England Women have clinched the three-match T20I series against the West Indies with a commanding nine-wicket victory in the second game. This comes on the heels of their emphatic eight-wicket win in the first match, marking a strong start to the new era under head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt. One of the standout performers in this series has been the inclusion of Em Arlott, who has quickly made her mark on the international stage.
Arlott made her debut in the first game and immediately impressed with her disciplined bowling. The 27-year-old pacer claimed the crucial wicket of Aaliyah Alleyne, finishing with figures of 1 for 28 in her four overs. While the stats showed just one dismissal, her control, length variation, and pinpoint accuracy were evident.
All eyes were on her in the second match, and Arlott delivered spectacularly. She was crowned Player of the Match after a sensational spell of 3 for 14 in four overs. Opening the bowling attack, she struck in her very first over, dismissing West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, who had scored a century in the previous game. Arlott’s length ball curved into the stumps, catching Matthews off guard as she attempted a big shot. She didn’t stop there, also removing Zaida James and Stafanie Taylor in a fiery display of seam bowling.
Interestingly, Arlott bowled all her overs within the first eight overs of the match. When questioned about this strategy during the post-match presentation, Nat Sciver-Brunt remarked, “Em taking a wicket in the first over and then getting on a roll… it seemed a shame to take her off.”
A truly wild 48 hours for Em
Hear all about it
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 23, 2025
Arlott’s journey to the national team has been paved with consistent performances in domestic cricket. With Sciver-Brunt sidelined from bowling due to an Achilles injury and both Dani Gibson and Freya Kemp out with injuries, an opportunity arose. Seizing the moment, Arlott proved she is more than just a bowler. Her batting prowess came to the fore in the ongoing One Day Cup, where she scored her maiden professional century for Warwickshire. Walking in at number seven with her team reeling at 22 for 5, she crafted a resilient 130 against Essex, showcasing her all-round abilities.
Speaking to Wisden, Arlott reflected on the unexpected nature of her selection. She recalled how a late-night call from the coach initially led her to believe it was a mistake. After letting it ring for a while, she finally answered, thinking it might have been a wrong number. Little did she know, it was the call that would change her career.
This isn’t Arlott’s first brush with the senior squad. In 2021, she was selected for the Test squad against India and later the ODI squad, though she didn’t make it into the playing XI. In 2022, another opportunity slipped away due to COVID-19 after being picked for a Test against South Africa. Reflecting on those near-misses, Arlott admitted it felt like the stars were not aligned back then.
However, she now feels those experiences have shaped her into a better player. Over the winter, she trained and played in Australia with Western Australia, which she described as a transformative experience. “It was the best thing I’ve done,” she told Wisden. “I feel like I’m three times the person I was a year ago.” Her performances in the 2024-25 Women’s National Cricket League, where she took five wickets in four games, and the 2025 ECB Women’s One-Day Cup, with 201 runs and 14 wickets in seven games, have solidified her place in the England squad.
With the ODI World Cup just around the corner, Arlott has a golden opportunity to cement her place in the England squad. If she maintains her current form, she could very well become a key player in England’s World Cup campaign.
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