England opener who went unsold last year struck 75 off 47 as they beat India in Mumbai
S Sudarshanan07-Dec-2023When emotions speak the loudest, words can feel hollow and unwanted.It was almost seven minutes into the press conference when Danni Wyatt smirked at herself and replied in a low voice: “[I’m] getting old now…”Leaning back on her chair in her England playing kit, she looked as relaxed as relaxed could be. Only minutes earlier, though, she was a bit forlorn talking about not finding any takers at the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction earlier this year. Her mood quickly changed as she patiently and thoughtfully fielded questions in the nine-minute presser following England’s clinical win over India in the first women’s T20I.Wyatt became only the third woman – after Harmanpreet Kaur and Suzie Bates – and the first player across gender from England to play 150 T20Is. She had scored 75 off just 47 balls on a true Mumbai pitch to help England to 197 for 6, their second-highest score against India, who fell short by 38 runs.”It is always nice to do well on your big days” she said. “I try not to think too much about it being a big game for me. It is something I’ll look back on when I retire – how many games I’ve played in this format.”Days out from the second WPL auction, Wyatt had provided a timely reminder of her mettle.
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Renuka Singh was back in action after close to nine months. Stress injuries can take time to heal and, in some cases, suck the skill out of a sportsperson. The first ball she delivered swung. It was as if her biggest strength with the new ball had stayed with her despite the long lay-off. The relief on her face was unmissable.The first ball was an inswinger tucked away through square leg. The second ball curved the other way, teasing Wyatt into prodding at it and narrowly beat her, before she got off strike on the next. And then… boom boom!Sophia Dunkley chopped on a length ball that held its line instead of swinging away. Alice Capsey got a peach – angling in on a fullish length and forcing her to play at it before swinging away ever so slightly to light up the stumps. Renuka leapt high while England sunk to 2 for 2. Playing a women’s T20I for the first time at the Wankhede Stadium, India were right on the money.Wyatt had got in February 2023 what Capsey faced in December 2023 – an unplayable delivery from Renuka. Wyatt was dismissed caught behind off a similar ball earlier this year. “She bowls quite well at the crease and angles it in,” Wyatt said of Renuka. “But she’s also got the one that goes the other way… that Alice Capsey delivery was an absolute seed and it has also got me out at the World Cup.”Danni Wyatt was presented a special cap for her 150th T20I•Getty ImagesWyatt walked up slowly to the new batter Nat Sciver-Brunt, who was Mumbai Indians’ Ms. Reliable in the WPL.A quiet over later, Wyatt opened the boundary-count by slapping a length ball from Renuka through cover point. Thereon, Sciver-Brunt took charge, first by sweeping debutant Saika Ishaque through backward square leg and then steering one to deep third off Mumbai Indians team mate Pooja Vastrakar. She then bookended Deepti Sharma’s opening over with fours on either side of the square as England finished the powerplay on 44 for 2 – Sciver-Brunt on 23 off 17 and Wyatt on a run-a-ball 16.The plan from the duo was clear – be brave and attack but not at the cost of being reckless. After the first two overs of the innings, England managed to hit at least one boundary every over in their innings. Wyatt and Sciver-Brunt added 138 off just 87 balls for the third wicket to silence the crowd that had filled up two of the four stands that opened.”Nat’s just so calm, we don’t really talk much out there in the middle,” Wyatt said. “We have played with each other a lot, [I have] batted a lot with Nat. I know what her [scoring] areas are. She is a quality player, scores runs for fun especially here in Mumbai. The partnership was needed at the time we did it.”Wyatt took the attack to Ishaque after the powerplay, hitting her for back-to-back fours in the eighth over before cutting a shortish ball through point in the 13th. In all, she took 21 off 13 balls against the left-arm spinner before being stumped.”The girl that bowls left-arm spin, Nat’s faced a lot of it in the nets,” Wyatt said. “So she was telling me how she bowls which it was handy to know.”There have been only two partnerships against India in T20Is that have made more than Wyatt and Sciver-Brunt’s 138.
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Wyatt’s had a summer to remember thanks to chart-topping returns with the bat in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, England’s domestic T20 tournament, and the women’s Hundred. She was drafted by Perth Scorchers for the Women’s Big Bash League but opted out to give herself a break.”I had seven weeks off with no cricket which was really nice. I haven’t done that for a few years.”Wyatt then returned to training at Loughborough before flying to Oman with the England unit for a two-week camp before the India tour that has her “feeling prepared”.”[It was an] enjoyable two weeks with the girls and we did what we could,” she said. “We made use of the outfield and lots of net bowlers and [had] similar conditions to what we faced here. [I am] feeling prepared for this series.”The WPL auction will be held in Mumbai on December 9, the same day as the second T20I. Did she think about it while batting?”Not while I was batting and not when I was walking out to bat,” she said. “But it did cross my mind a few times in the morning when people spoke about it though. I was pretty disappointed last [auction]. But I have completely changed my mind, so now I am just like I have done all I can, had a good summer, performed tonight, so what will be will be. [I] would love to be a part of the next WPL, will see what happens.”If it does happen, Wyatt won’t need the words. The emotions will suffice.
