"I have a serious problem with clubs who don't want to allow lady members," our former fast bowler Michael Holding told me. "Especially at this time."

The main stakeholders in West Indies cricket came out forcefully to condemn gender discrimination around the game at a recent regional conference in Barbados. Coaches, umpires, players, sponsors, writers, university academics and government representatives met for two days at a cricket conference held under the auspices of the Caribbean Community grouping (CARICOM) and the University of the West Indies (UWI), at the Cave Hill Campus of the UWI on June 1 and 2.

Some years ago, a female journalist went to the Queen's Park Cricket Club to interview Jeffrey Stollmeyer, the former West Indies captain and president of the QPCC. Stollmeyer allowed himself to be interviewed, and then left the female journalist to her own devices within the hallowed precincts of the Club.

If I were a member of the Queen's Park Cricket Club, I would have known about their calypso competition, Oh Kaiso Boy, and I would have been present to hear two calypsoes which dealt with me firmly. As it is, my entry into the calypso world would have passed unknown to me had my neighbour, Carlos, not seen it fit to tell me about it.

A little over two and a half years ago, I applied for membership at the Queen's Park Cricket Club. I was - and still am - the first woman to have done so. The Club did not officially acknowledge my application, but it caused a stir among the membership.

One-day specialist whose extensive experience with Leicestershire could be a trump card. Extremely aggressive player, whose 1.90m, 90 kg frame ensures that the ball stays hit. But although Simmons is usually good for a quick 30 or so, he seldom goes on to greater things. The reason may be that he always wants to hit the ball over the top. Like Carl Hooper used to, gets caught more at mid-off and mid-on than most established batsmen. Also bowls a good line and length, and normally comes back at the death because he is so hard to slog. Excellent pair of hands.