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There cannot be many good excuses for skipping your first day back at school.<\/span><\/p>\n But for rising cricket star Sophia Smale the chance to enhance her growing reputation might just be acceptable to her teachers.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The 17-year-old hopes to be in action at Hove for Western Storm against Southern Vipers in the one-day, 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy competition.<\/span><\/p>\n That will be the Newport schoolgirl’s first appearance since playing a crucial role for Oval Invincibles, as they beat Southern Brave to win the women’s Hundred at Lord’s on Saturday.<\/span><\/p>\n “There’s a Western Storm game at Hove on Friday so we’re travelling down on Thursday, so I’m not sure if I’m going to school yet, depending on if I get in that,” Smale told BBC Radio Wales.<\/span><\/p>\n “But I will be back in school on Monday (12 September).”<\/span><\/p>\n When she rejoins her classmates, Smale will have a tale of sporting prowess to tell that culminated in her taking the wicket of Smriti Mandhana, one of Brave’s brightest talents.<\/span><\/p>\n It was a moment that sparked memorable celebrations as Smale gestured to her grandfather, Malcolm Price, who was watching proudly from the stands.<\/span><\/p>\n “I remember getting a wicket and the girls were like, ‘oh, where’s Grampa?’ I just pointed up to him – I don’t know if he actually saw me do it because he was probably quite far away, but I did give him a bit of a fist pump from afar,” said Smale.<\/span><\/p>\n Cue the moment for Grampa to also share in Sophia’s moment of glory, in a heartwarming interview you can watch here:<\/span><\/p>\n “It was such a nice moment for him,” said Smale.<\/span><\/p>\n She added: “It was unreal to even walk out onto the pitch, but when we were batting it was very tense and I think I was cheering on every run possible until <\/span>we finally got over the line,<\/span><\/a> and I think I don’t know what happened – the celebrations were straight away.”<\/span><\/p>\n Smale had gone from impressing for Storm to appearing at Lord’s in the Hundred for Invincibles as a late injury call-up.<\/span><\/p>\n “I got picked for Western Storm, which is the regional team which is obviously Wales and the South West.<\/span><\/p>\n “My mum got a call from Jonathan Batty, who’s head coach, and he said I was the best bowler who wasn’t picked in the Hundred and I wasn’t really expecting to play.<\/span><\/p>\n “I was expecting just to be sat on the side as an injury replacement. You don’t expect to be in the XI every week, but I performed well in a game, one of the warm-up games, against the Brave actually, and just from there.<\/span><\/p>\n “And I guess that’s why I’m not in the Welsh Fire. I was a late injury replacement.”<\/span><\/p>\n Smale describes 2022 as her “break-out season” and can perhaps expect many more to follow – although she may have to balance her studies and cricket for a little while yet.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n