Test Match Special - How England won the 2017 Women's World Cup

Episode Date: October 17, 2025

Henry Moeran is alongside 2017 World Cup winner Alex Hartley, 2009 World Cup winner Ebony Rainford-Brent, and TMS statistician Phil Long for a look back at how England won the 2017 Women's World Cup in England. They discuss England's journey to the final, the iconic moment Anya Shrubsole hit a boundary from her first ball to win the semi-final, and THAT glorious day at Lord's where Heather Knight lifted the trophy after England beat India.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, a weighting depth of 900 millimetres and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at Landrover.ca. Hello, it's Ray Winston. I'm here to tell you about my podcast on BBC Radio 4, history's toughest heroes.

You've got stories about the pioneers, the rebels, the outcasts who define tough. And that was the first time anybody ever ran a car up that fast with no tires on. It almost feels like your eyeballs are going to come out of your head. Tough enough for you? Subscribe to history's toughest heroes wherever you get your podcast. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Hello, I'm Henry Moran. Welcome to a look back at the iconic 2017 Women's World Cup, hosted in England.

I'm alongside Alex Hartley, who took two wickets in the final as England beat India, also 2009 World Cup winner Ebony Rain for Brent, and test match special statistician Phil Long to reminisce on an incredible home summer for England. Guy Quad on strike, Shrubesol, in now. Both for Bolsa! Six wickets for Hesrubesol, England's hero. England win the World Cup in front of a packed house at Lords. Hugo Nuts in the crowd.

England in a huddle. Listen to that noise. An England women's team winning a World Cup on home soil in 2017. And England have done it by just nine runs at Lords. unbelievably, it is now eight years ago that we have to travel back in time for that extraordinary day when Anya Stubesol took six wickets to win the game for England,

that one day international to end one day internationals. It was a special day, an incredible tournament, and this is a chance to relive 2017 just a little bit. I mean, Alex, let's start with you, because unquestionably, every time when we introduce you on air, it is World Cup winner Alex Hartley. and it is something that your life is as rich as anyone I've ever met

it is something that will forever be a huge huge part of who you are in your identity absolutely and you know what it doesn't really hit me until we're back here and you talk about it and you when you just mention it then it gave me goosebumps because I can literally see myself by the pavilion looking up at the boxes to the right and seeing my mum and dad up there after we'd won the World Cup and just bursting into tears and it's taken me a long time to actually be proud of that day because of everything that's happened since there's been a long time where I've just ignored it doesn't feel like my life but now actually I can look back and be like nah that that was the best day of my life you know without a doubt

just being here the crowd were amazing lifting the trophy drinking enough champagne that I don't really remember the evening you know it was an incredible tournament a very very proud day and yeah I'm glad that I can finally look back and it makes me smile. We're going to go through the tournament as it played out though because it was a spectacular few weeks that started with actually England losing their opening game against India at Derby when Smitty Mardiner played a wonderful knock and it was a bit of a shock, Ebony that. England came into the tournament expecting big things. Mark Robinson had taken over as coach and England were aside that lost Charlotte Edwards

was capped in a year before, rather controversially, came into the tournament with expectations, and then it all felt a little bit flat after that opening game. Yeah, and I think, let's face it as well, when England are at home, you were expecting big things straight away. India weren't really the powerhouse at that stage that they are now as well. So it was definitely a takedown. You know, you look at that England side as well.

So many players, Sarah Taylor, Heather Knight, Nat Siverbrunt, Catherine Siverbrunt, Jenny Gunn. It was just a powerhouse of England players who had so much experience. And you were expecting a kind of a clean sweep and get this tournament going. And it's always a bit of a shock. That's the better thing about tournament cricket. It's always a bit of a shock. And so it was one of those moments where you had all these hopes of where England could get to.

And it was a bit of a leveller. It was like, is this going to happen? So, you know, it was one of those tournaments. And, you know, I came into it thinking England, you know, up there with favourites. And it hits you. It hits you as a fan. It hits you emotionally. That, hold on, everyone here means business.

So, yeah, good memories from that. Phil, talk us through that opening game. Well, I don't think at the time we realised, did we, that tournament would be bookended by England versus India. A quiet derby, wasn't it? It was a quiet start that World Cup. 24th of June, India batted first. They scored 281 for three.

We mentioned how much the women's game has come on. 281 for three. Big, big score. That's a lot. Who's at Smriti, was it? Big score. Scores from all the top order. Poonam Rout, 86. Smeetimandana, 90, Matali Raj,

71 Harmon Preet Corps, 24 not out. Next delivery is hit out to Deep Midwicked and that's going to be brilliantly taken and that is the match. A fantastic diving catch. Deep Midwicket has seen the back of Schoppel it's England's 10th wicket and what a wonderful piece of building that was.

Arturpeak dropped off the first ball of the over. Who was those taking that catch? She's come hurtling in from the deep midwicket boundary. She's taking it pretty low off the ground, two-handed. It hasn't dropped out as their elbows of it the ground and the Indians are in a jubilant huddle as well they may be they have surprised the

pre-tournament second favourites England they've won the match by 35 runs in the end I'm going to scroll down and see what Alex Hartley's figures were can you remember how 10 9 overs 10 overs 7 overs none for 38 oh you know what it's all right it's under the room rate I reckon that's all right England in reply yeah they needed 282 to win top score for from Fran Wilson that day. 80? May 81, that's right. In the end, England, 246 all out.

