England’s Anya Shrubsole will be the first woman to appear on the front cover of the fabled Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack after her heroics at last year’s World Cup.
Shrubsole hit the winning runs in a tense semi-final victory over South Africa before her six for 46, which included five wickets in 19 balls, brought England back from the brink as they edged India in the final at a packed Lord’s.
A photo of the 26-year-old will grace the famous yellow jacket of the 155th edition of the Almanack, which has been published every year since 1864.
“It’s an amazing honour and privilege to be on the cover of Wisden,” said Shrubsole. “To be on the front of such an iconic and historic book means a huge amount.
“Most of all, it’s a clear representation of the strength of the women’s game, and the impact of the World Cup victory and the work of the entire team.”
This year’s Almanack, a comprehensive chronicling of the game over the past 12 months, will be published on April 12.
Almanack editor and Wisden.com columnist Lawrence Booth said: “Anya Shrubsole was a natural for this year’s Wisden cover, having stolen the show on the most memorable day of the 2017 summer.
“Against India, and in front of a packed Lord’s, she dramatically won the World Cup for England with figures of 6- 46, the best in a final by man or woman.
“She had played a crucial hand in the semi-final against South Africa, too, nervelessly hitting the winning four with only two balls to spare. Shrubsole is Wisden’s first female cover star – and, thanks to the excitement she generated that day at Lord’s, almost certainly not the last.”
