The menace and melody of Anya Shrubsole, one of England's greatest
India Today
On Thursday, April 14, Anya Shrubsole announced his retirement from international cricket after serving the England women's team for 14 years.
Anya Shrubsole is no mug with the bat, although she batted at No.11 for England in the Women's World Cup 2021. Having lost nine wickets in the game, Heather Knight and Co. were still in with a chance to beat Stafanie Taylor's high-flying West Indies. Facing Shrubsole was Anisa Mohammed, the highest wicket-taker in Women's ODIs among spinners and the leading wicket-taker in T20Is.
With eight runs needed off 15 balls, Shrubsole tried to shimmy down the track. But to her dismay, she yorked herself and the ball crashed onto the stumps. While Shrubsole failed to open her account, England, also the defending champions, lost two back-to-back games in the mega event. Less than a fortnight later, England found themselves in a similar situation.
New Zealand's Frances Mackay left the Brits in disarray in their run-chase. With one wicket left, Knight's troops needed less than 10 to win. This time around, Shrubsole didn't lose her calm. Rather she pulled a timely cover drive off Brooke Halliday and then picked up a single to see her team through. In those two innings, more than batting, it was the attitude that defined her.
She refuses to knuckle under when put under pressure. Maybe that's why she was able to help England secure a win against India in the 2017 World Cup final in front of a packed house at the Lord's and guide the Southern Brave to the final of the inaugural Women's Hundred. Back in 2018, she became the first woman to feature on the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack's front cover.
Needless to say, it might take ages for England to find a talent of Shrubsole's calibre. While her skills with the ball was far from questionable, she had her moments with the bat as well. 2021 was a tough year for the bowling all-rounder. Back in January 2021, she was ruled out for six months due to a knee injury. But then she recovered and made her way into the international arena.
Back then, maybe she was hoping to take England through to glory in the World Cup before calling it a day. Though she got nine wickets, including a three-fer in the final against Australia, Shrubsole looked rusty and she didn't quite seem as lethal as she used to be in her heydays.
In four matches, the 30-year-old went wicketless. Her fitness levels weren't top notch either. But that isn't good enough to eliminate the fact that she picked up 227 wickets for England in her 14-year-old career. Along with Katherine Brunt, she ruffled a lot of feathers in her career.
