Nat Sciver hopes her decision to go public about her relationship with England team-mate Katherine Brunt has encouraged others to follow in their footsteps.

Their relationship started in memorable fashion, when Sciver was asked out on the Lord's players balcony, just hours after lifting the women's cricket World Cup trophy in 2017.

For the all-rounder the decision was an easy one and although they came out to team-mates and those closest to them immediately, they delayed a public announcement of their relationship.

There are three established couples in the women's game, including Brunt and Sciver, with South African married pair Marizanne Kapp and Dane Van Niekerk and New Zealand's Amy Satterthwaite and Lea Tahuhu, with a number of other out players also competing.

However, there has been just one out gay male international cricketer, Steven Davies, with homosexuality outlawed in six of the ICC's full member countries while it is also not recognised in India.

"I think ultimately that person has to feel comfortable and to be able to feel comfortable with themselves and with other people so I guess that's down to them," Sciver said.

"But hopefully it does allow that. I mean that's the aim. I'm hoping so, there's not going to be an outpouring of people, it takes time, but hopefully people feel more comfortable nowadays."

::The ECB and the wider game of cricket is supporting Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign from July 30-August 1.