Shrubsole awarded for emergence

31 October 2008

Teenage seamer Anya Shrubsole has been handed the 2008 Eversheds Most Promising Young Women’s Cricketer Award by the Cricket Society.

The 16-year-old Somerset player made her one-day international debut in the fourth match of the summer series against South Africa at Shenley, opening the bowling with 1-26.

Bath-born Shrubsole followed that up with a matchwinning 3-19 to help beat the Proteas women in the third Twenty20 international at Wantage Road.

Shrubsole joins Katherine Docherty, Katherine Brunt, Sarah Taylor, Sophie Le Marchand and Katie Cross as previous recipients of the honour.

She will be presented with the award by Cricket Society president John Barclay at the Royal Overseas League, St James, London, today.

Anya Shrubsole successfully appeals for Alicia Smith's wicket in the Twenty20 at Wantage Road

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Shrubsole said: “I feel honoured to have won this award. It is an exciting time for me and the England team with the forthcoming ICC Women’s World Cup in March in Australia.

“I hope that I can keep performing as I have and help bring the World Cup back to England.”

Ian Jackson, chairman of the Cricket Society, added: “One of our aims is to acknowledge the promise and triumphs of the past season.

“The award marks Anya’s achievements this year. We are delighted that previous award winners have gone on to succeed in domestic and international cricket and we look forward to watching Anya as reaches her full potential.”

Shrubsole has recently been named in the 15-player England World Cup squad that departs for Australia in March 2009.

Kent opener Joe Denly will receive the Most Promising Young Cricketer award at the ceremony tonight.

Denly scored 1,935 runs in competitive cricket for Kent in 2008, including three centuries.