The biggest summer of women’s cricket concludes. The Vipers are double champions, coach Charlotte Edwards completing the trio of awards with the Hundred trophy in her cabinet. An Ashes series to remember and a tired Sri Lanka series, perhaps to forget.
It started in April, a time when it is too cold to play cricket, games washed out all too often. But, the opening day of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint trophy delivered. Serial losers, Sunrisers, thrashes serial winners, the Southern Vipers. The Blaze, who’s new identity had just been attached to Nottingham played their first – and only – match at Trent Bridge (a few more next year would be nice). Famously, the Blaze attempted to play at Welbeck but a men’s club game a few days previous which had continued through the rain, ruined any chances of play – a good example of how far women’s cricket has to go!
The Lottie Cup came and went within a few weeks, Thunder pushing through to the eliminator. In a series of unprecedented events, the final was spread across two days, chaos caused as it was unclear if there was a reserve day. The teams retuned and the Vipers had holidays booked so wrapped up the game quickly and lifted the trophy.
The RHFT returned and there were lots of no results. The Ashes were hotting up parallel to this and the Hundred was on the horizon. With record breaking crowds, the Ashes captivated England fans with the series constantly in the balance. Tammy Beaumont’s historic double century in the Test match and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s back-to-back centuries in the ODIs were just some of the highlights from an epic home Ashes. To top it off Australia didn’t win – they only retained!
The rain continued in the Hundred and this affected Welsh Fire’s final hopes. For the first time, the Oval Invincibles didn’t life the trophy and it was the Southern Brave, third time lucky who got their hands on the golden ‘H’. Tammy Beaumont continued her form scoring 118 from 61 balls at Sophia Gardens, the highest total in the Hundred ever.
England prepared to play Sri Lanka with a handful of debuts on the cards. England were thrashed but bounced back later in the series to secure ODI wins. Simultaneously, the RHFT was reaching its end and Sunrisers had four key wins on the trot. Emily Windsor, the finisher, hit the winning runs for Vipers – once again, the Vipers doing the double this summer.
Plenty of players now head to the WBBL, some will be indoors, doing frustrating and technical work to improve their games. 2023 season over and out.
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