Atkins' World Cup ambition

Caroline Atkins played an important part during England's fantastic winter

Time is a great healer - just don't tell Caroline Atkins who still bears the mental scars of missing out on the World Cup more than three years ago.

The right hander was left at home as England reached the semi-final in South Africa where they eventually lost to eventual winners Australia.

That England came so close was little consolation for the 27-year-old who might have thought her chance of appearing in a major tournament had passed her by.

Now, with next March's World Cup on the horizon, not to mention the ICC World Twenty20 in England, Atkins has a golden opportunity to banish the demons which have lurked since 2005.

"I have bad memories," admitted the amiable former MCC Young Cricketer as she sat with her England team-mates on a SeaFrance ferry as it returned from Calais on Tuesday to launch a busy international summer.

"I had got into the England team, had some success, then played my way out of the team. I didn't manage to get back into the team until after the World Cup, so part of me is a little bit nervous about getting selected for next year."

After being so close to something and missing out, it's no surprise that the Burgess Hill-born cricketer is slightly apprehensive about the next World Cup, which is to be held in Australia.

Atkins tries a switch-hit on the helipad

"I'm thinking 'oh my God, it's that time again'," she added. "I really want to play in it. I'm putting myself under a bit more pressure because I am desperate to be involved.

"To lift the trophy would be brilliant and I think our chances are really good. We had some really good success over the winter in Australia, where we are going to play the World Cup, and we have beaten the best in the world. We have proven we can do it but we have to do it at the World Cup. That determines our ranking for four years."

That Atkins, who was part of the recent Ashes success, is worthy of consideration is testament to the amount of hardwork she has put in since that set-back.

Labelling her early batting style as akin to Geoffrey Boycott, Atkins has developed a different approach to batting that sees her employing more shots and trying to dominate the bowling.

Her unbeaten 69 against New Zealand in February, which helped England win the second ODI en route to a 3-1 series win, is evidence of her new attitude.

"I have worked so hard to improve my game in terms of being a bit more innovative and aggressive," she said. "I am less accepting of dot balls. I have got more options and am a much more all-round player which has given me more success in both forms of the game."

Atkins drives on her England debut

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While Atkins' game has metamorphised over the years, so has women's cricket which continues to go from strength to strength, not just on the international stage but at grassroots level too.

Having joined her local club when she was nine, Atkins moved through the junior ranks at Sussex before joining the England set-up. However, it was at Durham University where she really kicked on.

"That was where it got really serious," she said. "I learnt a lot about my game and how to train properly."

Further international recognition followed before she finally made her full England debut - exactly seven years ago - aged just 21. Where better to do it than at the home of cricket?

"It was at Lord's and I was opening the batting against Australia," she recalled. "We had already lost the first two one-dayers. We were quite weak at the time.

"They batted first and scored over 200. We were thinking we'd do well to get 150 before we'd even gone out to bat.

"For the first 10 overs we were told not to lose a wicket. I used to bat like Geoffrey Boycott so that was fine for me - I batted 10 overs against Australia under no pressure at all. I ended up scoring 17 and really enjoyed it. It was a great experience."

So would playing at a World Cup.