Alex Hartley not out, I reckon. Fell short by 35 runs, but Alex Hartley was not out. One off three? Isn't that your career status? She was there, won't out. She was there, won't out. Could not be dislodged. Left cruelly short of her hundred.

Yes. And would have won the game, maybe. I'll tell you what, we talk about, like, obviously, you guys being shocked that we lost that opening game, and how we were like, okay, you were like, oh, wow. We, as soon as we got into the dressing room, after that game, we're like, we'll beat them in the final. This is the final. We are going to beat them. But how could you possibly be knowing that when you've got Australia in a tournament?

You concentrate on yourselves. You don't. If you go into a tournament. But why did you think it would be India? Just because we'd be like this written in the stars. It was absolutely written in the stars that we would beat India in the World Cup final. I don't know what it was. It wasn't an arrogance.

It wasn't a confidence because we were also a bit shell-shocked after that game as well. One thing that really interests me about the squad. want you to take us inside that dressing room dynamic is you were all off social media there was some quite strict rules around in that sense what was it like oh do you know what any time i want everyone wants to talk about the world cup i don't really know because we were just so in our own bubble where there was no newspapers there was no social media there was no talking about anyone else. You know, there was no watching of other games. I'm pretty sure the coaches and the captain will have watched other games, but I did not watch a single game of that World Cup,

bar what we were playing in, because we just wanted to concentrate on ourselves. Who cares if Meg Lanning scored 100 against India, or who cares if, you know, someone else got runs against Sri Lanka? There's nothing we can do about that. All that's going to do for us is go, oh, okay, they're in form. Actually, no, how do we get Meg Lanning out? Do we feed the cut shot and put two points in do we try and get her on the front foot doesn't matter that she scored runs in the previous game so coming off social media is unheard of now isn't it these girls have got socials they post you know they might have managers that post for them now and and things like that but it was like a not growing our social media we are just concentrating on ourselves and all

we spoke about was singing the team song in the dressing room fast forward a little bit because the way the tournament work was everyone played everyone that was a sort of round robbing competition and Ebony I don't know about you but I think our eyebrows started to raise to the possibility of well okay England might be a little further ahead than we realized when they beat Australia and it was a thriller at Bristol England hitting 259 for eight Tammy Beaumont top scoring with 49 and then holding their nerve England really held their nerve with Australia falling just short making 256 for eight and Elise Perry smashing

70. Alex Hartley, by the way, two for 31 that day, best figures from an England bowler. But it was that statement win that made you think, okay, something could be brewing. Yeah, quite exciting as well. I was just looking back, Elise Valani, what a throwback of a player? She bowled, didn't she? She bowled, she got three for?

I remember us all thinking, Australia have lost the plot. Australia they also had Elise Valani at backstop as well for the short ball, and we were all in the dressing and going, at least a lot, and I know she got wickets, we were like, what's going on? They're not used to losing

and they're losing and you can tell. But I think Bristol for me was, I mean, I don't know if you feel that as well. I feel there's certain grounds in the women's game that there's good mojo for England.

Bristol's one, I think Chelmsford's one, Taunton used to be one when more games were played there. And so to pull off that win there and then you're seeing Australia with cracks, when I said cracks,

it just didn't make sense you wouldn't expect to see someone like Elise Villani with balls and some of those positions. And so it does get you excited. Hold on. The power. house that everyone's been nervous about for the last two decades have just been taken down after

England had a bit of a rocky start. So it gets quite exciting, doesn't it? Because then it goes, okay, if they've got that ability to win, how far can this team go? And, you know, players like Tammy Beaumont at that stage, she was still, you know, the Mark Robinson kind of coming in, giving her license. So you're seeing maybe the strategy is paying off of giving someone responsibility, getting to the top of the order and her really stepping up. Hartley, you picked up a couple in They're two for 31. Cool on, girl. Do you know what?

It's so strange because every single time Robo went through the start in 11 I'd go through it. Tammy, one, two, three, four and obviously it gets to 10. Oh, I'm playing. Every single time,

I only missed the Sri Lanka game because they had so many left-handers. Every single time I was so shocked that I was playing in that World Cup. And I never really had any confidence within myself and cricket, but as soon as the ball was in my hand, never in doubt.

I was getting wickets. And that game, in particular, when you got the wicket of Meglani, especially who was the other wicket that day Beth Mooney I think it's not a bad it's not a bad combo to have is it it's yeah it just felt again that there were little things that were appearing

you'll say okay well this is a new player or newish player you'd made your debut the year before and things seem to be it seemed to be turning a bit for England Phil how dominant had Australia been in the period building up to that World Cup yeah I was just looking at England's performances against Australia they've done okay they've

they'd won games here or there. It's since that result there that Australia have become really dominant against England. So as a result, in terms of World Cup, of course, Australia had been incredibly strong. But you're right, England won that game there. There'd also been a hint, also at Bristol,

for Australia, that maybe Australia might not quite have been the force they were. Jamari Atapatu, 178 not out against Australia. Australia went on and won that game. Unbelievable innings from Meg Lanning second time round. But I think it did start to show that Australia were maybe slightly fallible in that tournament and that's not something we're expecting women's World Cups.

