Emerging Women’s Players to Watch Under 21

Prosscovia Alako
Right-hand bat
Right-arm medium
Uganda
17

Few players can claim to be a part of as many records as Proscovia Alako, particularly in the Women’s game.

A run machine in African cricket, Alako has been a shining light at the top of the order for the Lady Cranes, who have impressed in the last two to three years.

Alako joined Rita Musamali to plunder centuries for Uganda against Mali, the first time two women passed three figures in the same innings of a T20I. Alako made 116 from 71 balls, and was only dismissed run out in the final over. The pair put on a partnership of 227, with Musamali making 103*, as the side marched on to a record total of 314-2.

For all of the records, Alako’s next goal will be to make consistent scores against African rivals, with her career T20I average of 32.40 heavily reliant on one big score.

Sarah Bryce
Wicketkeeper
Right-hand bat
Scotland
20

Younger sister of Kathryn, Sarah Bryce debuted in 2018 against Uganda, and has two T20I fifties to her name, grinding consistent scores at an average of a tick under 40. Striking at over a run a ball at international level, Bryce could well be the figure to take her country forward.

The power of premier Associate international opposition has been no burden for Bryce, with her high scores coming against the Netherlands and World Cup participants Thailand, not to mention a warm-up match half-century against Namibia to add to her resume. Bryce’s numbers with the gloves match her start with the bat, curiously claiming more stumpings (15) than catches (14) in her first 20 T20Is.

A Loughborough University student, Bryce represented her school’s boys’ and girls’ First XIs, and now features for Kent. Bryce has also signed on for the East Midlands Regional Hub, one of eight centres of excellence run by the ECB.

Babette de Leede
Wicketkeeper
Right-hand bat
The Netherlands
20

Another wicketkeeper/bat from the Europe region, Voorburg Cricket Club’s Babette de Leede made her T20I debut in July 2018, gradually moving up the batting order from a number six to an opener, before slotting in at the important number three role in her most recent outings.

Deployed in an anchoring role, de Leede is a busy player that the Dutch could depend on as the perfect partner to fellow young-gun Sterre Kalis. Chipping in with runs against tricky challengers Thailand, de Leede has proven her quality when given the opportunity, and should only improve with more match practice and time in the middle.

De Leede studies at the Erasmus School of Economics in Rotterdam and comes from a famous Dutch cricketing family, with both her cousin and uncle playing for the men’s national team.