It's Taken Years But Beaumont's Now An Overnight Sensation

Adam Collins looks at the rise to international stardom of a player whose early career was littered with failures and sebacks

- Adam Collins

There is no better illustration of the transformation Tammy Beaumont has made as an international cricketer than taking a look at her Test record. To save her blushes, let’s not dwell on it too much, but needless to say, the numbers are dire. Now, she’s the in-form ODI opening batsman going around, with a World Cup player of the tournament trophy for proof.

Due to the deficit England carry out of the ODI component of the multi-format series, a loss would be terminal for their hopes of leaving the country with the trophy in their hand luggage. In turn, there is no better time for Beaumont to transfer her match winning white-ball ways to the pink in the inaugural day-night women’s Test.

“I have a lot more about me as a batter now instead of the seven that I average (in Tests),” Beaumont tells The Cricket Paper in a discussion of less flattering times. “My debut and second Test were part of the Old Tammy Beaumont when I was very much in and out of the team and not really sure what I was trying to do.”

The right-hander says she “genuinely thought about walking away from the game” after five years struggling in the England shirt. “After the World T20 in 2014 where I think I played five games for ten runs,” she added. “It was pretty embarrassing.”