Nat Sciver-Brunt named as new England women’s captain Today, she expertly balances her duties as an administration leader on the cutting-edge with her new mantle of motherhood. At age 32, the Indian cricketer gave birth to her son Theo. Only a month later, in April, she was appointed captain. In a dramatic twist, she was set to miss the home series against the West Indies currently in progress because she was placed on maternity leave. That’s when she moved into a captaincy position.
Theo’s delivery almost exclusively from former England bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt, who was Theo’s emotional crutch. This is a momentous occasion for the sport of cricket. Nat becomes the first mama to represent England since Arran Brindle, who made her final appearance for the national side in 2014. Prior to Nat becoming captain, she had gone through an egg freezing process last summer. This decision is a testament to her commitment to balancing her personal aspirations with the trajectory of her professional career.
At first, Nat was only eligible for four months of maternity leave since she was not the birth parent. She ultimately agreed to go on leave for only three weeks. England would have preferred to have her back for the series against the West Indies. International cricket player Katherine Sciver-Brunt spoke against the decision. She explained, “Because she is not the birth mother, Nat was only granted four months’ maternity leave. She only took three weeks of that because England were keen to have her back for this series. The adjustment required for such a quick return is significant, as Katherine noted, “That was a huge sacrifice because those first eight weeks are so hard.”
Other recent policy shifts, such as the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) new maternity policy, have similarly made waves. Well, the ECB just made that day come even sooner with another exciting announcement! Players will now enjoy the advantages of 12 months fully paid maternity leave, automatic contract extensions, and childcare and breastfeeding accommodation. County employees will get up to six months of paid maternity leave. In addition, they will benefit from a contract extension to help create a more positive environment for female cricketers.
New coach Charlotte Edwards now leads the way following the sacking of previous coach Heather Knight and Jon Lewis. Joining her, Nat Sciver-Brunt comes onto the team in this exciting new era. This combination of leadership changes and improved maternity policies is a step in the right direction toward making the sport more inclusive.
Former England cricketer Katherine Sciver-Brunt used the moment to highlight the need to normalize discussions about motherhood in professional sports. “Normalising this conversation and inspiring people that it can be done, there needs to be more of that and I think it will happen,” she stated.
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