There’s one way of detailing Sophia Dunkley’s rise to prominence that doesn’t sound all that remarkable. As a kid, moving to Finchley with her mum, their new next-door neighbour was cricket mad. In this cul-de-sac, the two of them would bat and bowl all day with the other kids in the street, occasionally popping in for a drink then going again and again and again. It’s a relatable and familiar tale, especially for those who have gone on to have a life in the professional game.
By the time she reached the age to go to prep school at Belmont in Mill Hill, so ingrained was Dunkley’s cricket ...