Brunt feeling the force

Katherine Brunt was named as Vodafone player of the year after the Ashes series in 2005

Katherine Brunt has seen the interest in women’s cricket grow over the past couple of years and the new ICC women’s player of the year award is testament to the high regard in which it is now held around the world.

More girls are taking up cricket in schools and there are a lot more women’s and girls teams around the country, something which Brunt is keen to encourage.

“The interest in women’s cricket has improved massively,” she told ecb.co.uk.

“I’ve actually taken on a couple of women’s teams myself since I became a coach - I got my level two coaching badge in the past year - and I’ve taken on a couple of girls teams that I didn’t even know existed.

“In schools there is a bigger percentage of girls taking part and a lot more girls are enquiring how they get involved in the England set-up and how they can achieve what we’ve achieved.

“It’s great to let them know how we did it and what they can achieve if they put their mind to it. It’s definitely improved and it can only get better.”

Karen Rolton © Getty Images

Brunt was named as Vodafone's England women’s player of the year in 2005 and is one of three nominees for the ICC’s prestigious accolade, alongside India’s Anjum Chopra and Australia’s Karen Rolton, all three of whom would be a worthy winner.

But Brunt herself believes that Rolton must be favourite.

“I’m quite confident, but she is who I would expect to take it,” she said.

“She is an amazing player - best batter in the world and she has been for the last couple of seasons. She is consistently good and she is quite scary when you play her.

“I’ve managed to get her out five times in the seven times I played her, though. But when she is not against us she destroys everyone else. She is heavy, heavy, heavy competition.”

Brunt had much success against Australia in the Ashes series in 2005, particularly at New Road where she took hauls of 5-47 and 4-64 and scored her maiden Test fifty.

“After going out of the World Cup against them we had a lot to prove to ourselves and to the rest of the teams, especially to Australia because they like to give a lot of gyp,” she admitted.

“To beat them and win the Ashes, along with the men, was awesome. And the Trafalgar Square trip just topped it off.”

However, it has been hard work for Brunt, who has been victim to several injuries in her short career, but she is determined to come back stronger when she regains full fitness.

“It’s been really hard, both mentally and physically,” she said. “I got to perfect fitness and then we had a touring side come over - the Canterbury Magicians, which is basically the New Zealand side.

Brunt takes an ice bath to ease her aching bowling muscles

"This was a week before the India tour and I was at the top of my game. I ended up getting five overs, two wickets, for no runs and that just made me very confident going into the series.

“Two days later I went and did my shin, which just halted everything and I was out for three weeks,” she added.

“I couldn’t show people what I could do this summer. I got a chance in a few games but not really at full fitness.

“Once you have got that player of the year, you want to hold on to it and show that you are not a one-year wonder, which is not what I want to be.”

To be named as ICC women’s player of the year would be the icing on the cake after an excellent couple of years for Brunt, and a great boost as she aims to complete her 16-week rehabilitation from a back injury.

“It would be even better than winning the player of the year for the Vodafone awards. I thought that was as far as I could go in regards to being rewarded, but when this new award came up it meant the absolute world to me,” she said.

“I love to play cricket and be representing my country - it’s amazing - and to be rewarded for that makes all the hard work worthwhile.”