Former bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt has raised questions about the England Women’s team’s discipline and suggested that the side, led by Nat Sciver-Brunt, needs to reflect internally and focus on producing positive results following their 2-1 ODI series defeat to India.
Speaking on BBC Test Match Special, Katherine admitted she is struggling to understand the current mindset of the team, describing some players’ attitudes as “lazy”.
“It’s hard for me to understand some people sometimes, and their attitudes, because to me it looks lazy and like they don’t care. Are they actually feeling like that? Or do they care a lot and that is just their way of showing it? I struggled a lot with that,” Katherine told BBC. “When the pressure gets to them, they go external, and what comes out is not good cricket. They are being crippled inside, and suddenly they’re not switched on or don’t want the ball because they’re scared to fail.”
The 40-year-old, who was born in Barnsley, compared her approach to that of her wife, Nat Sciver-Brunt, noting that Nat is more calm and composed, making it harder to read her emotions.
“A lot of versions like me have left the team, and a lot of different versions have come in. Nat is captain now and she’s the polar opposite of me — she’s very quiet, inward, and patient. She is everything I am not. You know how I feel, but you wouldn’t know how Nat is feeling,” she added.
Nat defends her team
In response to Katherine’s comments, captain Nat Sciver-Brunt defended her team, saying her calm demeanour is often misunderstood.
“I’ve actually been in that situation before, when I was a lot younger — ‘she’s so relaxed, she doesn’t look like she’s that interested’ — but inside, that’s not the truth,” she explained.
Nat went on to affirm her team’s commitment, insisting that everyone gave their best in the ODI series, even if the results didn’t reflect their efforts.
“I guess from the outside, people might perceive things a certain way, but you never know what’s going on internally. I know everyone on that pitch is fully committed to doing their best for England,” she concluded.
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