Bath cricketer Anya Shrubsole reflects on "bittersweet" ICC Women's World Cup with England

Anya Shrubsole described her ICC Women’s World Cup experience as “bittersweet”, with her outstanding personal form not enough to ensure England retained the coveted trophy.

The Bath bowler was the leading wicket-taker at the tournament in India, despite missing the opening defeat to Sri Lanka and the third-place play-off against New Zealand.

England won that match in her absence but could only watch the following day as Australia beat West Indies to claim the crown for 2013.

“It was a very up-and-down month, both for the team and myself as an individual,” said the 21-year-old, who was a squad member when England won the 2009 World Cup.

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“I look back on it with a great deal of pride but a little bit of disappointment. I had a decent World Cup personally but our goal as a team was to win the trophy and we fell short.”

Pivotal to that failure was a Super Six defeat to Australia, with Shrubsole stranded at the crease on 13 not out when partner Holly Colvin was dismissed just three runs short of victory.

“I was convinced we were going to get over the line but it was only ever going to take one ball and unfortunately Australia came up with one,” said the former Hayesfield schoolgirl.

That was the only time Shrubsole batted in the tournament, with most of her damage being done with ball in hand as she took 13 wickets at a stunning average of 7.23.

Her heroics were enough to earn the Somerset seamer a place in the ICC’s team of the tournament, along with England team-mates Colvin, Charlotte Edwards and Katherine Brunt.

“That was a very proud moment, particularly when you look at all the players who had great World Cups,” said Shrubsole, who returned to Loughborough University yesterday to continue her psychology studies.