Sophie Ecclestone has expressed her admiration for her England team-mate, Nat Sciver-Brunt, labelling her as "one of the greatest of all time" following Sciver-Brunt's impressive performance in the first T20 match against South Africa. Sciver-Brunt, who is currently the top-ranked ODI batter globally and ranks within the top ten for all-rounders in both T20s and ODIs, played a crucial role by scoring 59 off 54 balls. This innings was pivotal in helping England recover from a precarious position to achieve a four-wicket victory.
On the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Ecclestone emphasised that Sciver-Brunt's consistency establishes her as one of the leading all-rounders in history. Despite this success, Ecclestone acknowledged that England had not performed at their peak, agreeing with head coach Jon Lewis that their initial match was merely a "six-and-a-half out of 10" effort.
Both players are focused on continuous improvement, particularly as they aim to enhance their performance ahead of the upcoming Ashes series following a disappointing exit from the recent Women's T20 World Cup.
Ecclestone also discussed teammate Alice Capsey, who faced challenges during the World Cup and felt deeply for her when Capsey was dropped from the team. She reflected on Capsey's youth, noting her remarkable transition into professional cricket and how she strives to support her through this challenging time.
England in South Africa fixtures
T20 series
First T20 (East London): England won by four wickets
Second T20: Wednesday, November 27 (4 pm, Benoni)
Third T20: Saturday, November 30 (4 pm, Centurion)
ODI series
First ODI: Wednesday, December 4 (noon, Kimberley)
Second ODI: Sunday, December 8 (8 am, Durban)
Third ODI: Wednesday, December 11 (noon, Potchefstroom)
Test match
One-off Test: Sunday, December 15 - Wednesday, December 18 (8 am, Bloemfontein)