It has been yet another successful year for women’s cricket—is there ever a quiet one these days? It began with an Ashes series and a 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, but a debut appearance at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham was undoubtedly the highlight. Despite the fact that only two Tests were played, this team is an all-format XI with a slight preference for Test performances. That may be in line with The Spin’s Christmas wish that women play more multi-day cricket in 2023, please!

Healy, Alyssa (Australia)

She is a huge fan of World Cup finals (see also the MCG in March 2020), and England couldn’t handle Healy’s insanely good 170 in April’s Christchurch tournament. It was not only the best innings of the year but also one of the best of all time, and it was the highest individual score in any women’s or men’s World Cup final. Healy was leaner than she might have liked the rest of 2022, but after her World Cup-record 509-run performance, she should be in this team.

2) Australian Beth Mooney

Remember when Mooney needed emergency surgery after breaking her jaw two weeks before the Ashes? No? This is because she continued to play and scored two half-centuries. In 2022, she also averaged 101 in one-day internationals (yes, you read that right) and finished with the highest score of 61 in the Commonwealth Games final. Simply refer to her as Lara Croft of women’s cricket.

3) Alice Capsey, an American

In July, when she was just 17 years old, she made her international debt. At the time, her talent was probably the English cricket world’s worst-kept secret. In only her fourth match for England, she sealed the deal with a half-century off 37 balls, becoming the first teenager since Sarah Taylor to do so. England will want her to fully recover from shoulder surgery in time for the February World Cup.

4) Nat Sciver, an Englishman

Finished the World Cup with two centuries against Australia and an unbeaten 169 in the Test against South Africa to cap a fantastic year with the bat. She still broke the record for the most ODI runs scored by an Englishwoman in a calendar year (833), despite missing the entire India series. She also works well as a first-change bowler, taking 22 wickets in 2022 across all formats. She already has enough to do, so just don’t try to force her to be captain!

5) Captain Harmanpreet Kaur of India

The captain selected by The Spin for our team of the year led an India team that surpassed expectations by winning silver at the Commonwealth Games and winning a historic 3-0 ODI away from home in September against England. Also caused Australia’s only loss of the year in December in Mumbai with a super over. Remains a formidable threat with the bat; her 143 not out against Canterbury was a mammoth assault that reminded me a lot of Derby 2017.

6) Amelia Kerr (New Zealand) After taking a break from cricket in the middle of 2021 to focus on her mental health, Kerr came back to her best at the beginning of 2022, hitting three half-centuries and an unbeaten 119 in New Zealand’s ODI series against India. The hosts defeated their opponents by a landslide. Continually possesses the world’s best Google search engine.

7) Tahlia McGrath (Australia) McGrath’s career includes both meteoric rises and career declines. The all-rounder rose to the top of the ICC’s T20 batting rankings in just 14 months after regaining her place in the Australia squad at the end of 2021. Despite contracting Covid before the final, she played a crucial role in her team’s victory at the Commonwealth Games. The fact that her vice-captain was chosen in November demonstrates how respected she has become.

8) Marizanne Kapp (South Africa) would probably have been selected based solely on her remarkable 150 against England in the one-off Test at Taunton in June. Considering that it was Kapp’s (and South Africa’s) first Test since November 2014, it was an astonishing innings. The Oval Invincibles were able to keep their title by scoring a maiden five-wicket haul against England at the World Cup and an unbeaten 37 off 33 balls in the Hundred final. Instead of engaging Kapp in combat, the Spin would rather cower in a corner.

(England’s Sophie Ecclestone:

“Because she’s been around a long time and been so consistent, you sometimes forget how good she is and what she’s accomplished—you almost take it a little for granted.” When Heather Knight summed up Ecclestone’s contribution to England in 2022, after she set a record for the most wickets taken by a woman in a single calendar year (final tally: ), she spoke for all of us. 56). She also made some useful contributions with the bat and was temporarily elevated to the England vice-captaincy during a memorable year, taking six for 36 in the World Cup semi-final against South Africa. A respectable set of accomplishments.

10) Jess Kerr (New Zealand)

Although she took fewer wickets than others, the older Kerr sister comes out on top in all bowling metrics in 2022 for her economy, consistency, and Frank Sinatra-like swing. Due to a foot injury, she was unable to participate in the Commonwealth Games. However, she did well in the Big Bash for the Brisbane Heat after filling in for Danni Wyatt and Pooja Vastrakar.

11) Renuka Singh Thaku

r (India) In the opening match of the Commonwealth Games, the 26-year-old quick bowler made a stunning entrance onto the international stage by slashing Australia to 34 for four in a spellbinding display of seam movement that did for Healy, Mooney, McGrath, and Meg Lanning. Even though Jhulan Goswami will retire in 2022, Thakur is in charge of Indian pace bowling’s future.