Back

Sophie Ecclestone

Playing Role - Left-Arm Spin Bowler & Right-Hand Batter

County - Lancashire Thunder, Manchester Originals, Sydney Sixers, UP Warriorz & England

Date of Birth - 5 May 1999

Around the world, Sophie is recognised as one of the leading exponents of spin bowling in women’s cricket..

Alvanley C.C.

At the age of seven, Sophie ‘joined Avonley C.C. She has strong ties to the club and was a regular in the Alvanley women’s team upto 2016.

In 2022 Sophie became a life-member of Avanley.

Cheshire

By 2009, Sophie was already playing for Cheshire’s under-13s, before going on to make appearances in the county’s under-15s and under-17s in 2012.

While still playing for the under-15s, Sophie made her List A debut in April 2013 in Cheshire’s 7 wicket defeat to Shropshire.

Lancashire Thunder

Sophie made 30 appearance in the Kia Super League for Lancashire Thunder, taking 39 wickets. Her best bowling return of 4-20 came in a match against Southern Vipers.

Manchester Originals

In April 2020 Sophie joined Manchester Originals for the inaugural Women’s Hundred.

In July 2021, she made her debut in the 5 wicket defeat to Oval Invincibles.

By the conclusion of the 2022 Hundred Sophie had played 13 matches over two editions of the competition.

In August 2022, Sophie achieved her highest score of 36* off 18 balls in the 11 run win over Welch Fire.

Sophie’s best bowling figures of 4-22 off 20 balls came in the 5 wicket win over Birmingham Phoenix in August 2023.

Sydney Sixers

Sydney Sixers announced that Sophie would be playing in magenta for WBBL 08. She made her debut against Brisbane Heat on 13 October 2022.The Sixers went on to post a 4 wicket victory with Sophie taking her first WBBL wicket.

Two days later, Sophie produced her best WBBL bowling analysis to date (4-17) in the 17 run win over Adelaide Strikers.

With the bat, Sophie recorded her highest WBBL score of 47* off 25 balls in the 5 wicket win over Brisbane Heat in November 2022.

During WBBL 08 Sophie played 15 matches for the Sixers, taking 20 wickets with a best bowling analysis of 4-17. During her time in the Big Bash, she has scored 126 runs from 9 innings with a highest score of 47.

UP Warriors

For the inaugural 2023 WPL Sophie was drafted for UP Warriorz.

The Warriorz reached the Eliminator before losing to Mumbai Indians.

During the Warriorz run in the competition, Sophie took 16 wickets in 9 matches, with a best bowling analysis of 4-13 against Royal Challangers Bangalore.

England

Sophie’s talents were on England’s radar from an early age and she was fast-tracked onto the Women’s Development Programme.

As a sixteen-year-old, Sophie was rewarded with a place in the England Academy squad for the tour of Sri Lanka. During the tour, England competed in a Tri-Series against Sri Lanka and Australia A with Sophie taking 16 wickets.

On 3 July 2016, Sophie (aged 17) made her IT20 debut at the Brightside Ground Bristol. in the first IT20 of the series against Pakistan she contributed to England’s win by taking 1-21. In the second match of the series Sophie followed up by taking 2-26 as England went on to win by 35 runs.

On 1 March 2020, Sophie claimed her 50^th IT20 wicket in the World Cup Group B game against West Indies.

At present, Sophie’s IT20 record stands at 97 wickets from 70 matches with a best bowling analysis of 4-18 against New Zealand at Taunton (23 June 2018).

After playing in her first IT20 during the summer of 2016, Sophie’s ODI debut followed in October of the same year. Selected for the tour of the West Indies, Sophie’s debut came in the opening ODI and she took 2-28 in England’s 5 run victory.

Overall, in ODIs Sophie has taken 87 wickets and as returned best bowling figures 6-36 in the 2022 World Cup Semi-Final against South Africa on 31 March.

Sophie’s Test (and First-Class) debut came in the 2017-18 Ashes series in Australia. The sole Test of the series was played in November at North Sydney Oval. During the, at times, attritional draw Sophie returned first innings figures of 3-107 off 37 overs.

It was not until July 2019 that Sophie made her debut in a home Test match. Her second Test was again against the Australians at Taunton. In a drawn Test, Sophie returned match figures of 3-127 off 50.2 overs.

In the drawn Test at Bristol (July 2021), Sophie achieved her then best bowling figures in a Test natch when taking 4 Indian first innings wickets for 88 runs.

After another drawn Test in Australia (January 2022), Sophie’s next appearance in Test matches came against South Africa in Taunton. While the pattern of drawn Tests continued Sophie recorded her highest Test score of 35* during England’s first innings.

Although, England suffered an 89 run defeat to Austraiia n the sole Ashes Test of the 2023 home series the match was one to remember for Sophie. Over the four days at Trent Bridge, Sophie claimed her maiden 10 wicket haul in Tests and First-Class matches. This included a new best innings analysis of 5-63 and match figures of 10-192.

Awards

2018 ICC Emerging Player of the Year.
2022 ICC ODI World Bowling Rankings #1.
2022 ICC IT20 World Bowling Rankings #1.