Anya Shrubsole and India's Smriti Mandhana team up at Western Storm in 2018 Kia Super League
'Smriti is such a talented player and a great recruit for Storm'
Wednesday 18 July 2018 14:49, UK
Western Storm new-ball bowler Anya Shrubsole is looking forward to being on the same side as Indian batting star Smriti Mandhana when the 2018 Kia Super League campaign commences this weekend.
Adversaries in last year's women's World Cup final at Lord's, the pair will join forces when defending champions Storm open their account against Yorkshire Diamonds in front of the Sky Sports Cricket cameras at Taunton's Cooper Associates Ground on Sunday (2pm).
For England bowling spearhead Shrubsole, it will be a relief not to have to find a way to get Mandhana - who is set to become the first Indian recruit to play in the KSL - out.
Shrubsole said: "I'm certainly looking forward to having her on my side rather than having to bowl against her.
"She's had a bit of success against us for India, so I'll be glad to watch her do her thing from the dressing room and not 22 yards away with the ball in my hand. She's such a talented player, she's a great recruit to our side and we're looking forward to watching her impress."
One of the rising stars of women's T20 cricket, 22-year-old Mandhana has scored 826 runs in 40 T20 internationals and amassed 1,464 runs in 41 ODIs, averaging 37.53 with a highest score of 135.
She has also featured in the Big Bash for Brisbane Heat and captained IPL Trailblazers in this year's Women's T20 Challenge.
After showcasing her impressive stroke-play during the World Cup in England last year, Mandhana carried her ODI form into 2018 by scoring a century in South Africa and four half centuries in five home matches against Australia and England.
Storm head coach Trevor Griffin is excited at the prospect of one of the most sought after players in the women's game providing last season's winners with crucial top-order runs.
He said: "We're really excited that Smriti is with us. She is one of the brightest talents in the game at the moment. Although she is still young, she already has a great deal of experience of the game at the highest level and we believe she will prove to be an excellent signing."
While spectators at Taunton will be eager to see Mandhana in action on Sunday, Shrubsole believes depth of squad rather than quality of overseas signings will prove decisive in an expanded competition in which the teams now play one another home and away.
"It will be strength of squad and depth of players that will count now that we are playing twice as many games," reasoned World Cup winner Shrubsole. "Teams won't be able to rely solely on their overseas stars to win them games.
"We've got a consistent squad as well as those exciting overseas signings, so hopefully we'll be there or thereabouts again this year."
Storm are attempting to become the first side to retain the KSL title and Shrubsole admitted: "Winning after winning is one of the hardest things in sport. We fell short the year before, so it was great to get there in 2017. We'd obviously love to do the same this year."
Watch selected matches from the Kia Super League live on Sky Sports Cricket, starting with Western Storm v Yorkshire Diamonds live on Sky Sports Cricket and Mix this Sunday from 2pm.
