When Maia Bouchier took her third catch against the West Indies during England’s Women’s T20 World Cup qualifier, the camera caught the look of heartbreak and utter disbelief on her face.
That day, England was shocked when they went from being one of the pre-tournament favorites to being the subject of analysis of the dynamics of the entire team.
But fast forward exactly two months and Bouchier’s situation couldn’t have been any different.
The heartbreak was replaced by a radiant smile and youthful giddiness as she kissed the England crest on her helmet, marking an uncontrollable release of emotion in an embrace with batting partner Nate Sciver-Brunt as she reached triple figures on her Test debut.
If her maiden century in all formats against New Zealand in July was the knock on adulthood, it was a redemption arc.
The 26-year-old is a regular in England’s white-ball teams, finishing at the top of the table, but given the rarity of women testing, she learned on the job in Bloemfontein.
But most importantly, she was led by three of England’s most accomplished players, first sharing a 53-run stand with Tammy Beaumont to overcome the new-ball threat from South Africa, and then clearly growing in confidence over the next fifty overs with captain Heather Knight.
However, with Sciver-Brunt scoring the fastest women’s Test century in their 174 overs, Bouchier made no mistake as the pair batted at a one-day strike rate for almost 30 overs, barely breaking a sweat.
South Africa had no answer as they bravely tossed the ball up in the air in search of wickets, but this simply added to Bouchier’s power as she scored 52% of her runs straight down the ground.
Bouchier’s introduction to international cricket was a frustrating one, a young player full of potential who struggled to find a consistent place, often with a tendency to have sharp lapses in concentration when things were starting to come together.
So while her superb timing of simple passes and quick hands to get the ball through her legs were enjoyable to watch, equally enjoyable was the way she took on the responsibility of opening up, winning the mental battle and, as a result, likely cementing herself at the top rankings in all three formats of the upcoming Ashes.
