“I just want to be out there playing cricket”: Tash Farrant on her return from injury

Tash Farrant has one goal in mind for the 2023 season: “Get out in the park, and stay there!”

The England international is set to make her long-awaited return from injury with The Sapphires in the second edition of the Fairbreak Invitational, which gets underway on Monday 2nd April.

Farrant’s 2022 season came to an end in her first game of the English summer, with a stress fracture in her back not just forcing her to miss a bumper international summer, but also the Oval Invincibles’ attempted defence of The Hundred:

“It was frustrating. I guess there is never a good time [to get injured], but I felt like I was really building momentum from the summer previously.”

Farrant’s performances in 2021, including coming out victorious in The Hundred as the top wicket-taker, saw her regain the England central contract she previously held until 2019

A hectic 2021/22 winter saw her travel to Australia for the Ashes, New Zealand for the ODI World Cup, and Dubai for the inaugural edition of the Fairbreak Invitational.

Despite the timing of her injury, she was still able to highlight the positives in the situation, a testament to the resilience she has built up throughout a career spanning eleven years.

“Sometimes you need that little break to reset your focus and then go again,” she said.

The left-armer burst onto the scene in 2013, after being called up to England squad for their home series against Pakistan aged just 17. She made her T20I debut in the series, and earned her maiden ODI cap in November of the same year.

As a result, her injury offered the opportunity for some rare down time away from cricket.

“It was quite nice because I lived a slightly normal life. I went on holiday with my family, something I’ve not done since I was probably about 17.”

Farrant found herself struggling with suddenly having a great deal of spare time, saying that she is not very good at doing nothing.

As a result, the South East Stars player found several ways to occupy her time whilst she worked through her rehabilitation.

She was involved with the BBC’s coverage of The Hundred last season across both television and radio, which Farrant was glad for as she admits it is hard to watch the matches when she is not involved.

Coaching was also something Farrant got involved with, taking up roles at Trent College and the Sporting Excellence Group. She said she was inspired to do so after seeing several of her teammates coaching, such as Lydia Greenway, Charlotte Edwards, and Laura Marsh.

The Oval Invincibles bowler understands the necessity of using her position of influence for good, and wants to pave the way for those below her.

“You have to remember what we had in the past for women’s cricket. I’m keen on trying to drive it forward, especially at a grassroots level.”

This also extends to her partnership with Step One, a sustainable bamboo underwear brand that make boxers specifically for women.

“What drew me to them was their women’s range. As women, we have always found it hard to have a kit and clothing that is designed for us.”

There have been many occasions when Farrant has had to wear men’s kit, which she says should not be the case.

“I honestly wear Step One underwear every time I train and play now, and I know a lot of my England teammates are loving them.”

Farrant’s good nature is evident, as she aims to use her status as a senior player to be the teammate people coming into the squad can turn to for help and advice. However, she admits it feels the older players are having to learn alongside the younger ones due to the rate the game is progressing.

The rehabilitation process has been very full-on since it got underway, which has been helped by her partnership with STRONG Pilates.

STRONG, an Australian fitness brand managed by the former international cricketer John Hastings in the UK, has helped her rehab.

Farrant has used STRONG’s innovative piece of kit, the rowformer, and Pilates to get ready for the upcoming season.

“It’s been good for my rehab, having that low impact sort of exercise while you’re rehabbing, especially for a stress fracture.”

The bowler is now back to full fitness, and will hope to make her first appearance on a cricket field in over ten months when the Sapphires face the Warriors in the Fairbreak Invitational on Tuesday 4th April.

“Going to Fairbreak will be good to get some cricket under my belt ahead of the summer.

“I’m just chomping at the bit to get out on the field!”

Meet John ‘the Duke’ Hastings: the former Aussie cricketer-turned-pilates pioneer