Women's cricket's established order broken up in UAE as New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies impress and Australia, England and India suffer early exits - but will this shake-up continue? Champions New Zealand will lose "grandmas" at some point but have a "superstar" in Amelia Kerr
Sunday 20 October 2024 22:49, UK
If someone had told you at the start of the month that New Zealand would be lifting the Women's T20 World Cup title a few weeks later, you could have been forgiven for bursting into laughter.
The White Ferns had lost 10 T20 internationals in a row and won just three of their previous 19. They were in the perceived 'Group of Death' alongside an Australia side eyeing a third straight victory in this tournament and a powerhouse India. They had no hope, surely?
But in a competition of upsets - England and India failing to get out of their respective pools, Australia humbled by South Africa in the semi-finals - New Zealand emerged as shock winners and gave women's cricket a shock to the system it probably needed.
You can have nothing but admiration for the way Australia have dominated; the Southern Stars triumphing in every World Cup (50-over and 20-over) since England claimed the ODI version in 2017. But that monopoly of the big trophies has made things predictable.
Going into a tournament, you know Australia are most likely to win it and that England and India are their most likely challengers. The game's 'big three' has long since been established. Those sides have the funds and the resources and that, more often than not, tells.
Just not this year.
Australia have been running away with the women’s game for a long time. They are the greatest cricket team there has been, arguably one of the greatest sporting teams, but it becomes a bit dull if they are winning everything.
We had a final nobody predicted as New Zealand took on South Africa, while West Indies also made it through to the semi-finals after group-stage exits in the previous two T20 World Cups.
The question now is whether this shake-up of the women's game continues or if Australia, England and India reassert their authority over the coming years, including at the 2025 50-over World Cup in India and then the 2026 T20 World Cup in England?
It is worth noting that T20 is a volatile game, the shortness of it brings sides closer together and makes upset more frequent.
It is also worth remembering that while England and Australia suffered heavy defeats in this competition, they also inflicted them on the finalists during the group stage - Australia routing New Zealand by 60 runs, England beating South Africa by seven wickets.
Australia and England will come again. The age profiles of the squads means there won't be a massive churn of players, just fine-tuning.
For England that may be working out how to get over the line in big games after a number of near misses. It may also mean getting fitter, with former player Alex Hartley telling the BBC that aspect of their game is not up to scratch.
India, with a population of a over a billion and cricket basically a religion, will surely win a women's World Cup in the not-too-distant future as well, so it could be difficult for New Zealand, South Africa et al to upset the odds again.
Take the new T20 World Cup champions, for example. New Zealand's population is a little over five million - "we're not India," Sophie Devine told an ESPNcricinfo podcast earlier this year - and cricket often has to compete with other sports for players.
The Kiwis will also lose their three "grandmas" in Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu at some point - "grandmas" being Bates' word, not ours - with the trio 35, 37 and 34 respectively. That experience and nous will be hard to replace. But there is hope.
Mostly in leg-spinning all-rounder Amelia Kerr, 24, who was named Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup after bagging 15 wickets - many of them vital ones - and Player of the Match in the final after following a knock of 43 from 38 deliveries by striking three times with the ball.
Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain said: "Kerr has had consistency throughout but it's not just the wickets but who she got out - Deandra Dottin, for example, in the semi-final against West Indies. She also produces key pieces of fielding in the deep and scores runs.
"Devine is stepping down as skipper so Kerr may captain down the line, but she strikes me as a leader anyway at a young age. She likes doing the tough yards and is a superstar of the future."
But there are also bright sparks in opener Georgia Plimmer, 20, who struck 150 runs in the tournament and in perma-grinned off-spinner Eden Carson, 23, who picked up six wickets during the powerplay overs. Wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze and left-arm spinner Fran Jonas are just 20. Seam bowler Rosemary Mair a tender 25. Depth is building.
For South Africa, there is plenty to build on, too, according to former New Zealand wicketkeeper Katey Martin, with the top run-scorer in the tournament Laura Wolvaardt only 25 years of age and 12-wicket spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba 24.
"I think the belief South Africa took out of that Australia game - no one beats Australia like that. Never. They have so many stars of the future within that side, a group that will be around for some time."
Australia, England and India been burned. Perhaps not for the last time.
