Following their standout performances in the 2023 season, all-rounders from England, West Indies, and Australia have received one of cricket’s ultimate honors by being named in the 2024 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.
The Leading Cricketer in the World (Women)
Nat Sciver-Brunt has become the first Englishwoman to claim the honor, a recognition well-deserved after her outstanding all-round performances across formats, leagues, and tournaments. Earlier last year, she made headlines by securing a £320,000 payday for her services in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), becoming the United Kingdom’s highest-paid female team athlete. Despite the pressure associated with such a hefty price tag, Sciver-Brunt excelled, scoring 332 runs, including a highest score of 72*, at an impressive average of 66.40 and a strike rate of 140.08, while also claiming 10 wickets with the best figures of 3/21, at an economy rate of 7.12. She played crucial innings in key matches that led her team Mumbai Indians to the championship.
Sciver-Brunt emerged as the leading run-scorer in both white-ball formats internationally, accumulating 393 runs from 5 ODI innings at an average of 131.00, and amassing 364 runs from 10 T20I innings at a strike rate of 135.82, while also contributing with the ball, taking 3 and 5 wickets respectively. Despite managing a knee injury that limited her bowling opportunities, Sciver-Brunt consistently delivered with the bat, proving her worth as a reliable run-scorer.
In the Test arena, Sciver-Brunt’s contributions were more modest, with only 137 runs added to her tally from 4 innings. However, her resilient 78 off 111 balls against Australia in the second innings of the Ashes Test was a pivotal moment. The home Ashes series against Australia held special significance for Sciver-Brunt, as she concluded it with consecutive centuries (111* off 99 balls and 129 off 149 balls), helping England level the multi-format Ashes series at 8. Continuing her stellar form, Sciver-Brunt notched up her third ODI century of the year against Sri Lanka in a couple of matches later, further cementing her status as a top performer on the international stage.
The Five Wisden Cricketers of the Year:
Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner stands out as the only female among Mitchell Starc, Usman Khawaja, Harry Brook, and Mark Wood, announced as this year’s Wisden Cricketers of the Year. She becomes the 10th woman and the second Australian woman after Ellyse Perry, who received the honor in 2020.
Despite not scoring many runs in Tests, the 27-year-old all-rounder delivered some of the best spells in women’s Tests, particularly against England. In the 2nd innings of the Women’s Ashes Test, she produced figures of 8/66 and 12/165 in the Test. In the subsequent white-ball games, she made valuable contributions with the bat, registering scores of 21, 33, and 41 in the ODIs, and 31, 9, and 32 in the T20Is. Gardner also achieved a hat-trick of 3-wicket hauls in the ODIs and finished the tour with a total of 23 wickets across the series, the highest by any bowler.
In addition to her success in the WPL, the 26-year-old all-rounder had a stellar year across formats, claiming a record 58 international wickets in 2023. She emerged as the leading wicket-taker in both ODI and Test formats in 2023 and also contributed with the bat, scoring a combined 481 runs to showcase her all-round skills. Gardner’s outstanding performances earned her numerous accolades, including winning the prestigious Belinda Clark Award for the second time at the Australian Awards.
The Leading Twenty20 Cricketer
West Indies all-rounder and captain, Hayley Matthews, makes history as the first female winner in its seven-year history. With a T20I career spanning since 2014, Matthews has accumulated 2026 runs and claimed 91 wickets in 88 outings, maintaining a batting strike rate of 111.87 and an economy rate of 5.87 with the ball, with respective bests of 132 runs and 4/10.
In her 2023 T20 campaign, Matthews began with a series of consistent starts, including three scores of 34, and eventually showcased her prowess with a fine 66* against Ireland at the World Cup. She continued her form in the WPL, amassing 271 runs at a strike rate of 126.04 and claiming 16 wickets at an economy rate of 5.94. She further extended her dominance in the FairBreak tournament, registering the fastest hundred in its history and the highest individual score of the season.
During the home domestic season, Matthews played crucial roles in securing victories for Barbados with both bat and ball, competing a hat-trick of championship wins starting with the WPL, then the FairBreak, and the home domestic tournament. She was impressive against Ireland in a home series as well; however, her standout performances came against Australia in an away series, where she scored consecutive scores of 99*, 132, and 79, while also making significant contributions with the ball. Matthews accumulated a total of 700 runs and took 19 wickets from 14 T20Is in her record-breaking year, winning eight consecutive T20I match awards between February and October across three different continents.