NICK FRIEND looks back on the standout performers from England's series victory over West Indies at Derby
Tammy Beaumont (5 matches, 120 runs, batting average 24)
Beaumont’s half century in the first match of the series set the tone for England’s approach at the top of the order – an ultra-aggression championed by Lisa Keightley since she took over as England coach at the start of the year.
She looked in fine touch throughout, but couldn’t push onto another match-defining score. Looks a fixture back at the top of the order, having started the year in the middle order.
B
Danni Wyatt (4 matches, 42 runs, batting average 10.5)
England’s pace-setter never got going. While Beaumont and Amy Jones have traded opening berths in recent times, Wyatt has been a constant in the powerplay. However, she never passed 17 and wasn’t anywhere near her best.
Even her strike rate of 110.52 was the lowest of England’s recognised batsmen, bringing to an end a T20I year in which she has averaged just 11.25, with a high score of 29.
D
Nat Sciver (5 matches, 110 runs, batting average 22, 4 wickets, bowling average 17.75, economy 5.91)
Sciver saved her best for the BBC, hitting the highest score of the series in the most visible WT20I ever played on English soil. It was a knock that showed the very best of England’s star allrounder – beginning calmly, accelerating intelligently and reaching a brutal crescendo in the final overs.
Otherwise, it was a quiet series with the bat; she admitted herself that she was still working to get to grips with Keightley’s demands of her powerplay batters. With the ball, she was quietly effective.
B+
Heather Knight (5 matches, 117 runs, batting average 23.4)
England’s captain looked in tremendous touch throughout the series, without ever passing fifty. Her stance – especially against spin – appears more upright than ever, giving her the look of a player completely relaxed at the crease.
She has grown exponentially as a T20 batsman this year, culminating in her confidence in moving herself to the top of the order to begin England’s five-over chase in the final game of the series. The decision didn’t pay off but it was a sign of how well she knows she is playing. As captain, she manoeuvred her vast array of options well in the field.
B+
Amy Jones (5 matches, 108 runs, batting average 21.6)
Her half century in the fourth match of the series was, in the eyes of this observer, the finest innings of the women’s international summer. At her best, no one looks more composed – she is at her best when languidly stroking rather than overhitting, with a range of strokes that few in England’s line-up can match.
For the most part, she was impeccable with the gloves – certainly in her work up to the stumps, though she dropped three steepling high balls, suggesting the development of an unusual issue.
B
Sarah Glenn was named player of the series
Fran Wilson (4 matches, 25 runs, batting average 8.33)
It is hard to judge Wilson’s contribution, given the paucity of opportunity to make a real impact with the bat in any of her four innings. Coming in during the final overs seems an unnatural position, such is the depth of hard-hitting options England have beneath her: Sarah Glenn and Katherine Brunt were regularly sent in above her.
In the field, however, there are few better. And with England’s breadth of bowling options assisted by the regular use of Sciver, Wilson’s selection was almost a luxury in the knowledge that there was enough batting beneath her and sufficient bowling above her to justify her floating role.
C-
Sophia Dunkley (2 matches, 3 runs, batting average 3)
There were 18 months between international appearances for Dunkley, who replaced Wilson for the fourth match of the series. She was unfortunate, then, to be caught and bowled without scoring on her return, having drilled the ball back hard at Hayley Matthews, who took a good catch.
The 22-year-old then came to the crease with England 25 for 4 in the final game of the series. She was involved in two runouts but was there at the end to see her side over the line.
C
Katherine Brunt (5 matches, 49 runs, batting average 12.25, 6 wickets, bowling average 13.3, economy 4.7)
An unbelievable cricketer who, even in the twilight years of her career, shows no signs of winding down. She remains England’s best seamer, looking as fresh as ever and continuing to develop new skills. With the bat, she looked somewhere near her best, adding quick runs whenever called upon.
She was the only player on either side to bowl a maiden – she delivered two of them, helping her to an economy rate of just 4.7. One day, England will have to fill a Brunt-shaped void. They will hope she can maintain this form through to 2022.
