I was taken aback by the response to news last week that former Australian women’s cricket captain Belinda Clarke scored a double ODI century 13 years before Indian icon, Sachin Tendulkar achieved the feat in the second ODI against South Africa in Gwalior last week. What an uproar it created! You would have thought that since a woman achieved the feat first, it devalued Tendulkar’s effort.

Blogs attracted many responses ranging from: “Women do have a place in cricket...dancing in hot pants at the T20” to "I don't care who you are, you don't score 226 or 200 runs by luck. Yes, it was against Denmark but that doesn't discount the fact that it happened and both teams are recognised. So please, kudos to the lady. We can applaud Sachin, why not her?”

A large number of those who posted negative comments, mocking Clarke’s feat, appeared to be women. Seriously? Why would we not be proud that a woman achieved something so special?

It is easy to blame society for not giving women a fair chance. Do we give ourselves a fair chance?

A quick glance at women achievers in South African sport – Elana Meyer, Penny Heyns, Desiree Ellis, Natalie du Toit – they all have in common, massive self belief and the will to succeed.

There is a tendency for women to compare ourselves to men, but is that a true measure of our worth? We have the potential, let’s believe in it and stop these insignificant comparisons serve to purpose.

Let’s start valuing ourselves more and believing in our successes. We owe it to ourselves to stand up and be counted, to build on the foundation left by those who came before us, to support each other and stop pulling others down, to dare to dream big and provide female role models so desperately needed in this country.

Imagine the wave that can be created if each of us starts improving our very own self images, the picture of women that we project to the world will be far brighter than what is currently being portrayed.

Women face a long journey to freedom … Let’s not waste the hard work that has already been done in the emancipation of women.