It said something of the state of England's play in its last game at the CricInfo Women's World Cup today that as New Zealand was romping to a 93-run win, one of the legends of the women's game was playing cricket with children outside the boundary at BIL Oval.

Enid Bakewell, of England, who came out for a sightseeing trip to coincide with the World Cup, "so I could see parts of the country I could never see when I was playing" had her own reason to take an interest in the event.

Several of the England players were her charges at under-17 level in England.

But like many former players at the highest level she must have wondered at England's fall from grace as, at least, one of the traditional three powers of the women's game.

It was at a time when England and Australia ruled supreme that she was in her prime as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, all-rounder in the women's game. Ponder a few of her achievements in international cricket.

In her first Test match, at Adelaide in 1968/69 she scored 113 and 37. In her first eight Test innings, she hit three centuries.

In New Zealand, on the second leg of that 1968/69 tour, her appearances in three Tests resulted in innings of, 124, 114, 66 not out, 52 and 56, while her bowling was 5-40, 3-68, 5-56, 3-49 and 3-29.

In 12 Tests she scored 1078 runs at 59.84, including four centuries while in 23 One-Day Internationals, she scored 500 runs at 35.71 with two centuries. In her ODI debut, at the first World Cup in 1973, she scored 101 not out and took 1-20.

Her Test bowling figures resulted 50 wickets at 16.62, with a best of 7-61, achieved in her last Test, in 1979 against the West Indies. Her ODI bowling figures were 25 wickets at 21.12 with a best of 3-13.

As well as achieving her best Test bowling figures in her last Test, she also scored 112 not out.

She is still playing in the Southern League at Division Three level in England's women's competition, and last season won most economical bowler in her grade. She is coaching at junior level and is considering a request from Pakistan to coach its national side.

Arriving in Christchurch last weekend she has been impressed with what she described as the entrepreneurial batting of sides during the event.

"There has been a lot of tight bowling. England's girls have been good on the bowling and fielding side and this will be good experience for them.

"I think the final will be Australia-New Zealand. The Aussies are at their peak but the Kiwis have all to play for," she said.

The one-day game now was different from the game she played. There was more improvisation, hitting across the line and field placings were much different.

"The athleticism of the players and their fitness levels are quite high. You can't afford a passenger in your side in any way, shape or form," she said.

Casting an eye over players she has seen this week, she was impressed.

"I like the look of Emily Drumm. She is an initiator. I had seen her score a 50 in England against a men's team.

"Karen Rolton looks a class player. She has so much time to play the ball which is the sign of a class player.

"Both the Aussies and the Kiwis are good at accumulating runs by working the ball for singles and twos. It is a physical game of chess.

"The Indians have got some good batters but you need more than one or two in a team. You need six good players so you have batting in depth.

"I'm pleased CricInfo has become a sponsor because it has given the women's game a much higher profile," she said.

England's own system of competition for women players was a disadvantage to the side.

The best players in England rarely play against each other regularly. A lot of players are involved in men's competitions while in the top leagues the top players are moving to the top clubs.

Older clubs which slip out of the top divisions are then left to struggle to survive.

But women players are getting more support from their employers.

"It is important that the game is developed and grown and extended to more countries," she said.

Bakewell has been able to get away with a degree of anonymity at the tournament. And there was a fair chance some young Canterbury lads went home tonight to tell their parents that a little old lady from England was bowling at them today and, "she wasn't bad."

© CricInfo