For a player who has hovered on the fringes of international selection, Emily Arlott’s journey has been anything but typical.
Born on February 23, 1998, the right-arm medium-fast bowler has become a staple of England’s domestic cricket fabric, quietly chiseling out a career marked by resilience, breakthroughs, and a steadfast commitment to self-improvement. Now, after years of knocking on the door, she’s finally stepped into the international arena—debuting against West Indies on May 21st in the first T20I of their 2025 tour of England, where she returned respectable figures of 1/28 in her four-over spell.
Arlott’s first significant mark came all the way back in 2013, making her county debut for Worcestershire against Durham. Just 15 at the time, she picked up a wicket in a 30-run win—one of many early signs of promise. By 2015, she had grown into a key figure in Worcestershire’s side, finishing as their joint-leading wicket-taker in the Women’s County Championship with 8 wickets at 32.62. Her real coming-of-age, however, came in 2019. After battling through an ankle injury during the off-season, Arlott roared back to form, claiming 19 wickets across formats. She led her side again in the County Championship, this time with 12 wickets at a sensational average of 18.66, which included a List A best of 4/25. That year, she was rightly crowned Worcestershire’s Players’ Player of the Year.
In the years that followed, she wore multiple hats across formats and teams. Representing Central Sparks in the 2020 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, she managed three wickets across six matches. But it was the announcement in December 2020 that altered the course of her career: Arlott became one of 41 women to sign a full-time domestic contract, a step that provided both security and validation. The 2021 season saw her blossom further, taking 11 wickets in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, highlighted by her career-best 5/29 against Southern Vipers—a spell that included a remarkable hat-trick. She added 3 wickets in the Charlotte Edwards Cup and made waves in The Hundred for Birmingham Phoenix, where she snared 6 wickets at an average of 25.00, ultimately earning a place in the inaugural PCA Women’s Team of the Year.
Her stock continued to rise in 2022. Across the Charlotte Edwards Cup and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, she claimed 15 wickets for Central Sparks and registered her maiden List A half-century—a gritty 63 against Sunrisers. Her performance in The Hundred was even more impactful; she led Birmingham Phoenix’s bowling unit with 9 wickets at a staggering average of 11.11.
The 2023 season solidified Arlott’s standing as a domestic force. Over 12 matches for Central Sparks, she picked up 17 wickets, including a standout 4/23 against Sunrisers in the Charlotte Edwards Cup. Her efforts for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred remained consistent, adding 7 more wickets to her tally at an average of 16.85. But it was in 2024 that Arlott reached another level. Playing 20 matches for Central Sparks, she bagged 23 wickets across England’s two premier domestic tournaments.
Her domestic consistency had always been evident. In the 2024 edition of The Hundred, she was one of only two uncapped bowlers to cross double digits in wickets. In the Charlotte Edwards Cup, she once again delivered 14 wickets at an average of 16.14, including a standout 4/21.
She also emerged as a crucial figure in Warwickshire’s Women’s One Day Cup 2025 campaign, striking 14 times in just seven games and boasting an economy of 4.63—impressive numbers in a season dominated by big scores.
Yet, Arlott’s biggest moment with the bat might have been what tipped the selection scale in her favour. In a One Day Cup clash against Essex, Warwickshire was reeling at 22-5 when Arlott walked in at No.7. What followed was an extraordinary display of grit and skill, as she batted for 40 overs to score her maiden professional century and lift her side to a match-winning total. It wasn’t just a hundred—it was a statement.
But selection for England had remained elusive. Even as far back as 2021, she had been picked for England’s Test and ODI squads to face India and later named in the A squad touring Australia during the Women’s Ashes. She played two matches on that tour, taking one wicket, but a Test debut never materialised. A COVID-19 diagnosis dashed her hopes again in 2022, ruling her out of a much-anticipated Test against South Africa.
The emotional toll of near misses was evident. While she now admits that not debuting in 2021 might’ve been a blessing in disguise—sparing her from underwhelming performances she wasn’t ready for—missing out in 2022 was harder to accept. Particularly when, since that Test, England had handed debuts to nine players aged 22 or under, bypassing seasoned domestic performers like Arlott in favour of youthful potential. Complicating matters further was the presence of Nat Sciver-Brunt, arguably the finest seam-bowling all-rounder in the world, whose dominance closed the door on others in her mould.
But Arlott’s story is ultimately one of defiance. Even in her mid-20s, she pushed back against the odds. A game-changing trip to Australia over the winter helped her shed long-standing doubts and build the confidence she needed to return stronger. She began the 2025 season roaring, and just days before Charlotte Edwards named her first squad as England head coach, Arlott had already made a compelling case.
Now 27, Emily Arlott is no longer a name merely circling around selection. With a T20I cap finally in hand and the 50-over World Cup looming, she brings England a potent combination of accuracy, late-blooming wisdom, and the kind of form selectors can no longer ignore. Her long wait may have stretched the nerves—but it’s also forged a cricketer now ready to shine on the highest stage.
