In the high-stakes world of women’s cricket, where split-second decisions define heroes, England’s 23-year-old pace-bowling sensation Issy Wong has a peculiar pre-catch habit: touching her ears.
This quirky “reset” ritual, born from childhood fielding drills, underscores her unique approach to balance and brilliance, helping her snag screamers while terrorising batters with raw pace with the ball in her hand.
As the Southern Brave splashed £130,000 to secure her in the historic Inaugural Women’s Hundred Auction on March 11, 2026, for the sixth edition (July 21 to August 16), Wong’s star is set to shine brighter amid a packed summer featuring the 10th ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales (June 12 to July 5).
Issy Wong’s journey blends explosive all-round talent with global experience. Fresh from starring for the Melbourne Renegades in the 11th Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), she also powered Harmanpreet Kaur’s Mumbai Indians in the competition’s first two seasons (2023 and 2024). She played a crucial role in MI being crowned as the inaugural champions in 2023.
Internationally, her T20I record dazzles with 13 wickets across 17 matches and innings at an average of 29.76 and economy of 6.93, numbers that popped until her last outing, a T20I against India on July 12, 2025, at Birmingham. In ODIs, she’s snared 4 wickets in 3 innings (average 30.25, economy 6.36), while her lone Test appearance against South Africa at Taunton on June 27, 2022, yielded 3 wickets in two innings (average 33.33, economy 3.68). Now, with the Hundred and World Cup looming, Wong’s fielding flair could prove decisive in tense situations.
The ritual itself? It stems from a childhood suggestion that stuck.
“I had a guy once told me basically your eardrums are full of liquid, so for example when you spin around and then you stop spinning, you get feel still feel like spinning, it’s because the fluid in your ears is still spinning around, so all your balance comes from this fluid in your ears,” Wong explains. “So by like touching your ears, it helps to balance, so I wanted to get into a balanced position. It was when I was a kid when I was like fielding so I’d like to touch them to think about it, and then it just kind of became a little like a reset.”
She admits a dash of scepticism, “I’m not sure how much it actually has to do with balance”, but swears by it regardless. “I do it for every ball to try and not drop it.” In a format like the Hundred, where athletic catches win games, this mental cue could elevate Wong from all-rounder to game-changer, blending science, superstition, and skill.
As the Southern Brave gear up, expect Wong to be the centre of action, particularly with the ball, with her thunderbolts. Women’s cricket fans, mark your calendars.
(Quotes sourced from England Cricket)
I am Yash Tailor, and I believe work should be driven by passion. Therefore, after completing my Engineering, I chose to work in the Cricket industry, my passion. My goal is to reach a stage where I truly enjoy what I do and give my best to every task with energy and purpose.