A WHITCHURCH cricketer who has lit up the the brand-new The Hundred competition has admitted her pride at receiving praise from legends of the men and women's game.

Eve Jones, who plays for Whitchurch CC and has worked as a coach at Ellesmere College, top-scored with 47 from 41 balls for Birmingham Phoenix in their tight defeat to London Spirit at Warwickshire's Edgbaston on Friday.

Her innings drew praise from commentators including legend of the women's game Mel Jones from Australia plus former England captains Nasser Hussain and Kevin Pietersen.

And she admitted she was happy to hear their warm words.

She said: "It's great to have players like them with their careers commentating on our games and it was great to hear them complimenting my game.

"It's amazing to have that."

Eve, who has been on the fringe of the England squad, has previously played for Lancashire but was signed to the Phoenix for the inaugural competition.

She said the crowd for Friday's clash was something to behold and is looking forward to more, and was happy to play an important role.

She added: "It's been two years in the making so it was great to get out there playing.

"The crowd and atmosphere was something else – it's cliched to say it – but it really was such an experience to play in front of a crowd like that.

"It was so much fun.

"We all have a different role to play and I'm going out to bat during a Power Play – where there's only two fielders outside the circle – which means I'm concentrating on hitting boundaries, so I might miss the odd single here and there.

"I was really calm when I went out to bat. I was a bit nervous in the hotel before the game but once I got into the ground, there were no nerves.

"I kept calm even which was a positive, even when I was wasn't hitting my shots.

"It was good to get some runs and I wasn't disappointed not to get my 50, though watching it back, I think it was wide enough for me to leave it alone.

"But getting some runs was a positive."