Alex, because you'd have lost that game against India at the start of the tournament. There was almost a must-win nature about the games that you continue to play and you were playing against the weather as well as other things. I remember a game at Leicester, where the weather was coming in. You had to get your 20 overs in to constitute a match against both. And we bowed loads of seamers and we were like, we do need to ball a spinner and get through these overs. I remember it well.

So there was a sense of almost knockout cricket for the two. team from very early on but that's world cups isn't it that's tournament cricket you you lose one game you are on the back foot but we never thought of it like that there was never i wasn't a senior player in that team i was very much the the new kid on the block who was not going through the motions you know i worked hard and tried to get in the team for every game but that i had that naivety about me you know just turn up and play and just back yourself and as soon as you got the ball in hand just i was there to take wickets didn't matter how many runs i went for as long as i was getting big players out. So that's all, that is genuinely all I concentrated on for the whole tournament was

how am I getting wickets? And it was almost ignore everything else. It didn't matter to me if we needed to win every game. But the idea was that I'm going to help the team win every game. Yeah. And Ebbs, from an outsider's point of view, following on from that defeat against India, we were watching on with a degree of trepidation, not just because you're thinking, well, you know, from an England point of view, it makes it a more interesting story. in one thing and another, but also there was a real sense with the Home World Cup. It's a huge opportunity as well for the game more widely, for England to do well. Yeah, and I think, you know, in the background we'd see in the rise of women's football,

and that you could see the importance of how well the women's success was having on a translation of people coming into grounds, interest in the tournament. And in some ways, it puts double pressure on. You're like, you know, you're looking at the England girls going, come on, you need to pull this out of the back here. And so that first loss kind of made you concerned about if England end up crashing out quite early, when lose one more and then all of a sudden things, you know, fall away. That is going to have a knock on effect in investment, awareness of the game.

You know, at that stage, remember they were giving every boy and girl a bat and ball in the stadiums. You're thinking this could fall off quite quickly. So I think it takes a lot for a team to really rally around. And, you know, there were some gutsy players in there. You know, you think of the Catherine Siverruntz at the time, Catherine Brunt at the time, who, you know, held a lot of that energy together. You know, you could feel the emotion coming through as we listen. And I would say, actually, for me, that tournament actually was one of the harder as a broadcaster

because you want to be impartial and talk about the cricket and make your judgments. But you're also in the back of your mind, one, caring about a few of the players and two, thinking about the impact this will have if England have another loss. And so them to come back with that Australia game in particular was like, okay, England mean business, they're up for it. they've got the fight and this could be fun and so it just started to restore your excitement

and then you could feel actually there was that middle bit where you could start to feel all of a sudden hold and ticket sales are going up for the later stages of the tournament people are starting to get interested the media's getting interested

and you just felt that sort of swell of excitement start to build yeah England's World Cup form against Australia and just all checking here they hadn't beat them in a World Cup for 24 years so when it came to the big games Australia we know you know were a powerhouse

England had won a World Cup in between there, but they hadn't been Australia since 1993. So maybe we do tend to forget that England were up against it in a lot of those games, having lost that opening game against India. It's funny you talk about the crowds building throughout the World Cup. I'm an extremely anxious player, and I used to just look at the empty stands or the empty seats in a stadium and go, okay, I'll just look at that section.

There's nobody here watching. And almost pretended it was like, okay, there's nobody here watching. and as the game started to build I was like, where's that empty stand? I'm going to be sick. A lot of people watching me. Well, it was certainly busy once we got to the semifinals. And that's where England met South Africa

and India faced Australia. First semi-final, England against South Africa at Bristol, an extraordinary game. And again, a remarkable game of cricket with South Africa 218 for six. Minion de Priya scoring an unbeaten 76. And you're thinking at that point, well England have already beaten South Africa in the group stages

and scored a mountain of runs at Bristol to do so Tammy Bowman 148 not out you're thinking well they'll chase this down comfortably didn't play out that way at all Phil talk us through the England runchings well let's first about talk about that group game at Bristol it'd been an absolute run fest you know in terms of both teams scoring over 300

and heard of in England in women's cricket at the time record aggregate score England scored 373 for 5 South Africa replied They never really got near it But they got over 300, 305 for 9 England won by 68 runs So we arrived in Bristol Semi-final, let's have another run fest

It couldn't have been further from the truth As you mentioned, Henry I remember South Africa being my little team that I couldn't get wickets against So it took wickets throughout the whole tour of South Africa Every time we played them I got ponged by Noselli

Yeah well Lazzelli always used to hit me and Chloe Tryon. Yeah, good old Chloe Try and a couple of times she hit me into the stands at Bristol and I was like, I'm done. Nine over is none for 40, but anyway, anyway, we move on, we move.

