Sophie wants more after tasting success
SHE may have burst onto the scene and made an instant impact for club and country last season but Sophie Ecclestone is refusing to rest on her laurels ahead of the biggest year in her young career.
The 18-year-old spinner made her England debut last July against Pakistan, and after sampling a taste of the international game she is desperate to remain at the top table.
With the Women’s World Cup round the corner and the Ashes on the horizon, Ecclestone knows she has a fight on her hands to retain her place in Mark Robinson’s squad – but has added an extra string to her bow.
A first half-century with the bat for Lancashire against Middlesex last month has vindicated her hard work in the off-season, and now she has goals of becoming a genuine allrounder on the international stage in a team she has settled into seamlessly.
“I have worked hard on my batting, both with England and on my own so it was nice to make a fast start with that 50 for Lancashire,” she said.
“I want to become an allrounder, bat in the middle order and become a key batter.
“For the last year I’ve been on quite a roll and everything has happened very quickly. I am lucky to play with a great England team and some of my best friends are in the team.
“We are all in it together. It has changed massively because I looked up to them when I was younger.
“I have got all their autographs, and walking into the changing rooms for the first time and seeing the likes of Katherine Brunt and Heather Knight was a moment to remember.
“But they all looked after me and they have helped me settle into the swing of things. Now it is all about pushing forwards towards the World Cup and the Ashes.”
Before she can start dreaming of a Lord’s final however, Ecclestone must first complete her A-Levels – with the first of four exams taking place next week.
And then there is Lancashire’s bid to lift the Women’s County Championship for the first time – something Ecclestone is confident they can do after two wins from three games, in what could be a crazy year for the Chester ace.
“We have a good chance of winning the league, with the start we have had and the players we have brought in this season – the likes of Alex Hartley – I think makes us stronger,” she added. You see so many stars, in all sports, get over confident that it’s good to see Sophie Ecclestone has her feet remained firmly on the ground. It’s a big summer ahead for England, and there’s a lot of cricket to be played. The team looks united though, and this is sure to be the view of every woman in that England dressing room.