Alex Hartley on World Cup highs, pressure, stepping away from cricket, and finding a new path in media and coaching.
In this episode of Game On with Grace, Grace Hayden sits down with World Cup-winning England cricketer Alex Hartley to talk through the reality of life in professional sport, both during and after it.
Alex takes us back to the 2017 World Cup final at Lord’s, what that moment actually felt like, and why success didn’t necessarily make things easier. She opens up about the pressure, self-doubt, and anxiety that followed, and the point where she knew she needed to step away from playing.
They also get into how she unexpectedly found her way into commentary, what it’s been like stepping into coaching, and how the women’s game has completely changed since she started. From sold-out crowds to franchise cricket, the landscape looks very different now and not without its challenges.
It’s honest, funny in parts, and a real look at what elite sport can feel like behind the scenes.