at women in developing countries go through while on their p

It is the year 2020. Kagiso Rabada has played for Sydney Sixers, Delhi Daredevils and Jamaica Tallawahs and is deciding between a return to Kent or making himself available for South Africa for a Test match. Rabada has not played for his country since 2018, in the World T20. He sat out 2019 because he chose the Pakistan Super League instead.Youve heard these kinds of scenarios before, and perhaps youve even started to believe they will come to exist, especially if you are a follower of South African cricket.Why them in particular?With some of the most celebrated names in the game - think AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn - and a team that has until recently occupied top spot in Test cricket and hovered around there in ODIs, their players are in demand in T20 leagues and at home, and they increasingly have reasons to favour the former.While T20 leagues offer US dollar income and freedom from politics, playing for South Africa means being paid in declining rands, and a responsibility to nation-building, which involves buying into CSAs aggressive transformation policy. The word from some former players is that the more valuable currency and the gigs with less baggage are likely to win out, despite the fierce loyalties bred through the South African school system that make players second-guess themselves.One former player told ESPNcricinfo that money will be 80% to blame for the exodus. International player body FICAs 2016 report painted a financial picture that showed the disparity that exists between centrally contracted national players and T20 mercenaries everywhere except in England and Australia (and presumably India, but their players do not have a union and so are not included in FICA reviews). A player who is part of three domestic T20 leagues a year takes home an average of $510,000. Cricket South Africa ($346,494), Sri Lanka Cricket ($234,500), New Zealand Cricket ($231,000), the West Indies Cricket Board ($225,625) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board ($67,935) all pay their players much less.For South Africans, whose currency has devalued 30% against the US dollar in the last 12 months, the monetary lure of earning foreign currency is too good to turn down. In a column for SA Cricket magazine in February, former Test opener Alviro Petersen he predicted that South Africa could lose their best players in 18-24 months.At the time Petersen used himself as an example. He was denied a no-objection certificate to play in the Masters Champions League because his South African franchise, Lions, wanted him to honour his contract with them. Petersen underlined what that cost him. I could have earned what the Lions pay me in a year for just two and a half weeks at the MCL, he wrote. We might see some players decide to play Big Bash rather than play a Test series in December. This is reality! Watch this space…As it turns out, several sources have confirmed two of South Africas top bowlers are considering exactly that. The Big Bash coincides with South Africas home series against Sri Lanka and there is an expectation of high-profile retirements from international cricket ahead of that.Money, though, will not be those players only reason for going. It is fast becoming an open secret in South Africa that the implementation of the transformation policy, which CSA is vehemently adhering to in a bid to have its ministerial ban against hosting major tournaments lifted, is causing players to question their commitment. Several players and administrators confirmed that the uncertainty around the application of the policy is causing concern (though none was willing to speak on the record about an issue that is sensitive and controversial and has cost people jobs).CSA maintains that there is no target at national level but has signed a memorandum of understanding with the sports ministry that requires it to field, at domestic level, teams that contain six players of colour, of which at least three must be black African. This has presented franchises and provincial teams with conundrums over the balance of their sides, but many coaches feel they are starting to settle into the new structure. However, at national level it gets more complicated, and a number of centrally contracted players are understood to be looking for options abroad because they feel they are being marginalised by the targets.Even for the rest, playing cricket for the national side is losing its appeal. FICAs CEO, Tony Irish, told ESPNcricinfo that bilateral international cricket as a product, and as an experience for players, is struggling because players want big crowds, close contests and matches that have context and sporting narrative. T20 leagues offer all of those things and in a shorter time frame than international cricket, which is a factor, especially for players who have families, as Irish points out.That is where many of South Africas stars find themselves at the moment, with young children and partners who spend months living out of suitcases, and it has taken its toll on their performance. National coach Russell Domingo cited overwork as the main reason the team was unable to qualify for the final of the Caribbean triangular series this June. By the time they got there, some of them had come through their busiest summer season in recent memory, which included eight Tests, a World T20 and an IPL. Others then went straight from the West Indies tour into the CPL, and they will go from that into Tests against New Zealand and ODIs against Australia at home. The Australia fixtures, in particular, are an example of the kinds of matches that lack context. It is not too difficult to imagine players pulling out of that and other limited-overs series unless they can be persuaded to play on.That has already happened with Morne Morkel, who is understood to have been seriously considering retiring from limited-overs cricket after being left out of the World T20 squad. He was even due to play for Glamorgan over the South African winter. But he was included in the national squad to the West Indies - where he was only included in two out of six starting XIs - and convinced not to call it a day.Morkel is not the only one. Last season was dominated by reports of de Villiers pondering early retirement. De Villiers admitted there was a little bit of truth to the talk and spent several press conferences discussing the need for a more flexible schedule. In fact, he only recommitted fully to South African cricket after he was made permanent Test captain at the end of the England Test series.Several other former players saw that as a dangerous sign that some players are becoming too powerful. These players know the system needs them and they know they can use that to their advantage. They can make threats about wanting to walk away, so in the end they get what they want, one said.In effect, South African cricket could end up