Nat Sciver-Brunt scored her ninth ODI century today (May 29), drawing level with Tammy Beaumont and Charlotte Edwards for the most number of hundreds scored for England Women in the format. Here’s her nine ODI centuries ranked from ‘worst’ to best.
9. 100* vs PAK, Kuala Lumpur, 2019
In last place comes Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 2019 ton against Pakistan on neutral ground in Malaysia. Although in an anchoring effort, she played second-fiddle to Fran Wilson, with series a one-side affair. A now familiar partnership between Heather Knight and Sciver-Brunt totted for 84 off 99 balls before Knight was run out by Sidra Amin. With England quickly 181-4, Sciver-Brunt anchored the innings alongside an explosive 85 off 49 balls from Wilson to see them up past 300. Sciver-Brunt reached her century off the penultimate ball of the innings, before a six from Wilson off the last took them to 327-4.
8. 120 vs SL, Leicester, 2023
Capitaining in the absence of an ill Knight, Sciver-Brunt took England’s innings against Sri Lanka in the final ODI of the 2023 summer by the scruff of the neck. Coming in with her side 18-2, she combined with Maia Bouchier for a blistering partnership. The pair hit 193 off 121 balls, Sciver-Brunt scoring all round the wicket and walloping 18 fours in her 74-ball 120, dealing swiftly with some loose bowling from Sri Lanka’s spinners.
7. 124* vs PAK, Chelmsford, 2024
Sciver-Brunt’s latest masterclass came again against Pakistan. After a tricky powerplay, England found themselves 70-3 and in need of rebuilding. First with Danni Wyatt and then with Amy Jones, Sciver-Brunt went through the gears in a note-perfect innings. She ticked over at a run-a-ball, letting Wyatt attack at the other end, before unleashing once at the back end of the innings. Consecutive fours brought up her ninth ODI century, before she smashed Diana Bag for consecutive sixes down the ground, finishing with a four off the next ball. She ended the innings unbeaten on 124 off 117 balls. Another fine effort after coming back from injury, but against a mismatched Pakistan at the end of back-to-back series.
6. 137* vs PAK, Leicester, 2017
Fifth on the list is Sciver-Brunt’s first ODI century. Off the back of criticisms of her conversion rate and with a move up the order, her blistering 137 off 92 balls against Pakistan in the 2017 World Cup was timely for England, who had been beaten by India in the tournament opener. In another partnership with Knight, the first of the axis of England’s middle order, the pair put on 213 off 180 balls together. They ensured England scored well over 350, only missing out on their highest-ever women’s ODI total of 378-5 by one run.
5. 129 vs NZ, Derby, 2017
Two weeks after reaching her first ODI century, Sciver-Brunt converted once more, again salvaging an innings. After a blip to start their campaign, England had cruised through the gears against Pakistan and Sri Lanka before coming through sterner tests against South Africa and Australia with aplomb. The White Ferns presented another stiff challenge. England were 52-3 before Sciver-Brunt joined Tammy Beaumont at the crease. They put on 170 together, reaching 222-3 before Beaumont was dismissed by Amelia Kerr for 93. Sciver-Brunt continued on, with the next-highest scorer in England’s innings only able to make 11, but was also eventually dismissed by Kerr. However, England were able to set a target of 285, which was well beyond New Zealand’s reach. England qualified for the semi-finals as a result.
4. 129 vs AUS, Taunton, 2023
Days after a devastating loss in Southampton, Sciver-Brunt once again passed three figures but this time in a memorable win. Batting first at Taunton, England’s openers fell in the first four overs of the innings, leaving Sciver-Brunt and Knight at the crease in a familiar position of needing to stage a recovery. They put on a 147-run stand, Sciver-Brunt becoming only the second woman to score back-to-back ODI hundreds for England, with 129 off 149 balls. England set Australia 286 to win, and bowled them out for 199 to draw the multi-format series.
3. 111* vs AUS, Southampton, 2023
The top three of Sciver-Brunt’s ODI centuries all came in losses to Australia. In third position is the closest she came to getting England over the line. Defeat at Southampton in the 2023 Ashes meant a remarkable turnaround in the series was off the cards. Having lost the Test match and the first T20I, England went on to win the next three matches to bring the scoreline back to 6-6 with two to play. Losing one match to Australia would mean they retained the Ashes. In the second ODI at Southampton, chasing 283, England reached 123-3 before they collapsed. Once again anchoring the innings, Sciver-Brunt reached her century in the 49th over off 93 balls, still needing 17 runs to win and seven wickets down. Despite a four in the final over, England finished three runs short.
2. 109* vs AUS, Hamilton, 2022
In the group stages of the 2022 World Cup, Sciver-Brunt almost gave England back the perfect start to the competition, but her century couldn’t avert defeat to Australia. In Hamilton, Rachael Haynes put Australia on top with 130 in the first innings, setting England 311 to get. With 74 from Tammy Beaumont and a contribution from Heather Knight, England were 149-1 before Sciver-Brunt came to the crease. What followed was a dramatic collapse with Sciver-Brunt only able to watch. Beaumont, Amy Jones and Dani Wyatt were all out in the next five overs, leaving Sciver-Brunt to rebuild on her own. She took it to the last over with England six wickets down and needing 16, but an exceptional over from Jess Jonassen saw them fall 12 runs short.
1. 148* vs AUS, World Cup final, Christchurch, 2022
The knock at the top of the list was arguably the most devastating loss, in the 2022 World Cup final. England had turned over a horrific start to the World Cup in New Zealand, losing their first three games before reaching the final against Australia in Chrischurch. Alyssa Healy – dropped twice by Sciver-Brunt – made a record-breaking 170 in the first innings set up what looked to be an inevitable defeat. Sciver-Brunt, by her own high standards, had been unusually quiet since her century in the opening game, with just one fifty in the interim. She saved her best for last, ensuring England clung on with everything they had. A top-order collapse meant she had to anchor the innings alone. Unsurprisingly, she ran out of partners, finishing unbeaten on 148 off 121 balls, but ensured England’s run rate matched up to what they required for most of the innings. It’s a credit to her class that Australia were properly nervous, given how impossible the situation would have been for almost anyone else.
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