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Alice Capsey is pleased to see England’s leading lights take charge in the women’s Hundred after taking up head coach Jon Lewis’ challenge to dominate the tournament.
An undefeated summer saw England sweep aside Pakistan and New Zealand with ease and Lewis told his squad to continue proving they were a cut above as they dispersed around the country for the fourth edition of The Hundred.
Capsey has already heeded the call at Oval Invincibles, reeling off successive half-centuries against Birmingham Phoenix and Welsh Fire to start the campaign on a high.
That made her the first player to pass the 100-run barrier, followed closely by international team-mates Sophia Dunkley and Nat Sciver-Brunt, with captain Heather Knight close behind. Among the big-name overseas signings, only Australia’s Ellyse Perry commands a place in the top five scorers.
And, as they tune up for October’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, it is a club Capsey is happy to be part of.
“It’s pleasing from an England point of view that we are finding form. As a group we’ve had a very successful summer so it was just about taking that into the Hundred and building on what we’ve started with an eye on the World Cup,” she told the PA news agency.
“We’ve all gained an understanding of our own games and how we want to play as an England team and that doesn’t change now with we’re our teams this month. You want to be at the top of those wicket-taking charts or at the top of the run-scoring tables and go in that next tournament in a good place to perform.
“If it’s me who finishes on top of the scoring charts it means I’ll have scored a few more and helped the Invincibles get some wins.
“I’m more focused on helping the team finish top of the table than myself topping a table but every batter wants to score as many as possible. If I could score 50 every single game that would be great but I guess it depends how the next few teams bowl at me!”
I've always seen it as a real honour to be part of this. I feel like me doing well is my way of giving back to the tournament for everything it's given me— Alice Capsey
Capsey was arguably the first true breakout star of The Hundred, emerging as a fearless 16-year-old talent in the opening season back in 2021 and quickly catapulted into the England setup as a result.
Less than two weeks before he 20th birthday she still feels a kinship with the setting and wants to do her best to elevate the competition that once did the same to her.
“The Hundred gave me the stage to perform, to kick on and have people know my name. It’s a spotlight for the women’s game,” she said.
“Without it I might not be playing for England, or certainly not as soon as I did. I’ve always seen it as a real honour to be part of this and I love playing in it. I feel like me doing well is my way of giving back to the tournament for everything it’s given me.”
