Sophie Ecclestone

International career

Sophie Ecclestone is a talented English cricketer, well known for her bowling skills. She has been an important part of England's cricket team for many years and has achieved a lot at a young age. Here’s a look at her key moments in international cricket:

• July 3, 2016: Sophie played her first WT20I for England against Pakistan in Bristol at the age of 17.
• October 8, 2016: She made her WODI debut against the West Indies at Florence Hall.
• November 9-12, 2017: Sophie played her first Test match for England in the Women's Ashes against Australia at North Sydney.
• October 2018: She joined England’s squad for the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 in the West Indies.
• February 2019: Sophie received a full central contract from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
• June 2019: She competed in the Women's Ashes series against Australia.
• March 1, 2020: During the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Sophie took her 50th WT20I wicket and her 100th international wicket.
• June 2020: Sophie became the world’s number one WT20I bowler.
• February 2021: She took her 100th international wicket during England’s tour to New Zealand.
• June 2021: Sophie was named in England’s Test squad for their match against India.
• December 2021: She joined England’s squad for the Women's Ashes tour of Australia.
• February 2022: Sophie was selected for the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. She took 21 wickets during the tournament.
• March 31, 2022: In the World Cup semi-final against South Africa, Sophie took her first five-wicket haul in WODIs with figures of 6/36.
• July 2022: Sophie played for England in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She scored 18 runs in 21 balls against New Zealand.
• August 9, 2022: Sophie was reprimanded for breaking the ICC Code of Conduct during the Commonwealth Games bronze medal match.
• 2024: Sophie was named in England’s squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
• 2024: She won the Women's Cricket Award at the Cricket Writers' Club Awards.
• November 2024: Sophie was named in England’s squad for the multi-format tour to South Africa.
• 2025: She was included in England’s squad for the Women's Ashes series in Australia.

Leagues Participation

Sophie Ecclestone has participated in several major women’s cricket leagues, making a significant impact in each one.

Women's Premier League (WPL)

Sophie Ecclestone joined the Women's Premier League in 2023, playing for UP Warriorz. In her debut season, she took 16 wickets, tying the record for the most wickets in the tournament. Ecclestone played a crucial role in helping UP Warriorz defeat Mumbai Indians. She took 3 wickets for 15 runs, which contributed to a big 127-run win for her team.

In 2024, she took 11 wickets for the team. A standout performance came in a match against Gujarat Giants, where she took 3 wickets for 20 runs. Ecclestone’s key wickets included the Gujarat Giants’ captain, Beth Mounie, and other top-order players.

In 2025, she won the Super Over for UP Warriorz in a match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Year	Team	Notes
2023	UP Warriorz	Debut season, took 16 wickets, helped win against Mumbai Indians.
2024	UP Warriorz	Took 11 wickets, key performance in victory over Gujarat Giants (3/20).
2025	UP Warriorz	Won Super Over against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Women's Big Bash League (WBBL)

Sophie Ecclestone joined the Sydney Sixers for the Women's Big Bash League in 2022. She was a major contributor to the team’s success, taking 20 wickets in 15 innings and maintaining a solid economy rate of 6.29. She ranked as the second-highest wicket-taker for the Sixers, behind Ashleigh Gardner.

In 2023, Ecclestone missed the WBBL due to a shoulder injury. She dislocated her right shoulder before a match against Southern Brave, which kept her out of the tournament.

In 2024, Ecclestone’s fielding skills stood out in a match against Melbourne Stars, where she helped secure the win by taking 8 wickets. She also played an important role in another match against Hobart Hurricanes.

Year	Team	Notes
2022	Sydney Sixers	Key player in finals run, took 20 wickets.
2023	Sydney Sixers	Missed the season due to a shoulder injury.
2024	Sydney Sixers	Took 8 wickets against Melbourne Stars, strong fielding performance against Hobart Hurricanes.

The Hundred Women's

Sophie Ecclestone has been playing for Manchester Originals since 2021 in The Hundred Women’s tournament. In 2023, she became the team’s captain. In the 2022 season, she helped her team win important matches, contributing both with bat and ball.