So in that runchase, they were cruising at 142 for three and then lost Heather Knight and Nat's of a Brunt in the space of an over and that suddenly made things very, very awkward indeed. And 218, and I know it's only eight years ago, 218 back then wasn't the gimmie

that it seems it today. There was 218 out there today. Oh, this game isn't. It wasn't quite the gimmie. But as you say, England were cruising. 140, did what you say? 142 for three at one point. And when Heather Knight got out,

then Wickets fell 142, 145, little partnership. And then suddenly it was 213 for 7. The game still seemed in the bag. I've got sweat. And I think somebody might have been padding up. Not only was I padding up, I was bricking it. Absolutely bricking it. I would have batted 12 if you could have 12.

having a team like genuinely I was rubbish at batting and I remember you know wickets falling and I've got cold sweats thinking about it put your pads on now so I'm strapping them on and I'm sat next to Heather who was genuinely one of the best at calming me down she'd always calm me down so I had roboh and Heather and I'm sat in the middle and they're like do you want a banana and I'm watching and I'm like oh I can't watch and then Heather goes take your thigh pad off I went what ishmael bowling at 80 mile and I'll take your thigh pot off and she went and if you can take your gloves off take your pads off, take your helmet off, and just run? I was like, what? And she was like, you need to

have the least amount of equipment on as possible because we needed like one run, two runs, and you need to get down the other end. The situation was that Fran Wilson departed having played a very valuable 30 or 38. Jenny Gunn, 27 and a run a ball, one of the most underrated innings. The best 27 probably in the World Cup. It was outstanding from the all-rounder, but

you saw Fran Wilson go and then Laura Marsh faced three balls before Ishmael ripped the stumps out. And at that point with three balls left and England needed how many? There were one behind. They needed two to win and outstrolled. Well this, okay, so for me, this is my favorite

memory of the whole tournament. Anyone who watched the Euros recently with Lucy Braun strapping up her thigh and then banging that penalty in. Some people just go out there going listen, all this noise, I'm going to get the job done. And she's just striding out to the crease and everyone's got their nails and biting their nails. And Anya just kind of walked out and was like, mate, let's just get this job done.

She wants to bang. And then the relief from her. Do you know, I remember Daniel Norcross on the floor, unable to look in a state of complete. Slashed it through covers, didn't she? She marched down the track and smashed it away through the offside. First ball that she faced. Well, it's Anya Shrubesol who's come out to join Jenny Gunn. Two runs needed for a place in the final.

Ismail Bowles. Shrubsoll advances down the wicket. Hintz it for ball through their covers. Shrub Sol has done it for England. They're into the law. World's World Cup final. She hugs Jenny Gunn. What an incredible victory.

Last over drama for England. But they make the World Cup final on home soil in 2017. Incredibly tight victory over South Africa by just two wickets. And then march back to the dressing room. And I remember speaking to her after she retired, Andrea Shrubesol, and she said, look, I hated batting. And I went out there and I thought, what have you not been doing? and it was

I cried So what was it like In that dressing room When those winning runs of school Like the leading up to it It was horrific No one could watch I remember Tabby like falling over

Behind us in the dressing room Everyone was like Biting their nails as you say I was like no one could watch It was It's just a horrible situation to be in When you cannot do anything To control the game

Like you are You've got to just trust your teammates And obviously we're trying to look calm In the dug out When you know up in the dressing room because the camera is constantly on you and you've played on the big screen but there's absolutely nothing you can do

and I think the moment for me where I was like oh no was when Marcia got out when Laura Marsh got out because she got promoted ahead of Anya to deal with the pace of Ishma and then didn't so yeah I mean sheer relief as soon as Anya slash that ball everyone's up and about there's helmets being thrown

there's things being thrown everywhere there's hugs all around and it's like okay we've had our 10 seconds of sheer relation we've got job to do now yeah because it felt like england getting to the final a bit like australia getting to the final in 2020 with the fill the mcg stuff it felt that that for the wider context was really important it was it was just before i get on to that though the other thing while england was celebrating was the tears and i think everyone felt for the south african girl's marazan cap minion depree darn it all on that field crying their heart hearts out and they've been a team that was on the rise

the girls were starting to get to know each other high quality players and they'd really taken it to England and so you kind of have this moment where you thought hold on South Africa could make absolute history here or England could do something special and get to a home final and I just remember feeling like excitement for the England girls with the Anya getting it done

and then looking on the other side and seeing these players absolutely distraught so that was the moment but you're right I think there's a great photo of Anya isn't there? Consoling done it yeah like a Brent Lee had a moment with little. It's almost like a unlucky look I can imagine Ania was a bit more, like, unlucky. Anyway, let's get back to...

Let's get to the next for the finals. So in the through, let's go on to the second semi-final, which basically needs one statistic and one statistic alone. Harma Preakor, 171, not out of 115 balls,ville. Yeah, it's two days later. It's the 20th of July. We're at Derby, which now seems strange choice for a World Cup semi-final, but it was it was India versus Australia there was rain about that day

I remember various people from the ICC trying to work out would we would we need a reserve day if we needed the reserve day would the game count if it started there was all sorts of calculations being made in the end of rain went to end it became a 42 over a side game but yeah that didn't stop India for making 281 for 4 and as you mentioned Henry that standout figure that the unions that people still talk about when they talk about the women's game don't they harm a prequel not out She still never seen it.

