The key statistical facet of the 2022 CE Cup was a substantial step up in run rates from 2021, with first-innings run rates climbing by more than half a run per over from 6.41 to 7.13.
| Year | 1st Innings RRs | 2nd Innings RRs |
| 2021 | 6.41 | 6.76 |
| 2022 | 7.13 | 6.91 |
This was partly due to the increased availability of England players – Amy Jones didn’t play at all in 2021, and Danni Wyatt only played two games – but definitely not exclusively. Aylish Cranstone’s Strike Rate improved from 109 to 118; Marie Kelly’s from 128 to 152; and Grace Scrivens’ from 77 to 119, to pull out a few examples.
Amy Jones sits at the top of the tree in 2022 – the leading run-scorer, with 245 runs at a strike rate of over 140. What can we say about Amy Jones that we haven’t said before? Very little! It feels like we’ve read a hundred articles over the years, saying this is the season she finally consistently brings her sparkling domestic form to the international arena… and maybe this time, it is? A Commonwealth Games in her home city* would certainly be the time to do it! (*Yes – I know – Solihull isn’t technically “Birmingham”!)
Aylish Cranstone has been the outstanding domestic player this season – if you want to understand some of the reasons why, it’s worth checking out this brilliant interview with her on the Noughtie Child Podcast, where she talks about her nightmare winter, and how that actually freed her from the shackles of expectation. And the numbers add up – she was the 2nd highest run scorer in the group stages (with finals day still to come) with three 50s, all not out, finishing with an average of 78. She’s one of a number of domestic pros who are starting to close the gap with the internationally contracted players, as the system starts to reap the benefits of professionalisation at the next level down.
Looking at future England prospects, keeper-batter Bess Heath has had a good season with the willow, making a couple of 50s, including one against the comp’s strongest bowling attack, Vipers at Chester-le-Street; but she was, I believe the polite term is “inconsistent” with the gloves. I think England’s next keeper will (rightly) be a batter who can keep competently, rather than the best out-and-out keeper; so Heath remains in pole position for me, but she needs to make sure that she maintains a balance in her development going forwards. I’d really like to see her get a proper opportunity in The Hundred too, but with Alyssa Healy on the Superchargers roster, that’s unlikely I guess, which is… a massive pity from England’s player development point of view.
Another player who really needs to play every match in The Hundred is Grace Scrivens. The teenager has utterly carried Sunrisers with bat and ball this term. The ECB massively dropped the ball by not sending someone down to Sunrisers HQ to tell them to make her captain this season. (I’ve nothing against the player who was given the job… but she isn’t going to captain England one day – Scrivens is!) But the ECB have got the chance to make up for their mistake by sending a strongly worded “suggestion” to Spirit that she plays every game batting at 3 or 4. (And don’t tell me they “can’t” do this – it’s their competition at the end of the day – they absolutely can, and they absolutely should!)
| Player | Played | Runs | Strike Rate |
| 1. Amy Jones (Central Sparks) | 6 | 245 | 142 |
| 2. Danni Wyatt (Southern Vipers) | 5 | 201 | 149 |
| 3. Aylish Cranstone (South East Stars) | 6 | 235 | 118 |
| 4. Emma Lamb (Thunder) | 6 | 191 | 110 |
| 5. Bryony Smith (South East Stars) | 6 | 149 | 123 |
| 6. Sophie Luff (Western Storm) | 6 | 158 | 115 |
| 7. Eve Jones (Central Sparks) | 6 | 178 | 101 |
| 8. Georgie Boyce (Thunder) | 6 | 172 | 103 |
| 9. Tammy Beaumont (Lightning) | 4 | 136 | 126 |
| 10. Naomi Dattani (Sunrisers) | 6 | 157 | 109 |
| 11. Bess Heath (Northern Diamonds) | 5 | 146 | 117 |
| 12. Marie Kelly (Lightning) | 6 | 111 | 152 |
| 13. Maia Bouchier (Southern Vipers) | 6 | 144 | 117 |
| 14. Grace Scrivens (Sunrisers) | 6 | 141 | 119 |
| 15. Lauren Winfield-Hill (Northern Diamonds) | 2 | 96 | 175 |
| 16. Georgia Adams (Southern Vipers) | 6 | 145 | 110 |
| 17. Georgia Hennessy (Western Storm) | 6 | 158 | 93 |
| 18. Holly Armitage (Northern Diamonds) | 6 | 151 | 96 |
| 19. Abi Freeborn (Central Sparks) | 6 | 136 | 105 |
| 20. Danni Gibson (Western Storm) | 6 | 96 | 143 |
CRICKETher 
What’s happened to Capsey? And is it cause to reconsider your thoughts on her promotion to the England team?
The debate and evidence about potential be performance is an interesting one for women’s cricket
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Yup – Capsey has not had a good run in this. Striking at 114 but keeps getting out before she scores any real runs. Could do with a few at finals day today!
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Interesting couple of articles on the CE Cup rankings – many thanks for these.
I think you’re right that the impact of professionalism is starting to have an effect on standards in the women’s game, and the performances in this year’s competition (and, if that theory’s correct, the Hundred and the Heyhoe Flint will bear it out as well) are serving as evidence of that. I’ve been impressed by the emergence of players from outside the ranks of “the usual suspects”: Eve Jones last year (although I suspect that she’s probably missed the boat now – if only England had given her the chance last winter to show what she can do at international level), Aylish Cranstone, Hannah Jones and Georgie Boyce at Lancs among them. The England team has been notoriously difficult to break into over the years, but with the majority of the side having passed (or nearing) 30, there are soon going to be opportunities for new blood, and it’s heartening to think that the rising standards we’re now seeing will encourage the selectors to be a bit more bold.
And I’m especially pleased that you share my belief in Grace Scrivens. I’ll declare my Kent bias here, but even so, to be captaining her county at the age of 18 (even allowing for the absences of contracted players) is quite something, but her efforts with bat and ball at both county and regional level fully justify the faith the selectors have placed in her. I think she’s going to be a good ‘un indeed. And I’m also a big fan of Kalea Moore – I’ve seen a fair bit of her and I’m more and more impressed each time. She played a great knock against Western Storm at Beckenham a few weeks back (and, by the look of it, top-scored in a disappointing Stars effort in today’s semi-final) and picks up a fair few wickets with her tidy off-spin. She’s also a really good fielder – safe pair of hands, quick around the outfield and a good arm. We hear a lot about Alice Capsey, and justifiably so, but my money’s on Kalea Moore to play for England as well (or it would be if this is the sort of thing you could get a bet on!).
Bess Heath – now that’s an interesting forecast you make. Don’t see that myself – she still has plenty of time to improve her keeping (and, equally politely, I’ll say there’s quite a bit of room for improvement), but the heir apparent for me must be Ellie Threlkeld, whose glovework is far superior (and don’t get me started on that hoary old issue) and who seems a pretty respectable batter. Mind you, I don’t see Amy Jones going anywhere for quite a while, so who knows what the landscape will look like when the time to replace her eventually comes?
Anyway, thanks for a thought-provoking article (or two), and apologies for this completely unsolicited response. I had been planning to watch the Charlotte Edwards finals today on TV, only to find a complete void where I’d expected it to be. Can’t watch the finals of the premier women’s domestic competition, but I can watch Afghanistan v Zimbabwe. Still some way to go, wouldn’t you say?
All the best, and keep up the good work!
Geoff Williams
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