Double World Cup winner Anya Shrubsole has called time on her international career following England 's latest defeat to Australia.
The medium pace inswinger couldn’t quite repeat the magic of 2017 in the most recent World Cup final at the start of this month, although she was the outstanding English bowler once more. The 30-year-old’s 173rd and final game for England saw the Aussies capture the 50 over World Cup in Christchurch as she claimed 3-46 in the 71-run loss.
But Shrubsole will forever be remembered as the heroine of Lord’s nearly five years ago when she took 6-46 in a dramatic final against India when all had seemed lost.
In the first of two incredible World Cup finals on the ground in two years, Shrubsole turned the game on its head in a five wicket spell that gave England their fourth World Cup triumph.
And in a 14 year international career, Shrubsole has been a part of two of those successes in 2009 and 2017, as well as two Ashes series wins in 2013 and 2013/14. Shrubsole said: “I feel immensely privileged to have been able to represent my country for the past 14 years.
“To have been involved in women’s cricket at a time of such growth has been an honour but it has become clear to me that it is moving forward faster than I can keep up with, so it is time for me to step away.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be lucky enough to play for England for so long, I’d have been happy with one game.
“There have been many ups and downs along the way but it was all worth it to be able to lift the ICC Women’s World Cup at Lord’s in 2017.”
In 2018 Shrubsole became the first woman to feature on the front cover of Wisden and she will continue to feature domestically in The Hundred, Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy and Charlotte Edwards Cup.
