There was no World Cup, but the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 meant that there were enough ODIs in 2024. The Wisden.com editorial team has picked the best women’s ODI spells of 2024 here.
No.10 Renuka Singh Thakur 9.5-0-29-4 v West Indies, Vadodara, December 27
It is not every day that your teammate takes 6-31 but yours is the more devastating spell. Thakur struck twice in the first over – and that included breaching Hayley Matthews’s defence. Another wicket in her third over left the tourists reeling at 9-3. The West Indies had staged a recovery of some sorts when Deepti Sharma began to strike, though Thakur did get a fourth.
No.9 Megan Schutt 5-4-1-1 v South Africa, Adelaide, February 3
Parsimony does not go hand in hand with celebrations, but Schutt was determined to not concede runs in her 200th ODI. Laura Wolvaardt got a run off her fourth ball, but Schutt hit back with 26 dots on the trot. That included Wolvaardt’s wicket – to an expansive stroke off her only loose ball of the day. Caught by surprise? Perhaps. There was no scope for a second spell as South Africa folded inside 32 overs.
No.8 Marizanne Kapp 5-0-24-3 v England, Kimberley, December 4
Yet another new-ball spell. After she had Sophia Dunkley caught at slip in her first over, England struggled to get the runs. Then, in the seventh over, Tammy Beaumont attempted a slog and missed. Three balls later, Kapp brought one back to trap Nat Sciver-Brunt, no less, leg-before. England never recovered.
No.7 Renuka Singh Thakur, 10-1-29-5 v West Indies, Vadodara, December 22
At least the West Indies had a chance after Thakur made the inroads in the third ODI (see No.10). In the first, she bowled eight on the trot to take four wickets (Matthews was there), took a short break, and returned to finish her spell. A fifth wicket seemed almost inevitable.
No.6 Ash Gardner 10-1-30-5 v India, Perth, December 11
With Australia, you never know which of their eight bowlers would turn up on which day. This time, it was Gardner. Smriti Mandhana batted out of her skin to take India to anywhere remotely close to the target of 299. At 189-3 in the 36th over, they were in it – when Gardner turned one back to bowl Mandhana. That was the break Gardner needed. One by one she took out the Indians as they could add only another 26.
No.5 Lauren Bell 9-0-37-5 v New Zealand, Bristol, July 3
At 109-2, New Zealand seemed to have overcome their initial setbacks, but when Bell, rapidly evolving into England’s spearhead, was done with her five-for, they were left reeling at 208-8. The pick of the wickets was probably the one that began it all: a ball that pitched on a length and jagged back in to clean bowl Sophie Devine.
No.4 Sophie Ecclestone 9-3-25-5 v New Zealand, Worcester, June 30
The Ecclestone entry that you expect on these lists had was full of Ecclestone moments. The classical left-arm spinner’s ball that had Devine stumped; deceiving Brooke Halliday into believing the ball was not as full and getting her to sweep; the turn to beat Lauren Down’s bat; beating Issy Gaze in flight; and so on. You get the idea. England cruised to an easy win a couple of hours after she was done.
Read more: 2024 in review: Wisden's top ten women's ODI innings of the year
No.3 Marizanne Kapp 5-1-12-3 v Australia, North Sydney, February 7
Another new-ball five-over spell from Kapp, this time while defending 230 against the world’s best side boasting a very deep batting line-up at their den. Having already warmed up with a belligerent 75, Kapp defined the course of the chase within 19 balls: she had Alyssa Healy caught-behind, swung one magically (the way she does) to bowl Beth Mooney, and trapped Phoebe Litchfield leg-before. Australia, 34-3 at that point, crashed to 149 as Kapp’s teammates rose to the occasion.
No.2 Megan Schutt 6.2-1-19-5 v India, Brisbane, December 5
To lambast India for getting bowled out for 100 would be to undermine Schutt’s superlative new-ball spell on that day. She moved the ball but also kept altering her pace and length throughout her spell. Unable to score off Schutt (or anyone, for that matter), the Indians tried to hit their way out of the claustrophobia and queued back to the pavilion.
No.1 Aimee Maguire 3.5-0-19-5 v England, Belfast, September 11
It is a 25-over game reduced to 22 overs, and England are 107-3 after 14 overs, their eyes set on a big total. Entrusted with the 15th over, 18-year-old left-arm spinner Maguire struck twice, and continued to bowl the 17th, 19th, and 21st as well. Trying to hit their way out, England could only manage to lose wickets against Maguire and were bowled out for 153, and lost their first ODI against Ireland after 23 years.
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