Having already climbed to the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings, Tammy Beaumont has now been named ICC Women of the Month Player for February. We look back on a very big month from the England star.
BY NUMBER
Three ODIs
231 runs at 231. Three half-centuries. High score of 88 *
DOMINATING NEW ZEALAND
England were clinical in their 2-1 win over New Zealand but Beaumont was the outstanding player.
The opener passed 50 in her three innings and was sent off only once, finishing the campaign with 231 runs at an average of that.
The next highest running scores in the series, and of the month, were Amy Satterthwaite of New Zealand (135 at 67.50) and Heather Knight of England (135 at 67.50), both of whom had close to 100 runs finally.
Beaumont started the series with an impressive 71 off 86 at Christchurch, setting up England’s 179 run perfectly. He was caught behind him off Lea Tahuhu in that game but with the goal in sight, England are just 43 runs away from the win. That was the last time she got out in the series.
Three days later in Dunedin, she stood up again to lead England to victory as they ran down 194 with seven wikis to be released. The win never looked so certain, with England dropping to 12/2 in the first three pitches. The unforeseen loss at Beaumont 72, along with contributions from Nat Sciver (63) and Amy Jones (46 *), ensured that the early stumble was not certain.
Dunedin turned out to be a happy hunting ground for the 29-year-old, who was the backbone of England’s innings in the final game of the series. Beaumont defeated 88 unbeaten from 113 balls when England were sent off for 220, with Knight (60) the only other striker to give up 20 for the visitors.
R Ashwin
FIRST CARE NO.1
Entering the tour, Beaumont secured the fourth best ICC batting in the post, which was achieved in July 2019 during the Ashes era.
But in her stunning series against New Zealand she rose to the top of the ODI battery ranking for the first time ever. She was climbed to the pinnacle that was sealed in the final game, thanks to an undefeated 88.
In the series she also scored the best of 765 points.
She is one place ahead of Meg Lanning on the rankings, with 16 ranking points more than Australia’s 749.
CAPS OFF REMARKABLE RISE
With its career average of 45.14, it’s no surprise that Beaumont has never been at the top of the ODI battery rating.
However, she would not have been forced to climb that particular peak when she first appeared in the form.
Beaumont began her ODI career as a wicket keeper at No.10, in November 2009. Over her first two years in the England team, she scored the highest number in the No. 1 batting order. 8.
It was not until March 2012 that she was promoted to the top of the order for England. She only averaged 19.85 that year and would be a little more until she becomes the batter she is today.
It was in 2016 that she really started, gaining an average of 55.54 for the year with two innings and three fifties over 12 innings. She declared herself a force to be reckoned with that year by breaking two centuries and averaging 171 in a series of three games against Pakistan.
She hasn’t looked back since, getting an average of more than 40 in every calendar year since 2016, blocking 2020 when England didn’t play ODI.