171. 115 balls, 24s, 7-6s. It had a bit of everything, didn't it? Because when she made 100 there was the altercation, wasn't there? The people weren't running quick enough to get her 100. That was brilliant. You saw there she was in the zone. Basically, if anyone who watched that moment, it was brilliant.

You had Harman-Preek court in the zone, seeing the ball like a football, smashing it to all parts. And then you had a couple of younger players. I think it was Deepty Sharma at that stage. She was just coming into the side. And Deep Tshama, she was meant to be running, didn't. And Harambrichael literally laid into where the bats got thrown. It was all kickoff. But you could see, I mean, she was in a, mostly one of this most special.

Her and Chamari Atapatu mostly played some of the greatest innings I've seen in a women's high-pressure match. And it was one of those moments where you think is Harman-Preek-or going to become the best player in the world, fact. I mean, she maybe hasn't kicked on from there in that way, but the way she took it to Australia, It needed something special to turn a team over like that. So it was feisty, it had controversy. We were in the commentary box. People were going, it's unfair that she was nailing the younger players. I was like, look, she's fired up, do what you've got to do.

It was all kind of one of those games with the drama that you love. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Hello, it's Ray Winston. I'm here to tell you about my podcast on BBC Radio 5 Live. history's toughest heroes i've got stories about the pioneers the rebels the outcasts who define tough and that was the first time anybody ever ran a car up that fast with no tires on it almost feels like your eyeballs are going to come out of your head tough enough for you subscribe to history's toughest heroes wherever you get your podcast and also 281 of 42 over

I mean, it's a huge number of runs. In response, Australia found themselves losing early wickets. When Meg Lanny was bowled by Duleong Goswami, it was 9 for 2, 21 for 3. And it looked at that point, it was a done deal. But, Elise Villani made 75, Alex Blackwell, 90 or 56 balls. And in the end, yeah, they fell quite a distance short, 245 all out. But there was a while, it felt like Australia could do the unthinkable. Well, there was a last wicket partnership there of 76.

As you mentioned, Alex Blackwell made 90 in the end from 70, 10, 4s and 3-6s. And as you say, while she was still going, you thought, well, this is Australia. They might pull this out of the bag. In the end, they didn't. And Harma Preet's innings was the difference. But as you mentioned, it never felt it was over until it was actually over. Yeah, it was an amazing game of cricket, amazing tournament. And it was Australia's very much so for them.

It was a line in the sand of which they said, no. we change now. We get our team packed full of all rounders and we ensure that we don't let this happen again. Indeed, since then, we've spoken about their incredible record since the start of 2018 and quite astonishing numbers when you go through it in terms of how it's played out for them over the years since then. But Australia out, Alex, your side is in the final. Presumably, you're quite happy that you're not facing Australia. Yeah, I remember, I don't know who I asked or whether a message got, put in the group but I remember we got some sort of message saying we're playing india

and it was all being like yeah that's good for us we would much rather play india than australia uh as i said i didn't watch that game i've never watched it back couldn't tell you didn't know harman preke got that many didn't know alex blackwell got 90 but i think that shows just how much i was just in my own little space during that world cup and it didn't matter to me who won obviously it's easier or sorry we would have preferred to have played india than Australia because of Australia's dominance, but if Australia had won that semi, we were prepared for it. And of course, you'd already

beaten Australia, so that was a positive thing. I just wonder, the day or two before and the morning of the game, how did that differ to any other game you'd ever played in or prepared for? Well, it's funny you say that. I got a message from the team psychologist who had not spoken to, ever. Alex was not on the psychologist's chair.

Literally ever. And he was like, do you want to go for a coffee? And I said, no. I said, why would I want to go for a coffee? a world cup final tomorrow i said so why do i want to go for a coffee why are you treating me he said it but it's different i said don't treat me any differently like anyway we ended up going for a coffee but i said we're not talking about cricket i said if you dare ask me how i'm feeling for tomorrow i'll probably be sick in your lap we're ignoring it i'm nervous i'm anxious but i have been for every other game do you know it was the first time i met you it was

behind the pavilion at lords and a load of england players have put up for interview because it was right let's really sell this event and and make it something different and you're bouncing from one foot to the other and you seem genuinely excited and you know I know now you were terrified oh yeah I remember someone once telling me nerves and excitement are the same it's how you come across or how you how you make that you self feel about that

and I used to fake it till I make it and as I said Heather Knight was unbelievable at calming me down I remember vividly the morning of the World Cup final we came out of the pavilion I've got a theroband I'm doing some stretches I'm warming up and she said how are you all she taps me on the back and I said I'll just look at the empty seats she went sold out

oh that's been my tactic all throughout this World Cup Heather what do you mean it's sold out what am I meant to do now there are no empty seats and she just said breathe and be you and I went and threw up in the dressing room because I was so nervous

but that was you know a brilliant bit of advice and she just said just look at me whenever you need me and to which I just stared at the whole game of help Ebbs when I remember it so clearly walking down from St John's Wood Tube Station And there was

And for women's internationals You know We did an awful lot of games At some of the smaller venues We mentioned that the semi-final was at Derby And a tournament opening was at Derby But Lords was a special occasion And walking down from St John's