A-
Sarah Glenn (5 matches, 46 runs, batting average 15.33, 7 wickets, bowling average 12, economy 5.6)
Player of the series and England’s player of the year, Sarah Glenn has been a huge find for Lisa Keightley’s side. The leg-spinner Mark Robinson was desperate for, with the added value of useful lower order hitting.
Aside from her seven wickets, she hit a match-winning 26 in the second match when England briefly appeared to be tottering. One delivery to dismiss Deandra Dottin – tossed up and bowled far slower than her stock ball – showed that she continues to think through her game. A massive player for England in the coming years.
A
And that's it, the end of the international summer
Sophie Ecclestone (5 matches, 17 runs, 6 wickets, bowling average 16.16, economy 5.38)
A world-class cricketer who never fails to impress, it is hard to believe that Ecclestone is just 21 years of age. Her partnership with Glenn through the middle overs has emerged as the focal point of England’s fielding efforts.
She remains the world’s top-ranked WT20I bowler, and it is hard to see her relinquishing that title. When Natasha McLean launched her for an enormous six in the rain-affected five-over game, Ecclestone stood motionless, as if the blow was a personal affront.
A-
Mady Villiers (5 matches, 1 run, 2 wickets, bowling average 17, economy 5.66)
A strange series for the young off-spinning allrounder, who featured in every game but was rarely required with either bat or ball. She bowled tidily when given the opportunity and is a terrific outfielder.
C+
Anya Shrubsole (4 matches, 1 wicket, bowling average 104, economy 6.93)
A disappointing series for the opening bowler, who struggled for rhythm at times and seemed to find less swing than usual. She picked up just a single wicket, though she was unfortunate to have opportunities missed off her bowling. Of the bowling attack, her place might be most vulnerable, given the options at England’s disposal.
D
Freya Davies (1 match, 1 wicket, bowling average 11, economy 11)
Hardly the game Davies would have anticipated walking into: a five-over swingalong. Entrusted with the first over, she took the wicket of Hayley Matthews after being dispatched for Deandra Dottin’s 100th WT20I six.
C
Deandra Dottin was the series' top run-scorer
Deandra Dottin (5 matches, 185 runs, batting average 37, 2 wickets, bowling average 29, economy 7.25)
Any question marks over Dottin’s fitness were soon answered in fine style by the talismanic allrounder. West Indies’ best player had to shine if her side were to stand a chance of upsetting their hosts.
And she could have done little more. She was the highest run-scorer on either side by a considerable distance, hitting more sixes than any other player. In the third game, she bowled her first spell in international cricket since February 2019. Did not deserve to find herself on the end of a clean sweep.
A
Hayley Matthews (5 matches, 38 runs, batting average 7.6, 5 wickets, bowling average 15.6, economy 8.66)
A hugely disappointing series for the highly regarded 22-year-old. A final tally of 38 runs in five matches was nowhere near what a player of her ability should have been able to produce on surfaces that, in the main, helped batsmen.
She ended her tour with a first-ball duck. With the ball, her off-spin was effective, though also expensive – no one who bowled more than three overs on either side conceded a higher economy rate.
D+
Stafanie Taylor (5 matches, 78 runs, batting average 26, 5 wickets, bowling average 18.8, economy 6.71)
Like Matthews, West Indies needed more runs from one of their key players. She never looked at her best, but one suspects she reined in her attacking instincts, given the lack of depth in West Indies’ batting order. Scores of 13, 14, 15 and 28 are proof of starts that might, on another day, have led to more significant contributions from the West Indies captain.
With the ball, she was typically miserly with her slow away-drifters. In the second match of the series, she recorded figures of 2 for 12 from her four overs. Overall, she led well in challenging circumstances, though she will look back on some of her tactics on the final night of the series and wonder whether she could have done more to clinch a consolation win.
B-
Shemaine Campbelle (5 matches, 30 runs, batting average 7.5)
Found herself shifted around the visiting batting order as Taylor looked for successful combinations. However, Campbelle struggled for runs throughout, making a high score of 11. Her glovework was far more impressive, though, with four stumpings and six catches across the series.
