Brunt, who debuted in 2004, played 267 matches for England, taking 335 wickets across formats. Her debut came a decade before the introduction of central contracts in women’s cricket.
Brunt’s achievements include winning three World Cups and four Ashes series, with her being England’s leading wicket-taker in both white-ball formats. She is also the only player in the history of women’s cricket to have taken a minimum of 50 wickets in all three international formats.
After retiring from regional cricket, Brunt went unsold during the inaugural WPL auction but will continue playing for Trent Rockets in The Hundred. Her last game for England was in the 2023 T20 World Cup semi-final defeat against South Africa.
“I never had any dreams or aspirations to do what I’ve done, I only ever wished to make my family proud of me. And what I’ve achieved has gone way beyond that,” Brunt said in her official statement.
She added: “I have so much to be thankful for, cricket has given me a purpose, a sense of belonging, security, many golden memories and best friends that will last a lifetime. Of the trophies and titles I could have wished to achieve, I have reached them all, but my greatest achievement is the happiness that I have found in Nat.
“It has been a huge honour representing England for so long and I’d like to thank all of the England cricket family past and present for making my time a special one. The supporters – you are awesome, without you we wouldn’t be able to do what it is that we love and the atmosphere you guys create is irreplaceable.
“The biggest thanks I have though goes to my family, they are my biggest fans and greatest support without which I wouldn’t have made this journey at all.”
With her all-round ability, including scoring more than 2,000 international runs at a strike rate of over 98, Brunt has been one of the most influential players of the England women’s team in recent years. Her consistency, dedication and never-give-up attitude have made her a role model for younger players.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
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