You thought there's a lot of people here Goodness me It's a few hours before the game starts And already there was a sense Yeah I think that's why I ended up getting emotional That game because you start to think of the Rachel Hayhoe Flints and the people who've fought long before

to be able to pave the way for women to come through and then you're starting to think, hold on, the newspapers were all bubbling and getting excited. The media centre, which often for women's games up to that point could, you know, you have a few people, faces that we all know, but all of a sudden it's packed

and the main journalists are in, you walk in the ground and they're kids, families, people from all sorts of different worlds, and also the fun, the touts out of, people who are, mate, can I get your ticket? I was like, actually, I'm all right, because I've got my past to get in. But they were on the hardcore, like to have touts at a women's game out there trying to resale,

that gives you the sense of how exciting it was. A pack lord, people could not wait. Your phone is blowing up as well with people who never said they cared that much about women's cricket, always all going hold on, the women are in the final, we want to get in, how do we become part of this? How many media interviews did you get asked to do before that as well? And you're like, you didn't care two months ago. Yeah, exactly. Sorry, yeah. But you get excited by it.

And I think the thing is that I loved as well, you know, the giving a kid a bat and ball, everyone who came through the gates. So you know that anyone who was going to be inspired was going to be able to leave and go and straight awake, try and recreate the moments of the players that they'd seen. I think it was during that tournament we saw a Natmeg come through and you know that the kids were going to be possibly trying to recreate that.

So, I mean, the excitement and the build, I think you felt it. Like the hairs on my neck were up from the minute you woke up, saw it on the TV news, saw it. doing early interviews, coming into the ground, feeling that swell of excitement, and knowing England could do something special, but it wasn't there yet. And so then that left that anxiety, even within us, knowing this could be the most special moment, but also it could go horribly wrong.

It was a funny old day as well. There was rain around, and it was cloudy and sort of suddenly sunny again. And it just felt all very sort of intense and full on in an odd sort of way. It was so busy coming into the ground. family and friends, some of them missed the national anthem. That's how busy it was, because obviously family and friends set up the time. What time you get into the ground? Normally it's an hour before, so we'll do the same.

The cues were so big. My mum ended up having an argument with the security man. We're family and friends. We cannot possibly miss the national anthem. And I think they ended up just barging through security and getting to the ground just in time. But that came as a shock to all of us how busy it was. Yeah. Well, let's go through the game then.

England won the toss. Batted first. made 228 for 7, which felt okay, but it didn't feel like a huge number of runs. Top scoring, Nat Siverbrunt, who made 51, Sarah Taylor 45, and Catherine Siverbrunt made 34 of 42 balls. Again, Jenny Gunn at the back end of the inning's valuable runs with 25. Phil, the runchators always sort of looked at as a massive opportunity thrown away by India.

Talk us through where they were at various points. Well, they opened with Poonam Rout and Smeetie Mandana. I remember being very excited, Smeetie Mandana making her first ever duck in one-day internationals in the final. Shrubsal, to Mandana, she's bowled. Coming forward and the stumps light up as Shropsoll getting its first wicket. Five for one. Well, there's a bit of a mixed bag over, but I tell you what, we know how dangerous Mandana can be. In the last game she played, she picked up.

a brilliant 90 odd but not today and your shrub sole she was getting the ball to move she was struggling actually to control it but this one caught through the small gap there mandana a little bit too late on the shot and wow well if you want that wicket to get you going nothing better than seeing someone be bowled through the gate and everyone knows how classy mandana

can beat although mandana went without scoring india five for one matali raj went relatively cheap please. She was run out, wasn't she? She ran a self out, didn't she? Yeah, for 17, India 43 for two. Then a partnership of 95 took India to 138 for two before Harman-Preet Cor was bowled out. Let's have a look here, Beaumont, bold, hearty. Well, I remember it so clearly because it went out towards the grandstand and time stood still. And I mean, what it must have been like for you, Alex. Well, it was horrific because I remember two balls like previously had gone right, okay, toss one up. She'd whack me down the ground here for six, into the media

centre, basically felt like into the media centre. So I put my fielder back, went again, bowled a really lovely delivery, a little bit of drift, pitched on leg, bang, down the ground for six again. So I've gone for 12 in two balls, and I was like, okay, Heather looks at me, she's like, you're good, you're fine. I was like, okay, I'm going to bowl one into the pitch.

So I bowed one into the pitch, and she smacked it, and I was like, oh, no, that's gone absolutely miles. And it was one of those where time stood still, we almost all had time, me, Heather, Sarah behind the stumps to all look at each other two or three times going, who's watching? Because I'm not watching where that goes. And both fingers crossed. See that it's Tammy.

No disrespect, but she dropped a few catches. There was almost a moment where you go, no. And then she caught it. The crowd goes wild. She was on 51 at the moment. Moves across her stamps and she sweeps out towards backward square leg and the catch is taken. Alex Hartley yet again.

