The 2nd edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is underway and is so with high-quality competitive cricket. The Gujarat Giants kicked off their campaign on the 25th of February 2024, against the defending champions Mumbai Indians, and the tournament had its 2nd associate player. Kathryn’s impactful debut for the Giants saw her rise to the occasion with both bat and ball. Rescuing her team from a precarious position, she anchored a crucial partnership alongside Tanuja Kanwar. Her unbeaten knock of 25 runs off 24 balls proved invaluable as the Giants posted a competitive total of 126. On the bowling front, Kathryn Bryce made an immediate impact, dismissing the dangerous Yastika Bhatia and conceding just 22 runs in her spell of 3 overs.
In the inaugural edition of the WPL, Delhi Capitals’ Tara Norris made waves as the sole representative from associate nations. Making her debut, Tara left an indelible mark by dismantling the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batting lineup, claiming the prized wickets of Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, and Heather Knight, among others, securing the first five-wicket haul of the WPL.
Averaging 12.71 and maintaining an economy rate of 8.09, Tara finished with 7 wickets from 5 appearances. However, she didn’t retain her place in the squad for another season and went unpicked at the auction. Nonetheless, the tournament continues to have an associate player as Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce found a home with the Gujarat Giants.
The 26-year-old all-rounder made her senior national debut at the tender age of 13 in 2011. Since the elevation of the national side to Twenty20 International (T20I) status in 2018, she has assumed the captaincy reins. Her journey in English cricket has been illustrious, representing Warwickshire, The Blaze, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire. She left her mark in The (Women’s) Hundred, representing both the Trent Rockets and the Manchester Originals.
In addition to county and regional cricket in England, where she was rightfully crowned the Player of the Year in the esteemed Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in 2021, she has also ventured across the seas to Australia. Under the ICC Associate Rookie program, she was involved in a couple of Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) seasons, rubbing shoulders with Meg Lanning and Nat Sciver-Brunt, stalwarts of the game. She enjoyed fruitful stints with the Warriors at the FairBreak Invitational and recently graced the inaugural Tanzania Women’s Premier League.
Recognized for her stellar contributions, Kathryn Bryce was honored as the Associate Cricketer of the Decade by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in December 2020. The following year, in June 2021, she etched her name in history as the first cricketer from Scotland, male or female, to break into the top ten of the ICC Player Rankings. As of February 2024, she stands tall, ranked 9th in the all-rounders’ list.
From 40 T20I outings, averaging 36.42 and striking at 102.82, Kathryn Bryce has amassed 1020 runs, including the highest of 73*, while also taking 37 wickets, including the best of 3/8, maintaining an economy rate of 4.35. She was outstanding in T20Is in 2023, registering 220 runs and 11 wickets, from 9 games, with bests of 53 and 3/8. She has continued the same form into the WPL and it’ll be hoped she capitalizes on this form.