But if she helps the Diamonds achieve what they are aiming for this summer, she may well have joined that list come the next International Women’s Day.
“We’d love to win the double this year, and we’re confident we can,” she said.
“The mix of squad is fantastic. We have the experience of the likes of Hollie, Lev and Lauren added to the Academy players who have come through over the last year.
“It’s a good balance. There’s definitely the talent there to do it, and the bond of the team is so strong.
“We definitely want to take what we did last season and run with it.”
Marlow claimed 15 wickets in all cricket for the Diamonds last summer, including a best of 3-40 in 50-over cricket.
Her economy rate was also an impressive feature of her game, ultimately catching the eye of the England selectors ahead of an Under 19s tournament through January which ended with a runners-up medal alongside Diamonds’ team-mate Lizzie Scott.
“The World Cup was the first one of its kind, and to be a part of that was amazing even though it didn’t quite go how I wanted it to personally,” she reflected, having only played twice.
“But I can take a lot from that in terms of learnings if I’m ever in that position again.
“I’d never been abroad playing cricket before, so that was something completely new for me.
“Being able to see what the talent is like coming through from the other countries was a really useful thing for me as a player, and it was great to see the likes of Rwanda involved.
“Just getting out on grass in January was a good thing.
“Taking some reflections from that, I’ve been able to work on some technical adjustments in the couple of months between that and the start of the season.”
It says a lot about Marlow’s development that despite not yet turning 19 – she does next month – that she almost has the feeling of a senior player in the Diamonds’ squad.
She is certainly a player with confidence and is confident that she can handle the extra focus that will be on her this year as other regions bid to combat her talent.
“That’s not something I’ve thought massively about,” she added.
“I will go into every game backing my strengths as a bowler whether teams have seen me or not.”