In amongst the wickets. Partnership is broken. Is this the twist? 138 for three. I just went absolutely mental. And let's not forget, this is Harmon Precourt who has just come off the back of that inning. Yeah, and it was going to take something special,

or a rank long hop to dismiss her. But it was, you know, it felt like a moment, didn't it? It was, I mean, you felt with that catch, England were going to possibly hold things together, but then obviously the Jenny gun potentially drop in the world after we'll get on to that well well even at that stage even after Alex took that wicket India needed 100 and there were 138 for three they had seven wickets in hand they still only needed 91 off 99 you know the match was still very much in their

favour they then progressed to 191 before Poonham route was out to anews Rubsal starting the sort of the famous you know run of pay that we know about there was still time for you to get another workout out it was strange because as soon as we got Harmon Preet out we were never losing we felt like we were never losing

but when you looked at DLS and you looked at the scorecard and you looked back at the game now we should never have won no we should never have won

that game India bottled it absolutely bottled it they were so in control Anya won us that game you should know bowling the way that she did but India was so in control

for such a long period yeah that Shubbs sole wicket getting Poonam route 86 off 115 India then needed 38 or 43 with six wickets in hand like you're saying

in every calculation you look at that's India's game but we never felt like we were losing but that's an extraordinary thing I remember Robbins are saying the same thing that he was never really

worried about it and I think watching on there was always that sense of the women's game at that area if you could get it to a run a ball and pressure that could start getting awkward yeah and I think

the depth that we see now in the women's game wasn't quite there for teams I don't think they knew how to execute under pressure. So if you could keep on, and, you know, and it's almost, you know, you could see, you know, you could see it was almost like the England players were going around, just keeping the game, keeping the game, keeping the game.

Chat was run a ball, get it to a runnable. Keeping the game. And so that feeling that England never took their eye off the fight at any stage was important because they could feel that. And the crowd as well, that's another thing that we maybe haven't really added in. I do think the crowd, often when England go to India or play an India crowd, you get that a 12 man, 12 woman feeling because the crowd gives that. I definitely think there was something in that.

England got lifted with a bit of mojo. You could feel how much it meant. And I think that threw a bit back on India as well. And so they were on paper cruising, but getting it to a run a ball. And then the crowd going, if England stopped the ball, just to stop the ball in the field, everyone was going absolutely electric for it. So the atmosphere as well helped England stay in the game and I think put pressure on India. It's funny you say that because the crowd at times felt like we were in India.

There was ball crunch through the covers for four. The crowd went wild. There was a dot ball. The crowd went wild. It couldn't figure out what on earth the split was of the crowd, but all I remember it being was incredible. And like you say, the crowd did lift us because every dot ball we felt, but every four through the covers, we also felt it was like, okay, this is wild.

What about the Ania Shrobsville spell? Phil, because talk us through how it fell away and how it fell away so quickly. Well, in the end, I mean, India still needed 11 or 15 balls when Shika Pandy was runout. Once again, Anja Shubsoll involved in that run out. So with two wickets left, they needed 11

of 15. The game was going tighter, but the run rate had never got out of hand. Anya Shubsoll came back in the 49th over. She got Deep Tshama for 14, caught by Natsir. and then came back and bowled Gaya Quad to win the game to finish with figures almost unbelievable figures

of 9.4 overs, no maidens, 6 for 46. And I'm going to chuck in there as well Alex Hartley, 10 overs, 2 for 58, more expensive than typical, but I remember you also telling me you were bowling much quicker than you ever normally did, weirdly.

Yeah, I think the pressure just got to me. You know, I don't know what it was, but I remember being like, okay, I felt like I was bowling normal and I think that just shows what pressure can do and I felt so in control but I was just leaking runs or there'd be a four ball every over

and I'd be like oh well okay good shot or bad ball whatever and then it was not only you get your stats back at the end and obviously it was a couple of weeks later and the speed differences I was like okay that's good to know for next time because next time I'm under pressure

I just need to just take that extra step and that extra breath and just take my time worth pointing out also that the only other wicket take her apart from Mania Straub so was Alex Hartley because there was the two runouts. Now the drop so the game is we have to. We have to

we have to I'm afraid because the game is virtually one for both sides at various points as the ball loops towards mid-off off the batting of I think it was Gaiq Quad no she was her first ball so it would have been Poonam Yadav

and it is looping towards Jenny Gunn who's got the safest hands in the team and England are celebrating and then, inexplicably, down it goes. And goes shrub sole trying to advance. She's lost it in the air. It should be caught on the edge of the circle. Oh, and it's put down.

Put down by Jenny Gunn, the simplest of catches. It was looped up to her at mid-off. Now that's the pressure of a Lord's final. Look, Jenny Gunn is the nicest person in the world. That is an irrelevance at this point. But right, this moment, I'm going to have to do her one. I'm sorry, Jen. We love you, and I think the whole world loves you.

But at that moment, the person who, arguably, don't know how many ODIs she has, but she must have had 100 ODIs under the bank. She has the biggest hands, I would argue, in world cricket, like she's got these levers. And she also, you know, she's known that the reason they put her in, had always put her in really key positions, it's because her ability to, she doesn't drop them. So I think, you know, you saw this sort of Dolly and you're thinking, well, this is someone with 100 ODIs or whatever it is under her belt. She's got the biggest hands.

