Each player wakes up day after day in the process, with the hope of getting presented with their tokens of appreciation. It only comes after battling through the odds and getting your hands dirty in the depths of the bleakest of situations. It’s for moments like those sportspersons who strive each day to see a new sunrise.
On the day of the Ashes test, two players each from the England and Australian contingent were presented with their precious test caps. It was a moment to cherish and shed a few tears which replicated their sense of satisfaction. The debutants included:
1. Danni Wyatt (England)
Danni Wyatt’s illustrious white ball career can finally boast of a test cap as well. The 32-year-old has been a mainstay in the English unit for a long time now. Her all-round abilities add a unique dimension to the team’s composition, her tinge of off-break and useful runs down the order will be critical. With 1776 runs and 27 wickets in ODI’s, 2369 runs, and 46 wickets in T20I’s she has carved the way to many iconic victories around the globe. The news comes as a little surprise as young gun Alice Capsey was initially considered for the role but was omitted because of her underwhelming performance in the warm-up games.
Wyatt will be crucial going into the test as her experience and all-round abilities will act like a double-edged sword to give the visitors a tough time in overcast British conditions.
2. Lauren Filer (England)
22-year-old Filer makes her international debut in the most anticipated test of the year after getting the nod ahead of Issy Wong and uncapped Dani Gibson. She’ll be joining the pace attack with the likes of Kate Cross and Lauren Bell.
Filer earned her call-up as she possesses a certain element of mystery, because of the fact that she hasn’t been exposed to the international stage prior to this. In addition to which her knack of taking wickets and bowling at a superior pace is what would aid England to claim all 20 wickets in the game. Her run with Western Storm in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy so far this year and at the Charlotte Edwards Cup gained attention and praise ultimately resulting in her international debut.
3. Phoebe Litchfield (Australia)
The fluent left-hand batter has an average of 154 in the 50-over format, she seized her ODI opportunities in the first half of the year which paved the way for her debut. She opened the innings along with Beth Mooney, with Healy happy to slip down the order. As hinted by skipper Healy earlier, to not underestimate the ability the young Australian lineup possesses, Litchfield’s approach to the new duke’s ball exemplifies the very statement.
This one-off test match will pave as a nice base for an illustrious career ahead. With the approach of attacking the loose balls and respectfully blocking out the ones with enough gas on them, Litchfield will maximize her presence by sticking onto the wicket in challenging seam-friendly conditions.
4. Kim Garth (Australia)
Garth bags the baggy green in an iconic game, where the Ashes will be played out for the first time with the 5-day Test format, for the first time since 1992. She’ll be sharing the duty of the new ball alongside Brown, Annabel Sutherland, Ellyse Perry, and Tahlia Mcgrath. Things only get interesting as this is the first time since 1979 the dukes will be used instead of the Kookaburra. Garth will also add an element to the batting order with tailenders, as the stats table shows an impressive number of runs scored from her blade.
With 23 wickets at an average of 36.39 in ODI’s and 43 wickets in T20I’s with an average of 21.3, she’ll be adding another column to her tally in the name of tests which she’ll like to give a comprehensive beginning.