After appearing twice for Flatts in the Athene T20 Knockout Cup last weekend, Brianna Ray wants to serve as an inspiration for Bermudian female cricketers.

Ray, a medium pace bowler, shared the new ball with Werner Peters on Saturday and had Devonshire Recreation Club opening batter Ankoma Cannonier given out leg before for two runs. She never got an opportunity to bat as Flatts won by five wickets.

In the First Division final on Sunday, the 20-year-old bowled her full quota of four overs, this time without getting any wicket, against Willow Cuts, while her chance to bat again never came with Flatts losing by 50 runs.

But playing cricket against males is nothing new for Ray as she has done it while attempting to make a name for herself in England.

“I’m pretty nonchalant about it,’’ Ray told The Royal Gazette.

“I’ve played with men in the UK, so it’s not a new experience for me. I’m happy to inspire the younger girls in Bermuda and show them that it’s not hard to play cricket against men.

“I’m more happy to be playing in Bermuda and I played cricket with Logan Jones at school, so it was just nice to play with him once again. It was quite nice to play against men and it was quite a surprise for everyone I guess.”

Ray had no previous link with Flatts before playing for them over the weekend and it took an invitation from Paul Carr, one of the senior players at the Smith’s-based club, who saw her training with fellow female cricketers in the nets at North Field, for her to play.

“Paul was at the women’s training session and he invited me to come and train with Flatts,’’ Ray said.

“After the training session they asked if I could play for them on Saturday. We won that match and played again on Sunday.

“It was good fun and I enjoyed the vibe at Flatts. They were very welcoming to me and they took me in like I’d been playing for them the whole summer.”

It was a proud moment for her parents, Gary and Maria, as they witnessed her breaking barriers and possibly opening doors for other female cricketers to follow in their daughter’s footsteps.

“It’s always a pleasure watching her do her thing,’’ Maria Ray said.

“We’re always proud and supportive of what she does. We’re really enjoying seeing her growth in the sport and it’s just rewarding to see the sacrifice paying off.

“It’s a journey that takes time and it’s not an overnight sort of thing. Whatever the end result is, her family supports her 100 per cent.”

Terry-Lynn Paynter, a former Bermuda women's cricket team player, was delighted Ray took her chance but was keen to highlight the difficulties she faced as a female in the game.

“I played down at St David’s with the guys, but they wouldn't let me play in the team,’’ Paynter said.

“They just wouldn't allow it because it was frowned upon. I played football in school with boys but cricket was a little bit different, so I’m happy to see Brianna getting a chance to play against men.”

Ray, who left Bermuda in 2018 on a sports scholarship to enrol at Sedbergh School, has just completed her undergraduate studies at Loughborough University.

In July, she was part of the Loughborough team that won the British Universities and Colleges Sport Women's Cricket Championship for the second consecutive year, this time defeating the University of Exeter by 247 runs at Lord’s.

With no competitive women’s cricket in Bermuda, Ray is eyeing a professional career in England. Last year, she was picked as a substitute fielder for the women’s Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, and she performed the same duties when England played Pakistan in a limited overs series in May.

“I’m going back to the UK to play a bit of cricket and hopefully I can get a professional contract,’’ Ray said.

“I’ve to play professional cricket first and then hopefully England will come. I just have to see where the women’s game goes in the next couple of years, if there's space for me.”