By Paul Grunill

In the year Bend It Like Beckham was a hit in the cinemas, cricketer Isa Guha was dubbed the girl who could Bowl It Like Botham by a newspaper.

Receiving her player of the series award against New Zealand

But while fictional footballer Jess helped Hounslow Harriers win a club trophy, Guha has her sights set on a real, far grander prize - the Women's World Cup.

After failing to win selection on the opening day of the tournament against Australia, the 19-year-old returned for the thumping of Sri Lanka with figures of 1-4 off seven overs.

Making her international debut in 2002 after first taking up cricket as an eight-year-old, she has since established herself as an important member of England's side.

A record of 27 wickets in 14 one-day internationals at a cost of just 11.2 runs each is impressive enough.

To her team-mates, however, her effervescent personality has also been a factor in forging a team spirit which has brought about steady series-by-series improvement.

Guha is undoubtedly a breath of fresh air, a player who loves to play the game with a smile on her face.

And she believes England's 2004 tour of South Africa - where she found conditions to suit her swing bowling - will stand her in good stead during the World Cup.

Playing in the tournament is a dream come true for Guha, but her place was never in doubt after she was named player of the series against New Zealand last summer.

Her success was the result of hours of work to refine her bowling action with personal coach Toby Radford.

"He has helped me make my action more compact," Guha told BBC Sport.

It's traditional that Asian women don't play sport Isa Guha

"I had a slightly mixed action, a bit front-on and a bit side-on, and that could potentially have caused an injury. I've made my action more efficient now.

"I look to move the ball away from the bat - that's my stock delivery - and cause the batsman to be in two minds about playing shots."

Formerly a new-ball bowler, Guha now tends to operate as first change and admits she found the adjustment hard at first.

"Batesy [head coach Richard Bates] has talked about tactics a lot and that helped me tremendously," she said.

"I know exactly where I want the field in most situations and that has enabled me to be more confident. I'm a more flexible bowler now."

To win the World Cup, every run could be vital for England, and Guha, whose first name means 'determined lady' in her native Bengali, also hopes to do her bit with the bat as well.

"Now the bowling's coming together I can focus a bit more on my batting.

Making her England debut in Jersey during the summer of 2002

"It's true that crucial runs often come from lower down the order at the end of the innings. If you can score 20-odd in five or six overs, that's great."

In Bend It Like Beckham, Jess has to play her football in secret because of the opposition of her parents.

Not so Guha, whose parents emigrated from Calcutta to High Wycombe before she was born.

They are right behind her and have helped her balance her cricket commitments with the demands of a biochemistry degree course.

The first Asian woman to play cricket for England, Guha hopes more will follow, but admits there are difficulties to overcome for many.

"I'm proud to have an Asian background and to be the first to play for England is an amazing thing. Hopefully more Asians will come into the game so there'll be more in the team," she said.

"When I go and help out in schools I see Asians playing and it's just a question of them managing to carry on and progress further.

"They come to training at school because their friends are doing it but when it comes to club level their interest filters out and they become interested in other things.

"It's traditional that Asian women don't play sport. But my parents are very westernised, so that's helped me a lot.