Sophie looks back on a remarkable year

It’s been quite a year for Sophie Luff.

The 25-year-old captained Somerset to the Division Two T20 title and was an ever-present as Western Storm claimed the KIA Super League title for an unprecedented second time.

She achieved all this whilst also carrying out her roles as the Somerset Cricket Board’s Women’s and Girls Performance Head Coach and a Community Coach for SCB.

We caught up with her earlier this week to look back on a remarkable summer.

“It was an incredible season with a young side at Somerset and it was great to finish it off on a high by winning the KIA Super League again,” she said. “I’m really proud of all of the Somerset girls and it was a real team effort. For the young girls to have come into the side and performed like they did was phenomenal.

“Everyone worked really hard over the winter and I don’t think that anyone looked out of place at this level. We have a great group of players who are all playing for each other and enjoying each other’s success.

“The KSL has been a fantastic four-year journey and I’m really delighted that I have been a part of it right from the very start.  We won the trophy twice and reached Finals Day every year, so there are a lot of things to be proud of. Western Storm have been a very special team and I’ve been really proud to have been part of that group.

“The success of Western Storm wasn’t just on the pitch because a huge amount of hard work went on behind the scenes to make the team the way it was. The consortium of Somerset, Gloucestershire and the University of Exeter worked fantastically well to create the team that has been Western Storm.

“I know that I am a little bit biased about playing here in Taunton, but if you ask any of the girls in the side they will say how much they love playing here. It really does feel like home when we rock up, and walking out onto the pitch in front of our own crowd is inspiring.

“One of the most pleasing things about our impact off the pitch has been the inspiration that we have provided for the many young girls who have come along to watch us play.

“Obviously we will have The Hundred coming in and it’s been announced that the women’s side of the Welsh Fire will be playing their matches at Bristol and Taunton, which is great.

“Playing for Western Storm has given me a platform and opportunities to test myself against a higher level of players, not just from this country but from all over the world.”

Being involved with Western Storm has also helped Sophie to work with young players, as she explained.

“Having played alongside and against some of the best cricketers in the world, I’ve got stories to tell which the children love to hear,” she said. “I show them the trophy and talk about some of my fond memories. I try to inspire as many of the children as possible and try to get as many girls as possible playing cricket.”

Finally, does Sophie think that The Hundred will be a success?

“Totally,” she said. “It’s a new game and women’s cricket is moving rapidly forward. The KSL served a huge purpose, but I think The Hundred is going to be exciting and 2020 is going to be another big year for women’s cricket.”

Batting image courtesy of Getty Images