Nat, who was an Epsom pupil from 2006-11, was given the award by Wisden, often referred to as the ‘Bible of Cricket’. The title has been won five times previously by Australians.
This year, Nat has hit three ODI centuries in five innings, including two Ashes tons in the space of 72 hours as England came from 6-0 down to draw the marquee series 8-8. She also thrashed a 66-ball hundred against Sri Lanka, a new English record, having previously been named player of the final and second top run-scorer in the WPL.
Nat took top billing in the women’s game following an outstanding run of form in 2023 and she is now the UK’s highest-paid female team athlete.
Last month, Bloomberg reported that Nat stands to become the first English women’s cricketer to earn over $1million. This is the result of increased wages, and huge public interest, in the Women’s Premier League, where Nat plays for the Mumbai Indians.
Despite her meteoric rise, Nat hasn’t forgotten her roots. Last year, she showed her support for grassroots girls’ cricket with the launch of the Natalie Sciver-Brunt Shield – a one-day festival of girls U10 cricket, held at Epsom. This year’s competition, featuring 10 local schools, will be held on Friday 7 June.
