Rachael Heyhoe Flint 2022: 8th
Charlotte Edwards Cup 2022: 8th
Most Runs RHFT: Grace Scrivens (297) Most Runs CEC: Naomi Dattani (157)
Most Wickets RHFT: Grace Scivens (13) Most Wickets CEC: Grace Scivens & Kelly Castle (7)
New Signings: Eva Gray (Domestic Contract), Saskia Horley (Overseas), Thea Brookes
New Domestic Contracts: Mady Villiers (Previously Centrally Contracted), Abtaha Maqsood, Jodi Grewcock, Flo Miller
Departed Players: Naomi Dattani
Star Player: Dane van Niekerk
Young Player: Grace Scrivens
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Sunrisers. Where to start. In the past three seasons, Sunrisers have won one match which was in the 2021 edition of the Charlotte Edwards Cup. It would be fair to say that their run so far has been disastrous. However, they have been closer to wins than it may seem.
Captain, Kelly Castle, has had a big task on her hands, keeping the team motivated and pushing for wins. “It's been difficult since the start” Castle explained. “This year I think we've overcome a lot of hurdles of different players being involved and coaches coming in coming out and everything, so I think we were already on the back foot when the season started.”
“I think this is the closest we've ever been as a group and the environment is so good. I think we were really disappointed in the T20s that we didn't get a win on the board because even if the book says it's a loss there were so many team wins.”
“We took two games down to the very last ball and unfortunately luck just didn't go our way, but we pretty much competed in every single game and it's just being a bit more clinical and doing those one percenters we talk a lot.”
A game which did go down to the last ball was their match against Western Storm in May 2022. Western Storm’s young talent, Sophia Smale, was making her senior debut and ended up having to bat in such a crucial moment.
“I remember going into bat and I didn't even realise we were close” she explains. “It was the last over and I looked at the score board, it was 15 which seemed quite doable. The last ball I just had to run for my life, I think I was halfway down the wicket before she bowled”.
Overthrows from one of England’s best fielders, Mady Villiers, meant that yet again the Sunrisers fell short.
As of September 2022, former Scottish international cricketer, Andy Tennant was appointed head coach. It is a waiting game as to whether his style of coaching will be successful, but signs of change are apparent.
Sunrisers have signed Aussie-born, Scottish international, Saskia Horley. The all-rounder, who bowls left-arm spin, has only made seven appearances for her international side but already has a half-century to her name.
Saskia will only be available for five matches of their Rachael Heyhoe Flint campaign so it would be fair to assume that she may not have a transformative impact for the side. Nevertheless, with the experience she has, Horley will bring valuable knowledge to a youthful side.
The only new domestic signing which the Sunrisers have made is that of 22-year-old Eva Gray from South East Stars. The right-arm seamer has grown up through the Surrey pathway but, with a professional contract in mind, made the move to the Sunrisers, a place where she could have a vital impact.
This signing may have been off the back of an outstanding Hundred tournament with the Oval Invincibles in a winning campaign where she was the joint leading wicket-taker for the side. Eva explained the decision to move to the other side of London.
“I think firstly it was about opportunities for me. The [South East] Stars have a very strong setup, quite a lot of strength and depth” she said. “I was struggling to break into that side and when I did, I wasn't exactly getting the role that I wanted to play.”
“Hopefully I’ll lead the attack for the Sunrisers and with the bat a little bit as well. I thought that the Sunrisers was a really exciting opportunity. I can see quite a lot of potential with the squad and with the talent. Results haven't really been on their side the past couple of years, but everyone works very hard and the skill is there, it's just channelling it all into getting the right results.”
The backbone of this side has been Grace Scrivens. The 19-year-old all-rounder has been ever-present across both tournaments, both as a destructive and consistent batter and as a reliable wicket-taker and economical bowler. Scrivens has it all.
Her recent appointment as captain during the inaugural U19 Women’s World Cup showed her natural leadership skills and maturity, setting her apart from others her age. Scrivens’ PCA Women’s Young Player of the Year award in 2022 was thoroughly deserved after her mighty efforts for both Sunrisers and London Spirit. Scoring 297 runs, Scrivens sealed her place as the third top run scorer in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy despite not playing in any knockout stages and was the leading wicket taker for the entire tournament.
Scrivens may be the one of the keys to success, but perhaps she would be able to score more runs if batting partners could stay with her for longer.
This year, the Sunrises have a not-so-secret weapon in the form of former South African captain, Dane van Niekerk. Announcing her international retirement this year – in gutting circumstances – the all-rounder has opted to play in leagues around the world and will warm up for her third season of the Hundred, at Sunrisers.
Across a 12-year international career, van Niekerk scored over 4000 runs and took over 200 wickets for the Proteas women – simply just looking at stats highlights her quality. Captaincy is another strand of Dane as a player. She led the Oval Invincibles to victory in the inaugural edition of the Hundred, making vital decisions as captain, changing the game.
A player with belief, drive and all-round cricketing ability is the gap that Sunrisers needed to fill; they seem to have found her.
What will the Sunrisers want?
At least win…once. Sunrisers are thirsty for a win. Whether they win by one run or fifty runs, the celebrations will be huge. They need some success, guidance and show that they know how to win a game of cricket. Will the sun finally rise?
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