Playing for Ireland

“I suppose you have to be a little bit mad,” says Christina Coulter-Reilly about her role as wicketkeeper on Ireland’s T20 team. As the bowlers launch rock-hard cricket balls at up to 90 km per hour, Christina is the player directly behind the batter, trying to field the ball while avoiding getting in the way of a swinging bat. 

“You've got split seconds to react and catch it,” says Christina, who nonchalantly mentions that as they’re ‘in the firing line’, wicketkeepers tend to get hit a lot and pick up various hand injuries. It’s all a far cry from the stereotype of cricket as safe, slow and sedate.

Christina’s lightning-quick skills have earned the DCU student a place in the Ireland squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in England. Things are shaping up nicely for the Irish women’s team after back-to-back wins in pre-tournament matches against the West Indies and Pakistan. 

“The win against the West Indies was pretty special, beating them for the first time in T20 internationals and to be able to contribute behind the stumps as wicketkeeper was nice, particularly coming in for my first game of this series,” says Christina.

DCU Sports Scholarship

The Dubliner is studying for the MSc in Athletic Therapy and Strength and Conditioning, having completed the BSc in Athletic Therapy and Training. She reflects that she has learned a lot from her courses that she now applies to her sporting life, like how to “manage my body, understanding what's good for it, what's not”, as well as a greater “awareness of what being an athlete is about.”

Christina has enjoyed her time at DCU and particularly the close-knit bond with her classmates. Being a Sports Scholar has given her great flexibility to pursue both academic study and sport. Her course lecturers were very supportive, allowing her extensions and giving her leeway around when she took her exams. In addition, she’s been on Cricket Ireland student contracts, which gave her financial support. 

Catching the Cricket Bug

Cricket wasn’t always on the cards for Christina, who grew up in Sutton in North Dublin. Her family are “very sporty”, but sailing and hockey were her first sports.

But then, aged 10, she went to a kids' camp at Clontarf Cricket Club and a new sporting obsession began. By the time she was 14, she was playing for the club’s senior team, and was soon being selected for Leinster under-age teams. Then, three years ago, the call-up to the senior squad came. 

So, what does she enjoy most about wicket-keeping? “You're involved with every ball, whether the batter hits it or not,” says Christina. “You have to be really switched on.”

As well as the physicality of diving to make catches, there can be mind games at play between keeper and batter, according to Christina. Some keepers are known for making remarks to the batter to put them off. “We wouldn't be as well-known for it in Ireland. The Aussies and Kiwis might be a bit more prone to ‘chirping’, as we call it.”

Looking ahead to the World Cup, Christina says it’s a tough competition as only the top two teams progress out of the two groups. However, she feels the team is heading to England well-prepared and full of confidence after their recent wins.

A Local Hero

Meanwhile, at local level, Christina is keen to encourage newcomers to give the sport a try, pointing out that cricket caters for people with a range of different abilities and skills. She also loves the socialability of the club game and the strong sense of community.

She remains strongly involved in her local club in Clontarf, where she helps to coach underage players. But she modestly brushes off the idea that she might be seen as a local superstar.

Looking ahead to her future, Christina has just signed a professional contract with Cricket Ireland, and is looking forward to focusing full-time on cricket. First up is the T20 World Cup adventure in England.

“We're probably in the strongest position we have been going into a World Cup,” says Christina. “We've done loads of prep and it's all very positive.”