being held to ransom by its headliners, and the cricket economy is such that there is little anyone can do to stop that.The South African Cricketers Association remains of the view that international cricket should still be the pinnacle for players, but tempers that with a cautionary clause. This needs to be balanced against also giving players some freedom to participate in vibrant T20 Leagues.Irish feels that South African players have, up to now, been pretty loyal to the country cause but that one cant expect the best players in the world - and again this applies in all countries - to blindly commit to the country loyalty when there are more and more games without context and more and more one-sided matches played in half-empty stadia, when in the other market its the opposite. He, along with his FICA colleagues, is pushing for a restructure of bilateral international cricket.Until that happens, South Africas administrators will have to continue to find ways to be flexible. They have already showed some signs that they are, at all levels. Dale Steyn was given an NOC to play in the NatWest T20 Blast during South Africans West Indies tour, though the official line was that he was supposed to be resting. In the womens game Dane van Niekerk, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp and Lizelle Lee will miss South Africas tour of Ireland because they were given permission to play in Englands Super League T20. CSA has recognised that for players to commit to a low-paying national cause, they have to be allowed to capitalise elsewhere, but they may also be hoping that international cricket realises the need to move towards a more football-like model before the players move it there themselves.Cheap Nolan Ryan Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. Cheap Mike Piazza Jersey .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. http://www.cheapmetsjerseys.com/ . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. Cheap Tug McGraw Jersey .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. Cheap Tom Seaver Jersey .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open.Miki Agrawal is passionate about periods.?In fact, shes the co-founder of THINX -- a company, which among other things, develops underwear that absorbs menstrual blood without the additional use of tampons, pads or a cup.?So, when Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui made headlines for discussing her time of the month at the Rio Olympics, we knew she would be the best person to dissect the culture-shifting moment.Here, the former semi-pro soccer player and serial entrepreneur discusses playing sports while on your period, disrupting the feminine hygiene market and removing the social stigma that surrounds menstruation. This interview has been edited for length.espnW: Bronze medalist Fu Yuanhui made headlines for telling the world she was on her period during the Olympic games. What were your initial thoughts and reactions?Miki Agrawal: It was amazing. Her candor liberated so many women. In particular, those in Asian countries [where its often] taboo to talk about periods. The fact that she was so open and without shame was empowering and absolutely worth being a headline.espnW: As a former semi-professional athlete, has your period ever impacted your performance? Agrawal: In my past life, I was a [competitive soccer player for the New York Magic], and all three of my ACL tears happened during menstruation. Your ligaments are far more brittle and malleable when youre on your period. However, there isnt much research on the connection between that time of the month and the common injury. But there should be. So, yes, my period has definitely impacted my performance.espnW: What inspired you to create THINX? Agrawal: I was frustrated with the offerings in the marketplace. Think about how many pairs of underwear youve ruined while on your period? And what about your sheets, clothes and everything else? [Women] are spending all this time cleaning up, or putting sweaters around our waists. Weve had the same options for the for the last 50-plus years. The tampon was invented in 1931 by [Dr. Earle Haas], a man. The last real innovation was adding a strip underneath the pad to stop it from moving around, which [Stayfree] created in 1969. Now, the menstrual cup is here, but it hasnt been popularized globally. My overall goal and purpose is to make the experience of getting your period easier.espnW: How does your patented underwear work? Agrawal: It took three to four years to develop this product. This is the first real [menstruation] product for the mass markett developed by women and for women.dddddddddddd My partners and I wanted the consumer to feel like they were wearing regular underwear; not anything bulky and uncomfortable. When you bleed into [the underwear], its innermost layer wicks away moisture. So, youre not sitting in a pool of blood, but rather a regular pair of panties that remain dry. They are also antimicrobial and breathable. The whole system of layers really works like magic, but they look like regular underwear and are able to absorb about two tampons worth of blood.espnW: Youve also created a sports variation, which specifically caters to active women. What are the key differences with this design?Agrawal: They dont feature lace trim, and have comfort-fit leg with a cotton interior. When youre exercising, your body needs more room to breathe, and we understand that. Now, women can keep their heads in the game.espnW: Please discuss The Week, your micro-documentary that hopes to remove the stigma from menstruation. Howd you get notable women like Joy Bryant, Jackie Tohn, Sophia Bush and others to discuss their periods in such a public manner? Agrawal: They are all very vocal feminists. If you enter a conversation with confidence, it basically gives others permission to do the same. If Im coming to talk about that time of the month and Im embarrassed about, then youll react that way. If I speak to you in a confident manner, then youll be confident as well. It has really helped women discuss menstruation publicly.espnW: THINX has a donation for purchase (one-to-one) partnership with AFRIpads. Please discuss the program.Agrawal: I travel often, and Ive seen first-hand what women in developing countries go through while on their periods. Could you imagine bleeding on to your bed -- in a hut, with no feminine hygiene products around, and often times very little underwear? I cant.So, I scoured planet earth to find the right partners and hopefully make a difference. Luckily, we found AFRIpads, which is based in Uganda, and they make washable and reusable cloth pads at a reasonable price. The product costs between $2 and $5 dollars for the whole year, and come in three or five pad kits. [The pads] dry quickly in the sun, are affordable, and help develop the local economy. Weve helped AFRIpads grow from 25 to 175 employees. Its been amazing thing to witness. ' ' '