English cricket’s biggest international summer in history has forgotten half of its target market

"If you were to close your eyes and imagine a bowler, what kind of bowler do you imagine?"

This was the question posed by cricket journalist Jarrod Kimber on Twitter recently. Right arm over, medium pace. And a man, of course. As English cricket’s biggest international summer in history gets underway, intent on "inspiring a new generation", there are growing concerns about repeated failures to include women in the publicity and language around the sport.

Much of this surrounds the introduction of next year’s new ‘The Hundred’ tournament. "Launching a brand new competition like this gives the ECB and the game a massive opportunity to project cricket as a fully male-female integrated sport," explains the sports broadcaster, Alison Mitchell. "And to do it in a way that has never been done in this country before, due to the historical establishment of its existing cricket structures."

Over a year after the format was first floated however, the image being portrayed of those playing in The Hundred is one of men. "For the women’s game, it could be a real game-changer," agrees former England Women’s captain, Charlotte Edwards. "We talk a lot about one club, two teams. And I genuinely think that this is something which is achievable. But it has not been seen so far."

When the playing conditions for the new format were released earlier this year, they referred only to men’s cricket regulations. So oblique were the references to women in fact that, until only very recently, it was unclear whether a women’s version of the tournament would be happening at all.

Amidst a men’s World Cup campaign heavily pushing a diversity drive, the ECB appears to have forgotten half of its target market. This was encapsulated when The Hundred’s website went live last week; a tournament that is supposed to be attracting “mums and kids” displayed as its headline picture one of mainly young men.

The worry is that, superficial though this mistake might be, it is emblematic of the ECB’s muddled thinking. One senior source within the organisation spoke of "banging heads on tables" at having to constantly remind those in charge that women are meant to be an equal part of this venture too.

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"The problem," explains Mitchell. "Is that if you just write the words 'The Hundred', and then proceed to talk about it purely in the context of the men’s game, you are accentuating the assumption that cricket means men’s cricket unless we add that prefix saying 'women'. And therefore that women’s sport is in some way secondary."

There have also been raised eyebrows in response to some of the decisions around the men’s World Cup, which starts on Thursday. The ECB recently disclosed that it had had to reprint scorecards which only went up to 400 runs, but in doing so also revealed that they had retained the phrase 'man-of-the-match' instead of referring to 'player. This comes despite the ICC more than two years ago introducing gender-neutral terminology into its regulations, referring to all cricketers as 'players' rather than 'men'.

"I do really believe strongly that a subtle change in language can have a really influential impact on thought processes," says Mitchell. "And yes, it is changing a habit of a lifetime; I am catching myself and having to check, have I made those cultural assumptions? All of us in the media have an incredibly privileged position where we can influence cultural perceptions. In a very small way to start, but we must all be mindful of it." It is a concept Australia quickly grasped, as it adopted the naming convention of 'Australia Men' and 'Australia Women', ensuring that both its international teams are referred to in the same manner.

Cultural change is not only the responsibility of the media; one England Men’s players was asked recently whether the team had consulted anyone in preparation for the men’s World Cup and their desire to grow the game. Gareth Southgate had addressed them. And England’s women? World Cup winners in a tournament widely heralded as attracting a new, younger and more diverse demographic to cricket, any tips from them?

"We haven’t spoken too much about them, or to them to be honest, no," came the surprised reply, before a hasty clarification. "Some people might have, I have no idea."

This year and next offers a huge opportunity for cricket. Diversity, however, is more than just ethnicity and socio-economics. Failing to engage half the population is not a good start.