There has been no shortage of drama in women’s cricket this year, with the T20 World Cup in South Africa in February, the first Women’s Premier League (WPL) in India and the biggest ever Women’s Ashes series. We were even spoiled with three Tests; This was the first time this had happened in the women’s game since 2014.
However, it would not be wrong to say that white-ball cricket still maintains its dominance. So, while The Spin places a lot of emphasis on Test performances (as we’re sure our readers do too), this team is once again a top XI across all formats.
1) Hayley Matthews (West Indies) After several years, the West Indies skipper finally made a name for himself by topping the innings in the 2016 T20 World Cup final, scoring 132 from 64 balls against Australia in October to inflict a rare defeat on home soil for the world champions. He hit 310 runs overall in the three-match T20 series at a staggering strike rate of 174; 79 of this number were in the final match; despite his quad injury leaving him unable to walk, let alone run. He was also the WPL inaugural Player of the Tournament, claimed EIGHT consecutive Player of the Match awards in T20Is between July and October, and found time to score a hat-trick against Ireland in July. Phew – what a year it was!
2) Tammy Beaumont (England) She made history at Trent Bridge in June, becoming the first England player to score a double century in the women’s test. This was a shot that required great patience and skill; but he also knows how to turn things around, as he showed when he smashed 118 from 61 balls for the Wales Fire in August, the highest ever score of a Hundred. Shockingly, he continues to be left out of England’s T20 squad; Maybe the selectors can come to their senses in 2024.
3) Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka) The smile on Athapaththu’s face when he bagged his first win in the T20 series against England in September was a sight that would warm even the hardest of hearts. England are a rich and professional side; Sri Lanka was basically abandoned by their board during Covid and is still having to fight for resources. Victory over England, following a similar historic ODI series win against New Zealand earlier in the year, finally provided some reward for their heroic captain who continued to lead from the front with bat and ball.
4) Nat Sciver-Brunt (England) “It lifts us up.” Three words from England coach Jon Lewis after Sciver-Brunt made an astonishing 120 from 74 balls against Sri Lanka in September beautifully summed up his importance to England’s squad. He was the top run-scorer in the T20 World Cup, scored back-to-back hundreds in the Ashes in July and was the only batsman to avoid embarrassment in their recent Test knock against India. There’s a reason why Mumbai Indians paid him £320,000, the highest bid of any overseas player, in the WPL auction in February.
5) Beth Mooney (Australia) It remains a running machine. For what felt like a million times, he was the top run-scorer in the WBBL with 557. He also averaged 52 in the World Cup, including crucial half-centuries in the semi-final and final. the calmness that has become his hallmark. While he may not be Australia’s preferred wicketkeeper, he is quite adept with the gloves, so we are happy to have faith in him in this role in The Spin XI.
6) Ash Gardner (Australia) Took 58 wickets across all formats in 2023; highest ever by a woman in a calendar year (thanks to @_hypocaust for the stats). This included the small matter of taking 12 wickets in the Ashes Test in June: the best figures recorded by an Australian in women’s Tests on a pitch that England comically thought would not turn. They were forced to think again after Gardner took eight for 66 in the fourth innings to reach 178 and give Australia their first Test win since 2015.
7) Sophie Ecclestone (England) Whether it’s in the ICC rankings (No. 1 in ODIs and T20s), in his first WPL (joint leading wicket-taker) or in the World Cup (more scalps than anyone else), it’s clear that he is the best bowler in the world in every respect. He put in a tremendous effort in the Ashes Test – bowling a ridiculous 77.1 overs – which saw him take match figures of 10 for 192. He underwent shoulder surgery in September and did not have the same Midas touch in England’s last series against India, so Fingers will be back to his best in 2024.
8) Deepti Sharma (India) 2023 would not be a vintage year at all for the Indian all-rounder. Then, in the one-off test against England, he somehow produced a match-winning bowling performance. It was five for seven off just 33 balls on the second day, followed by four more in the second innings: England didn’t know what hit them.
9) Pooja Vastrakar (India) He had not played a home test before this year but now he has two and will be clamoring for more given how perfectly his bowling has adapted to the format. His nine scalps in both Tests included Nat Sciver-Brunt and Ellyse Perry, two of the world’s best batsmen; both were hit by their late supporters in a masterful display of stitching moves. Despite frequently batting at No. 9, he is also quite adept with the bat, finishing the year with 62 off 46 balls, leading India to their highest ODI total against Australia.
10) Lea Tahuhu (New Zealand) He has spent the year thumbing his nose at the New Zealand selectors, who took the 33-year-old off their contract list in May 2022 and have swallowed their words ever since. Equally prolific in both the 50-over and 20-over formats, he was New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker (by far) in 2023 and by July had risen to No. 6 in the ICC’s T20 bowling rankings. The late-career renaissance may continue for a long time.
11) Nonkululeko Mlaba (South Africa) He may not have the same fame as some of his teammates, but the 23-year-old left-arm spinner has outperformed them all in 2023, taking 27 wickets with remarkable economy rates of 4.05 in ODIs and 5.4 in T20Is. A vital cog in the wheel of South Africa’s triumphant march towards their first World Cup final was played in front of a record number of fans at Newlands.
quote of the week
“I am an advocate of playing more Test cricket. “Maybe that’s something we can consider in the future – major marquee series will go to three Tests” – Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said in an interview with SEN Cricket, giving hope to anyone who wants to see more women’s long-form play in 2024 and beyond.
memory lane
He hasn’t had much fun in England – Stuart Broad made sure of that – but David Warner has certainly made his mark in his home Ashes competitions. The three series yielded 1,237 runs at an average of 51.54; Two tons in the 2013-2014 whitewash followed by a Boxing Day hundred at the MCG four years later – Tom Curran thought he had his man for 99 but nope. Top gave Warner another life. Cue the shades and the brand’s breakthrough to celebrate this.
Still want more?
Phil Walker meets Wes Hall, the brilliant pioneer of the first truly great West Indies team.
Emma John imagines an alternate dimension where Jack Hobbs and WG Grace are both Time Lords.
Steve Waugh is urging managers to take action to save Test cricket after South Africa were announced as a shadow side for the tour of New Zealand.
And Geoff Lemon kicks off David Warner’s bye week with the Australia opener’s exit from Test cricket at the SCG.
Contact Spin…
…writing to Raf Nicholson.
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