EXCLUSIVE: Orla Prendergast: A Man United Fan Trying Her Luck In Cricket

Ireland women’s cricket all-rounder Orla Prendergast is riding a wave of success. 

Her effective medium-pace bowling and ability to bat in the lower order make her a sought-after asset in franchise-based T20 cricket. Unsurprisingly, she has been signed by both Adelaide Strikers Women in the Women’s Big Bash League and Trinbago Knight Riders Women in the Caribbean Premier League.

Choosing cricket over her early football career—despite growing up as a Manchester United fan—is paying dividends in more ways than one for the talented athlete.

FROM FOOTBALL DREAMS TO CRICKET REALITIES

Orla had a strong passion for football and once aspired to pursue it professionally. However, a pivotal decision led her to cricket, a switch she embraced wholeheartedly, finding a warm welcome in her new sport.

“My favourite team is Manchester United,” Prendergast told Sports Boom. 

“I loved football growing up and played loads of it. But I think there came a time when I wanted to give cricket a proper go. Once I joined the cricket environment, I absolutely loved it. All the girls were so welcoming. After that, I never wanted to leave.”

Her football background has proved advantageous in her cricketing career.

“Football has definitely helped me massively,” said Prendergast. 

“Athleticism is crucial in cricket, whether you’re diving at the boundary or fielding in the ring. A lot of my speed comes from playing football. Growing up playing multiple sports has certainly helped me as a cricketer,” she added.

LEARNING AND GROWING IN FRANCHISE CRICKET

At just 22 years old, Prendergast has already earned 87 international caps since her debut in 2019, making her the 12th-most capped player in Ireland women’s cricket. 

Playing in high-profile leagues like the BBL and CPL has allowed her to learn from experienced players and further develop her skills.

“Franchise cricket definitely helps. Starting in the BBL is a step up and can only benefit me as a player,” she explained. “I’ve played a lot of games, but each experience helps me grow. My goal is to contribute as a genuine all-rounder who can perform with both bat and ball.”

Prendergast sees herself evolving as a batter, particularly enjoying the longer format of ODI cricket.

“I love batting. Initially, I considered myself more of a pace-bowling all-rounder, but now I see myself as more of a batter,” she said.

“Batting at number four over the past year has been amazing. ODI cricket gives me the time to build my innings and play my game, which I really enjoy.”

Ireland’s victories over teams like England and Sri Lanka have given Prendergast and her teammates a newfound belief in their abilities.

“Yeah, huge( beating England). I guess we always kind of knew we hadn’t done it yet (beating England). So that was kind of frustrating in a sense for the last six to 12 months that we were losing matches which we should be winning. So, to finally do that was huge for us and very exciting to show our promise as a team,” she said. 

She also spoke about the pressure that comes with raising expectations.

“I think there’s definitely pressure on us like any international sport. Big part of it is probably the expectations on us from ourselves. When you win against a big team, you want to do it again. That’s probably the biggest part of it, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to win games for our country,” concluded the all-rounder.

Orla Prendergast’s journey from football dreams to cricket realities is a testament to her adaptability and determination. Her success in franchise leagues, evolving role as a key all-rounder, and recent victories with Ireland highlight her growing influence in international cricket. 

As she continues to thrive, Prendergast is not only shaping her own future but also helping propel Ireland’s cricketing ambitions to new heights.