In 2024, Ecclestone’s agility and fielding skills were on display when she took an impressive catch in a match against the Invincibles. In the 10th inning, she sent Alice Capsey back to the bench.

Year	Team	Notes
2021–present	Manchester Originals	Captain of the team, key player in both batting and bowling.
2022	Manchester Originals	Helped win important points against Birmingham Phoenix.
2024	Manchester Originals	Remarkable fielding performance against Invincibles.

Domestic career

Sophie Ecclestone started her cricket journey at Alvanley Cricket Club in Helsby, where she was the only girl in the club’s pathway. She joined the junior section at the age of seven and quickly moved up to the Cheshire U13s pathway by nine years old. She made her debut in the boys’ first team at Alvanley, playing alongside her brother James.

Her natural ability for cricket was clear from the start. Robin Fisher, a former member of the Cheshire men's team, helped her learn finger spinning. At that time, she was just playing for fun, but people around her already thought she would play for England in the future. By 2022, Alvanley Cricket Club named her a life member.

In 2013, Sophie began playing for Cheshire's women’s county team. Her performances caught the attention of Lancashire, and she signed with them. She made her debut in top-level domestic cricket in 2015 at just 16 years old. This was the start of her successful career in domestic cricket.

Other Leagues

Sophie Ecclestone took part in a few global and regional leagues, proving her skills on the field.

In 2019, she played in the Women's T20 Challenge. She was the most economical bowler of the tournament, taking 2 wickets in 24 overs.

In the 2020 Women's T20 Challenge, Ecclestone had a great performance. She took 4 wickets in a match against Velocity, helping Trailblazers win by 9 wickets. She also helped the team win their first Women's T20 Challenge title, defeating the Supernovas by 16 runs in the final.

Records and achievements

Sophie Ecclestone has set many records and achieved significant milestones in her cricket career.

• Fastest woman to reach 100 wickets in an ODI: On May 30, 2024, during the series between England and Pakistan, Ecclestone reached 100 wickets in 63 matches. The previous record was 64 matches, held by Australian bowler Katherine Fitzpatrick.
• Youngest and fastest woman to reach 100 T20I wickets: On July 6, 2023, in the second match of the Women's Ashes against Australia, Ecclestone reached 100 wickets in just 72 matches. Her average stands at 15.21, with an economy rate of 5.81.
• ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year (2018): She was named the best young talent of the year by the ICC.
• ICC Player of the Month (June 2021): Ecclestone earned this award for her outstanding performances in June 2021.
• Women’s Cricket Award at the Cricket Writers’ Club Awards (2024): She received this award for her significant contributions to women’s cricket.

Personal life

Sophie Ecclestone's personal life is often shared with her fans and the public. Here’s a look at different aspects of her life off the field.

Family

Sophie is engaged to her fiancé, Craig, and they have a dog named Rex. She grew up in Helsby, Cheshire, with her older brother, James, and her father, Paul. Her brother James taught her how to play cricket and football, and he had a major influence on her career.

Finance

As of 2025, Sophie Ecclestone’s net worth is estimated at $2 million.

House

She lives in Elvanley, Cheshire.

Scandals

Sophie has been involved in a few controversies:

• On August 9, 2022, she received a reprimand and one penalty point after knocking over a chair in a bronze medal match. This was considered a violation of the ICC Code of Conduct, and Sophie admitted to it.
• On June 26, 2024, Sophie received a warning for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during a match against New Zealand. She threw the ball at a player in a way that could have caused injury. Sophie accepted the sanction.
• On March 10, 2024, Sophie and Kiran Navgireh were fined 10% of their match fees for violating the WPL Code of Conduct. They were penalized for improper handling of cricket equipment.

Fans

Sophie has many fans who follow her career closely. During the Women's Games in 2023, large crowds came to watch. The Ashes test attracted over 23,000 fans, and nearly 20,000 fans attended the first T20I at Edgbaston. Sophie also attracted a large crowd during a T20 series in India.

On social media, Sophie has grown a large following, with over 200,000 followers on Instagram by 2023.