C
Leann Kirby (4 matches, 15 runs, batting average 3.75)
A very poor series for Kirby, who made scores of 1, 3, 4 and 7 before she was left out of the final match of the series. She never looked comfortable against England’s bowlers. Her tour was summed up by a drop catch at mid-off, with the ball bursting through her hands and hitting her in the face.
D-
West Indies will feel that they should have won the final game of the series
Chedean Nation (3 matches, 33 runs, batting average 11)
The 33-year-old only featured in three matches but she showed her ability in the fourth match of the series, making a quickfire 30 batting at No.6. Otherwise, there was little to report, with scores of 0 and 3 in her other appearances.
C-
Aaliyah Alleyne (3 matches, 23 runs, batting average 11.5, 2 wickets, bowling average 25, economy 8.33)
A curious tour for Alleyne, who didn’t bowl in the second game of the series and was subsequently dropped. When she returned for the fourth match, she was given the new ball, dismissed Wyatt and Sciver and was by a stretch the most impressive seamer on show.
Quite why she was then left out ahead of the final game is anyone’s guess. A better series than her numbers suggest.
C
Chinelle Henry (4 matches, 19 runs, batting average 9.5, 0 wickets, economy 5.8)
Nineteen runs and no wickets in four games for Chinelle Henry – not quite the tour the West Indies would have been hoping for from the 25-year-old. She had the best economy rate of any of the tourists’ bowlers, so she might – in hindsight – have been worth more than the five overs she was given across the series. Hit one enormous six.
D
Sheneta Grimmond (2 matches, 3 runs, batting average 3, 0 wickets, economy 6.5)
The 22-year-old bowled her off-spin tidily when called upon in the third game between the two sides, but then didn’t bowl in the subsequent match. She was then left out of the last match of the tour.
C
Shabika Gajnabi (2 matches, 7 runs, batting average 7, 0 wickets, economy 17)
The 20-year-old was targeted by England when she came into the attack, so her series’ work lasted just a single over, costing her 17 runs in the process. She kept her place for the last game of the series but didn’t bowl.
D
Stafanie Taylor: "If we hadn't come over, we're not sure whether we'd have had any tour coming up"
Karishma Ramharack (1 game, 1 wicket, bowling average 27, economy 9)
Th 25-year-old off-spinner only played a single game, picking up the wicket of a reverse-sweeping Tammy Beaumont in the process. One of several spin options deployed Taylor.
C-
Britney Cooper (2 games, 0 runs, batting average 0)
The experienced batsman played the first two games but didn’t trouble the scorers. She wasn’t seen for the rest of the series as West Indies searched for a formula with the bat.
D-
Natasha McLean (1 game, 14 runs)
In hindsight, West Indies might have gone to McLean earlier than the final match of the series. She made an unbeaten 14 off just 10 balls, hammering Ecclestone for an enormous six over deep midwicket in the process – the tourists could have done with plenty more of that kind of hitting.
C+
Shakera Selman (4 games, 6 runs, 6 wickets, bowling average 14.66, economy 8.38)
An experienced head in West Indies’ ranks, but the 31-year-old seamer endured a final over to forget in the last match of the tour; she bowled two no-balls – the second of which ended the game, handing victory to England.
Until then, she had proven a reliable source of wickets for the visitors, taking three in the first game and two in the second.
C+
Afy Fletcher (3 games, 4 runs, 1 wicket, bowling average 77, economy 7.7)
Given the absence of Anisa Mohammed, West Indies would have wanted more from Fletcher’s experienced leg-spin. Instead, the 33-year-old took just one wicket and struggled to stem the flow of tuns. She missed the last two games of the series.
C-
Shamilia Connell (5 games, 7 wickets, bowling average 19.28, economy 8.43)
West Indies’ best bowler was deservedly named player of the match at the end of the five-over slog-fest that ended the series, despite finishing up on the losing side. She was a consistent threat at the top of the innings, moving the ball away from England’s right-handers. Truth be told, she never truly got the luck she deserved.
B
Cherry-Ann Fraser (1 match)
Drafted in for the final match of the tour, Fraser neither batted nor bowled.
C
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