Women’s Cricket World Cup: Anya Shrubsole reflects on 2017 glory as England begin title defence | Cricket News

England begin World Cup defence against Australia live on Sky Sports World Cup (Sky channel 404) from 12.30am on Saturday; Anya Shrubsole the hero as England won 2017 title , with seamer still having vivid memories of the match, saying “I consciously wanted to remember everything”

Anya Shrubsole claimed 6-46 as England beat India to win the 2017 World Cup final at Lord’s

Bowling your side to victory in a World Cup final could be a blur for some but for Anya Shrubsole, who did just that for England Women in 2017, it remains fresh in her mind.

“I consciously wanted to remember everything that happened as you don’t really get those chances again,” Shrubsole, who took 6-46 in England’s comeback win over India five years ago, told Sky Sports before her team begin their World Cup defence against Australia on Saturday.

“The bits that stick out for me the most were straight after the game when we had our friends and family down on the pitch and were able to celebrate with them.

“All the players and staff, including girls who hadn’t made the squad, then had time up in the dressing room celebrating as a unit. There are so many people that go into winning tournaments, not just the 11 players you see, so to celebrate as a whole group was massive as well.”

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Nasser Hussain and Mel Jones discuss England’s chances of retaining their World Cup title in New Zealand

India were 182-3 after 42 overs chasing 229 for victory when seam bowler Shrubsole began her third spell of the final – a spell which started with her going for back-to-back boundaries.

Three balls later, though, Shrubsole pinned Punam Raut lbw for 86, the first of five wickets in 19 balls for the bowler, who also completed a run out. India losing their last seven wickets for 28 runs. England winning the World Cup for the fourth time. Shrubsole the hero.

“My memories are pretty vivid. I have a pretty good memory for random cricket games so obviously a big cricket game like that definitely sticks in my mind. I will always have very good memories.

“Never in our wildest dreams did we think it would pan out like that’

“We just needed a wicket, really. Raut and Veda Krishnamurthy were going really well and we just needed a way to break that partnership and then put pressure on the new batters.

“Never in our wildest dreams did we think it would pan out as it did but we got four wickets in three overs which felt like a huge momentum swing. It was then I thought, ‘this game might be ours now’.”

Shrubsole’s scintillating spell came in front of a sold-out Home of Cricket, at the end of a tournament which had thrust women’s cricket into the spotlight like never before.

Shrubsole picked up five wickets in 19 balls five years ago as England won the World Cup for a fourth time

Shrubsole, 30, said: “When you are in a game like that you don’t think about the external things as you are so desperate to win but throughout the tournament, we had been aware of how popular it had been.

“The crowds we were getting and the stories we were hearing about young girls and boys watching the games. Then the final being sold out was a huge moment.

“At the start of the World Cup, I remember hearing someone say they were hoping for a sold-out Lord’s for the final. I thought ‘that would be nice’ but I wasn’t really sure it would happen.

“When we heard the final was a sell-out, as we came off the pitch after winning our semi-final against South Africa, it was an incredible feeling.

A record crowd for a women’s cricket match – 86,174 – watched Australia beat India in the 2020 T20 World Cup final at the MCG

‘I still love playing cricket’

“To then have 80,000-odd people at the MCG [for the 2020 T20 World Cup final between Australia and India] is just incredible and shows how quickly the women’s game is growing.

“I feel immensely privileged to have been a part of women’s cricket over the last 14 or 15 years as I think that period has been a huge turning point, from when I made my England debut at Shenley in front of a couple of spectators in 2008 to playing at a sold-out Lord’s nine years later.

“Things change and you never get that excitement again of making your debut but I still love playing cricket.”

England are aiming to retain the Women’s World Cup for the first time, having been unable to follow up their previous wins in 1973, 1993 and 2009 with victory in the subsequent event.

Shrubsole expects this year’s version to be highly competitive and believes England can compete having had “difficult conversations” since their 12-4 defeat in the Women’s Ashes earlier this year.

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England captain Heather Knight says her side were left mentally drained after failing to win the Ashes Test match against Australia

“Crowds will be limited in New Zealand, at least initially, due to Covid but there is a real buzz around this World Cup, which I think will be really open.

“I don’t think you can read a massive amount into warm-up games but Pakistan beat New Zealand and New Zealand then went and beat Australia.

“Then, New Zealand lost to West Indies in the tournament opener. I think that theme will continue throughout the World Cup. Every team has world-class players who can win games.

“New Zealand are the hosts and are in form. India are world-class. South Africa have one of the best attacks in the world, so on any given day, it could be anyone’s game.

Shrubsole made her England debut in 2008 and has since played 165 times across the formats

‘Difficult conversations have been had’

“The Ashes was challenging for a multitude of reasons. We played some really good cricket at the front end but were just not able to get over the line and win those key moments and then the last few games were not what we were about as a team, so it was very disappointing.

“In sport, you are going to lose but it is frustrating to lose when you know you have not produced what you are capable of.

“We are close as a group, you have to be, especially in Covid times, and I think one of the benefits of that and having trust in your team-mates is that you can have those difficult conversations.

“They have been had since the end of the Ashes and now it is about going out there and putting it together on the pitch.”

Watch England’s opening match, against Australia, live on Sky Sports World Cup (Sky channel 404) from 12.30am on Saturday.