England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt has revealed how last year’s mental health break and working with sports psychologists has helped keep her at the top of her game ahead of this summer’s Ashes.
Sciver-Brunt took a short hiatus last September, opting out of the home series against India after accepting she had become “emotionally fatigued”.
As one of the world’s most in-demand players, the 30-year-old had been pushing herself to the limit for a long time and concluded that an overdue spell off the treadmill of competitive sport was the only solution.
She headed back home, returned to domestic life with her wife and recently-retired England team-mate Kathryn Sciver-Brunt, and sought professional help.
Within two months she was back in England colours on tour in the West Indies and later resumed vice-captaincy duties for February’s T20 World Cup.
The weight of expectation that came with a massive £320,000 payday at the inaugural Women’s Premier League in India provided a test of her new equilibrium and she responded with a starring role for the victorious Mumbai Indians side.
She was named player-of-the-match in the final, top-scoring with 60 not out and hitting the winning runs at a packed Brabourne Stadium.
“I guess the WPL coincided with me feeling in a good place with my cricket and as a person, as well being really happy,” she said.
“I didn’t have to dwell on it too much. I didn’t have to think about that, just concentrate on the cricket. The break it was something I felt I needed because of the six to 12 months before that. It did get on top of me a little bit.
“I did things that had been on the to-do list for a year. Just being happy at home, doing normal things: mow the lawn, take the dog for a walk.
“I spoke to a clinical psychologist a couple of times and tried to reflect on things, especially the Commonwealth Games, how that went and how that affected me which is probably the main trigger for needing to go home.
“Since then I haven’t spoken to her but felt like I have got a bit more perspective from it and am able to, not recover from things, but just deal with things that come my way.
“I have reflected a lot of with our England team psychologist as well and checked in with her quite a bit, voicing the expectations and how I thought it was going to go during the WPL… what would happen if I didn’t perform?
“I guess working through those situations before it happened was really useful. So many people say that it is better to talk, which it is.”
The rapid expansion of the women’s franchise circuit means the offers will keep flooding in for players of Sciver-Brunt’s pedigree, but she has learned to pace herself and focus on priorities.
And in 2023, that means a huge series against an Australia side who have held the urn since 2015.
“I love playing for my country and want to prioritise that but also my mental health and getting the balance of being at home for a long enough period to reset,” she said.
“I wouldn’t want to just say yes to everything and be cooked six months in. I have been communicating with the England staff and working out how best to get me ready for the Ashes Test match and the rest of the summer.”
:: Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 is taking place from May 15-21.
Magnificent Bumrah humbles Australia after India batting collapse
India wrestled control back from Australia to leave them 67-7 at the close of play, despite having been bowled out for just 150 earlier on a remarkable first day in Perth.
The tourists chose to bat first, having made six changes from their Test defeat to New Zealand earlier this month, but things did not go well for them as they were reduced to 32-3 and 73-6.
Virat Kohli struggled again and went for just five after being caught by Usman Khawaja. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and number three Devdutt Padikkal were both playing in Australia for the first time and were dismissed for ducks.
Rishabh Pant (37) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) dragged India to a level of respectability before their bowlers tore through the Australian batting lineup.
Jasprit Bumrah (4-17) was India's saviour, producing a spell to leave the hosts 19-3. Nathan McSweeney (10) went on lbw after a review, Khawaja (8) was caught in the slips and Steve Smith was out on his first ball after another lbw.
Both Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh went for a combined total of 17 runs, with Marnus Labuschagne next to go for two off 52 balls. Pat Cummins was the final wicket of the day, meaning Australia finished on 67-7 with Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc at the crease.
Data debrief: Australia and India go wicket crazy
It was undoubtedly a day for the bowlers on the first day in Perth, with 17 wickets being the most to have fallen on the opening day of a Test in Australia since 1952.
While all 10 of Australia's wickets were caught, India managed four dismissals through either bowling their opponent or lbw.
Following his unplayable performance in Perth, Bumrah now has 177 Test wickets for his country and can count himself unlucky not to have had more.
Inglis hails 'hard to stop' Stoinis after ruthless knock
Josh Inglis lauded "hard to stop" Marcus Stoinis as Australia signed off their T20I series against Pakistan in style, claiming a whitewash.
The hosts raced to a seven-wicket victory with almost nine overs remaining in Monday's third match.
After Australia's bowlers had limited Pakistan to just 117 runs, Stoinis ensured they signed off their final white-ball assignment in style, with his unbeaten 61 doing the damage.
Only twice has he bettered that knock in T20Is – versus New Zealand in 2021 (78) and against Oman at the World Cup earlier this year (67*).
"It's been a great week. We've had a lot of fun as a group," Inglis said. "It's been really nice.
"When Stoinis is going like that, he is really hard to stop. One of those sixes was probably the biggest I've ever seen!"
Stoinis, who was named player of the match, added: "Nice to score some runs on a beautiful wicket but credit to the bowlers who kept the total down.
"Yeah, I actually told [Haris] Rauf that this is the first time any of us got the better of him! No, he's a brilliant bowler, bowled well this series."
During their white-ball tour, Pakistan won the ODI series, their first time doing so in Australia in 22 years, but got whitewashed in the T20Is.
Despite the heavy loss, captain Agha Salman chose to focus on the positive effect the experience will have on their young players.
"I think in the middle overs, we didn't capitalise on the start," he said. "But lots of positives.
"The way Usman [Khan] batted, the way Jahandad [Khan] bowled. These youngsters will come good.
"It's obviously a big achievement winning the ODI series, but we could have done much better in the T20Is."
Salt century gives England winning start to West Indies T20 series
Phil Salt hit a superb century as England drew first blood in their T20 series against West Indies, with a commanding eight-wicket victory at the Kensington Oval.
Salt's unbeaten 103 off 54 balls was the highlight for the tourists, who successfully chased down their target of 183 with 19 balls to spare.
The West Indies endured a difficult start and were reduced to 18-3 and later 117-8, with Saqib Mahmood (4-34) and Adil Rashid (3-32) doing the damage.
However, the hosts managed 65 runs in the last 5.2 overs to finish at 182-8, with Gukadesh Motie knocking 33 off 14 balls along the way.
Salt kick-started England's chase with 50 off just 25 deliveries taking them to 73-1 after six overs, with Will Jacks (17) dismissed with the final ball of the powerplay.
Jos Buttler's first match after four months out lasted just three minutes, as the skipper was caught by Motie for a golden duck.
However, it proved a false dawn for West Indies, with Salt and Jacob Bethall (58 from 36 balls) safely steering England to victory.
Data Debrief: Salt completes hat-trick of hundreds as Bethell makes historic half-century
England put their disappointing ODI series behind them, making history with the highest T20 chase at the Kensington Oval.
Salt was the hero with his third T20I century, all of which have come against West Indies in the past 12 months.
Bethell also made history on Saturday. Aged 21 years and 17 days, he become the youngest England player to score a 50 in a T20I.
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