Heather Knight praises "outstanding" Sarah Glenn after successful maiden tour

The 20-year-old was one of just seven players to feature in all six matches across the two formats, while she also took the most wickets across the whole trip

Heather Knight has praised Sarah Glenn, who starred for England during their tour of Malaysia, where they took on Pakistan.

The leg-spinner made her international debut in the first ODI between the teams, going on to take eight wickets in three games, before impressing once again during the subsequent T20I series.

The 20-year-old was one of just seven players to feature in all six matches for the visitors across the two formats, while she also took the most wickets across the whole trip.

Her 12 scalps came at an average of just 12.25 and a mightily impressive economy rate of 3.90. She was entrusted with more overs than anyone else in England’s squad and Knight, who was handed the player of the series award for the 50-over matches, suggested Glenn should have taken the prize instead.

Knight said: “Sarah Glenn deserves a special mention. She has been outstanding for us on her debut tour.

“She has been very consistent and taken wickets throughout the ODI and T20 series so very pleased for her.

“She definitely deserved to be player of the series in the ODIs.”

^{Sophie Ecclestone has moved up to fourth in the ICC's T20I bowler rankings}

Glenn returned figures of 2 for 38, 2 for 37 and 4 for 18 in the 50-over games, following that up with 1 for 25, 1 for 17 and 2 for 12 in the T20Is. It was a convincing audition for the youngster as new head coach Lisa Keightley considers the makeup of her squad ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup in February.

Ahead of the tour, interim head coach Ali Maiden told The Cricketer of England's commitment to developing a leg-spinner to provide a crucial option in white-ball cricket.

“We are aware that leg-spin is a massive asset, particularly in T20 cricket,” he said. “Since I’ve been around with Mark Robinson, we’ve been searching and trying to get a leg-spinner through. We know it’s important in the game – we only play 50-over and T20 cricket, so we knew it was absolutely vital.”

Home-schooled and an international hockey prodigy: Meet Sarah Glenn, England's new leg-spinner

Meanwhile, Sophie Ecclestone has been rewarded for her own form in Kuala Lumpur by jumping up the ICC T20I rankings.

The left-arm spinner took six wickets in three games, moving from seventh position to fourth – behind Australia’s Megan Schutt, India’s Radha Yadav and South African seamer Shabnim Ismail.

In doing so, Ecclestone becomes the first England bowler since Anya Shrubsole in 2016 to tally more than 700 points.

Amy Jones, England’s unopposed wicketkeeper following the international retirement of Sarah Taylor, was named as player of the series after the T20Is; she has shot up 30 places on the list, moving from 47^th to 17^th, a career high.

^{Photograph credits: Malaysia Cricket Association}

Subscribe to The Cricketer this Christmas and receive a £20 John Lewis voucher or Alastair Cook's autobiography. Claim your free gift here