The Oval Invincibles squad comprises 15 quality players, including three players from South Africa and one from Scotland. The other 11 players are from England, with three internationals and eight domestic stars.
Squad: Georgia Adams, Fran Wilson, Alice Capsey, Joanne Gardner, Dane van Niekerk, Sarah Bryce, Rhinaana Southby, Tash Farrant, Grace Gibbs, Eva Gray, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Megan Belt, Danielle Gregory, Mady Villiers
Here’s a look at each of the 15 members of the squad:
Georgia Adams:
She plays for Sussex and Southern Vipers at the domestic level, having previously played for Loughborough Lightning in the Women’s Cricket Super League. The right hand opening bat had a terrific season last year as she was the leading run-getter in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020, playing for Southern Vipers. She amassed 500 runs, including three half centuries and a century, in seven matches. She averaged 83.33 and had a decent strike rate of 81.69. She played an instrumental role in her team’s success in the tournament.
Fran Wilson:
She is an English cricketer who has been around in the international circuit for more than 10 years. She is a right hand middle order bat and has played 30 T20Is for England, in addition to 33 ODIs and 1 Test. She has scored 356 runs at a strike rate of 99.16. She was unlucky to have missed out playing for the national side between 2011 and 2016. She is known to be a fluent and technically correct batter.
Alice Capsey:
She is a right hand bat, who plays for Surrey and South East Stars. In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020, playing for South East Stars, she scored 141 runs in six innings, which included her best score of 73 not out. She registered her highest score against Sunrisers and guided her team home as she led the 199-run chase. The journalist Raf Nicholson had reckoned that she could be England’s future opener, when she was just 15 years old.
Joanne Gardner:
She is a right hand bat, who plays for Warwickshire, Essex and Sunrisers. She has previously played for Northamptonshire, as well as Loughborough Lightning in the Women’s Cricket Super League. In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, playing for Sunrisers, she mustered 193 runs in six innings, including her best score of 54. With the ball, she was effective as well, as the right arm off spinner scalped seven wickets in six outings.
Dane van Niekerk:
She is the captain of South Africa in all formats. She has been a part of the Proteas since 2009. She is a right hand bat and right arm leg spinner. She has played 83 T20Is and has scored 1839 runs. With the ball she has picked up 63 wickets in 80 innings and has an economy of under six. She is one of the best all-rounders in the world of women’s cricket. She ranks 8th in the list of top all-rounders in ODIs.
Sarah Bryce:
She plays for the Scotland women’s cricket team. In 2019, she played domestic cricket in England for Nottinghamshire, before signing for Kent in 2020. She also plays for the regional team Lightning. She is a right hand bat and a wicket-keeper. In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020, playing for Lightning, she scored 395 runs in six innings and was the leading run-getter for her side, 2nd overall. She hit four half centuries and centuries at an average of 79. She also kept wickets in three matches in that tournament.
Rhianna Southby:
The wicket-keeper bat plays for Surrey and South East Stars. She previously played for Surrey Stars in the Women’s Cricket Super League. In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020, playing for South East Stars, the right hand bat appeared in all six matches. She scored 32 runs and behind the stumps accounted for four dismissals.
Tash Farrant:
She is a left arm quick who has been a part of the England national squad since 2013. She has represented England in 15 T20Is and scalped 11 wickets. In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020, playing for South East Stars, she picked up nine wickets in six matches and was the leading wicket-taker for her side. With the bat, she made some useful contributions as she scored 86 runs in five innings, including the best of 37.
Grace Gibbs:
She is a right arm quick and a right hand bat, who plays for Kent and South East Stars. She previously played for Surrey Stars in the Women’s Cricket Super League. In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020, playing for South East Stars, she failed to make an impact as she went wicket-less in her four outings. However, she contributed with the bat lower down the order as she compiled 36 runs, which included a 19-ball 30 against Southern Vipers. She was also a part of the Surrey Stars side that won the Kia Super League in 2018.
Eva Gray:
She plays for Surrey and South East Stars. She is a right arm speedster. She previously played for Surrey Stars in the Women’s Cricket Super League. She was a part of the Surrey Stars team that won the Kia Super League in 2018. In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020, playing for South East Stars, she was given the opportunity in two matches. In one of the matches she scalped two wickets against Southern Vipers.
Shabnim Ismail:
She is quick, she is accurate and has some lethal weapons in her repertoire. She is the leader of South African bowling attack and is one of the best quick bowlers in women’s cricket. She is South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is and third overall with 110 wickets in 97 innings, including two five wicket hauls. She is the number 2 T20I bowler in the world of women’s cricket and number 4 in ODI cricket. In the 50-over format, she has 150 wickets in 106 matches.
Marizanne Kapp:
She is one of the most experienced players in the South African team as she has been around in the international arena since 2009. The right hand bat and right arm seamer has played 81 T20Is and has scored 986 runs. She has also picked up 62 wickets in 70 innings, including one four wicket haul. She is the number 1 all-rounder in ODI cricket. She has scored 2017 runs in 98 innings and has picked 129 wickets in 110 innings.
Megan Belt:
She is a right arm off spinner, who plays for Kent and South East Stars. She had been a regular feature in England’s development sides as a teenager. She made her county debut in 2013. In that year itself, she was the leading wicket-taker in the Women’s Twenty20 Cup. She was a part of the Kent team that won the County Championship in 2014, the Twenty20 Cup and County Championship double in 2016 and the County Championship again in 2019. During the 2016 County Championship, she was the second-leading wicket-taker and in 2019, she was the highest wicket-taker (12 wickets) for her side in the County Championship. In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020, playing for South East Stars she got just a couple of chances. She scalped two wickets in the tournament.
Danielle Gregory:
The right arm leg spinner was impressive in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020. Playing for South East Stars, she scalped five wickets in just two matches. She was unlucky to have got just two matches in the tournament. Her best figures of 3-44 came against Southern Vipers. Apart from South East Stars, she plays her domestic cricket for Surrey.
Mady Villiers:
She is a right arm off spinner, who plays for England. She made her international debut in 2019 against Australia. Since then she has featured in 15 T20Is and has accounted for 12 dismissals at an average of 16.41 and strike rate of 15.50. In her debut match, she picked up 2-20 in her four overs and was the most economical bowler for England. Before playing international cricket, she has played her domestic cricket for Essex and Surrey Stars.
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.