Anya Shrubsole realises Lord's 2001 dream, bowls England to World Cup win

London, July 24: England fast bowler Anya Shrubsole's dream as a youngster was realised on Sunday (July 23) as she not only played in ICC Women's World Cup final but also bowled the team to victory.

World Cup special site; Final report

Few days before the title clash against India, a photo was tweeted by Shrubsole's father Ian where she is at Lord's Cricket Ground in 2001.

The caption read, "@Anya_shrubsole 2001- What a place! I'd like to play here ....for England ... in a World Cup final. #WWC17."

Shrubsole had come to the "home of cricket" to watch his dad play in a cricket match. 16 years later, not only that dream was fulfilled but she turned out to be a hero, taking 6 wickets in a tense final where England edged India by 9 runs.

England men team's former captain Nasser Hussain praised Shrubsole for her bowling. "The girl that once dreamt of a lords final has just won one for her country .. brilliant @Anya_shrubsole," he wrote on Twitter.

Thanks to Shrubsole's World Cup final record bowling (6/46 in 9.4 overs), hosts England could lift the World Cup trophy for a 4th time. India collapsed from 191/3 to 219 all out, chasing 229.

"We could easily have fallen away but to stay in the game and win was really amazing. I have never played in a game when you can't hear the person fielding next to you," Shrubsole said after the victory.

"Anya first came down to play at Bath when she was five or six. I didn't really coach her, to be honest, because I passed her over to other coaches. She was always very determined and single-minded, knowing exactly what she wanted to do," her father was quoted as saying in the British media.

OneIndia News