She's the most calm person under pressure, and it all went to pot. And I remember just hearing the shrieks in the media centre No, she's just dropped the World Cup And you're thinking that's it, it's done And I feel for her Because even though they ended up going on to win She will never live that moment down And I just note here with some of the online commentary

That mentions the drop catchet says But the bowler remains super calm And then next ball, Anya Shub-sol Castle Sky Quad In England have won the World Cup Well it has to be fate One thing I have to say about Anya You know, she is resilience on a play, on every dish that you can have met.

She is just resilience. But that, and I'm sure we'll get into it in a moment, but that picture of her as a young girl looking out across Lords and then having the ball in her hand, chaos going around with the crowd going off, I feel like almost she must have been visualising or calming herself down to be able to handle that pressure. And then there was that picture that got recreated of her as a kid and then her kind of looking over Lords.

and it is one of those things it sounds really corny but you talk about the dream of what it is to play for your country and to go out and win a moment to calm things down, chaos and she just had this sort of zen and the way she got the game done

not just in the semi-final but in the final I think is sporting it like the sporting dream and here in the commentary box we'll get out to celebrations for you as players shortly Alex to wrap up but here in the commentary box I'll never forget it.

You were in floods of tears. I couldn't get a word out. But why? I think so there was a few things. So one was, I think it was all the emotions of, I always think about where the games come from. Like I say, anyone who knows the history of the World Cup, Rachel Hayhoe Flint used to fight tooth and nail

got the first ever women's 50 over World Cup. First World Cup, men or women. And she was part of the person who sold to get the investment, to make it happen. She did so much. And I remember coming into Lord. when women weren't even allowed in the pavilion meeting hayho flint and the fight that people like her claire connor had fought to get the girls investment in terms of contracts which you know things like

that so i think coming in seeing what i saw had just already got me revved up and then i think the other which did me katherine brunt now sever brunt was a good mate of mine who i saw go through injury after injury after injury and fight back and i remember like just looking down on the field and I was just thinking about the the journey that athletes go through to be able to have a moment like this was just so special that I think I was just feeling all of that and I just hid it and then I'm on air and getting asked questions and I'm like and I could not speak I was just I was really head up with emotion and I knew how special what has happened from then and you look at the investment in the hundred the hundreds of a soul for nearly a billion with a men and

women's team in parity and equal footing and that had a lot leverage to do with that moment excitement that's come from that the global game and the pace you know it really India now becoming a powerhouse all really stemmed from England capitalizing on that moment and India being in that final so I think I just felt it all and I and I knew a lot of the girls I knew I knew hardly well enough as well a little bit from the old sorry days only but and I have to admit I did get stuck into the celebrations with the girls me and me and Eisha were fully invested even though we weren't anywhere near but I think that you want you play for England you're an England player yeah you know and you feel it yeah and I was

I was so proud, and you're meant to be impartial, but it wasn't a moment to be. Phil, how did you feel at that moment? I'll tell you what story I'll give you. The next day, as you said, we'd celebrate quite well that night, didn't we? I remember. Yeah, I remember players coming back to various hotels. I don't remember either. Some people not remember coming back.

I got the train home the next day. I normally go via St. Pankwis, but I was at Houston. I can't remember quite well. I remember I had a very good drink the night before. But the big screen at Houston, if you've ever waited for a train at Houston station, and everyone looks up at the big screen wait to see what train their platform will go from. They were showing the last over of the final

and I stood there waiting for the train and when Anya took that final wicket, I don't know, 500 people in there all cheered in unions and almost hats going in the air people celebrating. And as you say, you know, it kind of put England's women or put women's cricket and certainly in that position front and centre

where it most definitely hadn't have been. I think a few years previously people wouldn't even look at that big screen, but suddenly it was the thing everyone was talking about it and you did feel rightly so that the game was going to move on from where it had been till probably where it is now final word for you Alex the celebrations we know as you've mentioned were lively but what about fullness of time and and how you look at it now and how you assess what happened eight years ago I think the thing that sticks out for me was how many people stuck around after we've won and it started raining and there's a couple of pictures of the girls going into the pavilion and all the family and friends and their high-fiving family and friends going past but there was also a couple of us that really took our time on the lap of honour and there was thousands of people that stuck around and young girls young boys all wanting signatures photos

to try the medal on and um i think that really sticks to me is is you just knew that you we'd captured the country, we'd captured the nation. It sounds cliche, and it's spoken about a lot, but we inspired so many people that day. And you'd taken that opportunity. Yeah, and, you know, like, we'd go, okay, let's just win games, and within winning games, we inspired so many more people to play cricket, but it was the best day of my life.

And as I said earlier, it's taken me a while to come to terms with it and, you know, how my career panned out afterwards. But I look back in with immense pride, and every time I walk out I will always remember that World Cup final and there was a picture somebody took of me in the crowd in front of the mound stand

of me just down in a bottle of champagne I was like that sums that sums it up basically thank you to Phil Long to another World Cup winner Ebony Rainford Brent but also to Forever a World Cup winner for that incredible day at Lords in 2017

Alex Hartley towards Beckwood Street The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup featuring the stars of women's cricket. Smash straight back down the ground, this girl. Eight teams. Takes the cap. One winner.

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