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Best player
It’s easy to understand why Beth Mooney was chosen arsenic subordinate of nan tourney after her magnificent innings successful nan final. Also successful nan moving must surely beryllium Danni Wyatt-Hodge, whose 100 connected nan opening nighttime astatine Edgbaston group nan reside for a assured run by England (at slightest until they ran into nan Australian juggernaut successful nan final).
But I’ve settled connected Nat Sciver-Brunt. She patiently handled nan multitudinous media commitments which travel pinch being England skipper successful a tourney played astatine home. She lived pinch the uncertainty of her calf injury for weeks connected end, admitting tearfully aft nan final that she had felt compelled to conceal her emotions from nan remainder of her team, because leaders aren’t allowed to show weakness. In nan 4 matches she was capable to play, she scored 46 not out, 48, 75 and 58 not out. It wasn’t rather capable successful nan extremity – but you can’t reason she didn’t do each she could to make cricket travel home.
Best match
Australia v India astatine Lord’s. It mightiness person been a group-stage lucifer betwixt 2 neutrals, but nan ambiance felt for illustration a final. I happened to beryllium extracurricular nan pavilion erstwhile India arrived astatine nan ground; MCC had to usage crowd barriers to forestall Harmanpreet Kaur & co being mobbed. It felt for illustration impervious that women’s cricket really tin animate nan aforesaid passion arsenic nan men’s game.
India supporters filled nan stands, cheering each tally and breaking nan grounds for attendance astatine a Women’s T20 World Cup group-stage lucifer (final crowd tally: 27,163). Sadly, they went location disappointed aft Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner paced their run-chase of 171 perfectly, winning pinch an complete to spare and sending India crashing retired of nan tournament. But hopefully nan fans will beryllium backmost to bask nan Test which starts connected Friday.
Best moment
Watching Ireland, Scotland and nan Netherlands this tourney has been a delight – each 3 came wrong rubbing region of wins against higher-ranked nations. Sitting successful nan stands astatine Headingley to watch proud Scot Kirstie Gordon return a wicket first shot against England, nan squad who rejected her arsenic surplus to requirements, was axenic joy.
But nan victor of “best moment” goes to Ireland. After 5 tournaments, 22 matches and 12 years of hurt, they yet achieved their first triumph successful a T20 World Cup. It came against West Indies successful Bristol, wherever they chased down 129 acknowledgment to Orla Prendergast’s 63. Footage of nan squad belting retired Ireland’s Call successful nan dressing room afterwards showed conscionable really overmuch it meant.
Biggest surprise
Sophie Molineux’s captaincy. Pretty overmuch everyone questioned her suitability for nan role. Could she enactment fit? Would she beryllium capable to vessel astatine all, aliases would nan squad person to transportation her arsenic dormant weight? Even Molinuex herself had her doubts, aft being forced retired of her first bid arsenic skipper successful February owed to a backmost injury. “It made maine consciousness for illustration it mightiness not activity out,” she said connected Sunday. “I was a spot messy astatine nan start.”
Instead she vanished nan tourney arsenic Australia’s starring wicket-taker, ensured they vanished nan tourney undefeated, and made everybody laughter on nan measurement pinch what Ellyse Perry described arsenic her “unique style” of captaincy. We person genuinely entered nan Molineux Era.
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Most poignant farewell
Sadly, reigning champions New Zealand were knocked retired earlier nan semi-finals, incapable to present a fairytale ending for their 3 Kiwi legends Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Lea Tahuhu. But nan defender of honour organised by nan England caput coach Charlotte Edwards aft her charges hit New Zealand astatine nan Oval provided a infinitesimal to admit nan trio. This is the last-gasp of nan amateur generation who went into nan crippled for love, not money; we will not spot their for illustration again. Excuse maine – I deliberation I’ve sewage thing successful my eye.
How do teams span nan spread to Australia?
The perennial question. A bully commencement would beryllium a redistribution of nan International Cricket Council (ICC)’s revenue. 40% of nan world governing body’s net ends up successful nan hands of nan Indian board, compared pinch conscionable complete 4% for nan West Indies, whose skipper Hayley Matthews made a nationalist plea to nan powers-that-be aft her side’s one-sided semi-final nonaccomplishment to Australia. “It makes it really difficult for america to compete erstwhile we don’t person pathway programmes successful place, and past teams for illustration Australia person nan top pathway strategy wherever they’re pushing retired Phoebe Litchfields from 15 years aged each azygous year,” she said. “You request a batch of money to do a batch of these things. Within nan West Indies, we don’t ever person nan costs required.”
The ICC are owed to meet successful Edinburgh this week – let’s dream redistribution is location connected nan agenda, because arsenic agelong arsenic only Australia, England and India person capable money to money home professionalism for their women, we’re going to extremity up backmost present asking nan aforesaid mobility again and again and again.
Was nan tourney arsenic a full a success?
In short: yes. England’s opinionated pinch nan public, successful nan doldrums since their miserable Ashes showing 18 months ago, has been afloat restored – arsenic shown by nan grounds full attendance of circa 245,000. Women’s cricket has softly sneaked its measurement into mainstream UK civilization for nan past 3 weeks, featuring connected The Archers, Bargain Hunt, Antiques Roadshow and successful nan pages of Vogue.
Whether nan tourney tin present connected its longer-term purpose of creating “a movement, not a moment”, well, we’ll request a spot longer to fig that 1 out. It does, however, consciousness somewhat concerning that Beth Barrett-Wild, nan tourney head and driving unit down its bequest plans, is astir to time off nan ECB for good.
