Time and again, these stars have proven why they are such crucial and valuable players for their teams and deservingly have been nominated for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year Award. The list boasts two-star all-rounders and two specialist batters don the list. Let’s have a look back at their year of accomplishments!
Natalie Sciver (England)
Any list would be incomplete without the inclusion of Nat Sciver. Having accumulated 1346 runs and picked up 22 wickets in 33 games for England across formats, Nat Sciver quite literally dominated. A breakdown of her statistics will show that she predominantly scored in ODIs scoring 833 runs and her contribution at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 for England is unforgettable and so is the 148* versus Australia in the high voltage finals. She also had a memorable year in tests ending as the top run-getter and is the second highest in ODIs. While her contributions with the bat are not unknown, her performances with the ball have been nothing short of impressive. Picking 22 wickets across formats, she is a proven matchwinner and even after her return to competitive cricket after her break, she has looked nothing but stronger.
Amelia Kerr (New Zealand)
Another game changer in this decked list is Amelia Kerr. having scored 1003 runs and bagged 30 wickets in her 32 appearances this year, Kerr has shown why she is one of the most sought-after cricketers. She really owned the centre stage as she starred with the bat and ball. Coming off of 2021, she had the perfect start to the year notching four 50+ scores while also scoring a century versus India. In the ODI World Cup earlier this year, although the White Ferns did not have the best of the tournaments, she shone with her all-round performances. Her bowling was also a standpoint this year as he pocketed 30 wickets
Smriti Mandhana (India)
Next on the list is Smriti Mandhana who has solidified her case as a stalwart already. Having scored 1290 runs in 38 matches across formats, she has continued her good vein of form this year as well. She was the winner of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award in 2021 and being in contention for this year’s award only goes to show how consistent she has been. Be it delivering in multination tournaments this year namely, the ODI World Cup, Commonwealth Games or the Asia Cup she was the pioneer for India in the batting department and guided India admirably. Making her presence felt in the just concluded Australian series, she has shown she is such a dependable player for India in the future as well.
Beth Mooney (Australia)
Beth Mooney has been the most bankable player for Australia in 2022. Scoring 915 runs from 25 matches, statistically, it was not the best year for her yet it is her grit, determination, and solidity that makes her stand out. Although 2022 saw Australia reach the pinnacle of success in the ODI World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, they saw a host of changes as Rachael Haynes retired, and with Meg Lanning also taking a break from the game, the onus was on the seniors of the team to deliver and Beth Mooney took it up remarkably. In spite of not scoring a century in 2022, she did score eight fifty-plus scores across formats besides the innings in which she remained not out six times proving her importance in the competitive Aussie set-up. Beth Mooney really came into her own in the Ashes series and in the ODI World Cup where she averaged 110. She carried the momentum to the Commonwealth Games and with her impeccable exploits versus India sealing the deal, she will look back at the year fondly.
I am a first year postgraduate student pursuing a MA in Media and Communication Studies at Christ University, Bengaluru. I am a podcaster, blogger and an avid cricket fan. When not glued to cricket matches, you can find me submerged in books and thinking about cricket all the time.
