The Ashes 2023: England’s Tammy Beaumont revels in ‘special’ double century

Tammy Beaumont, the English cricketer, expressed her delight in achieving a “remarkable” double century against the world’s top-ranked team, Australia, in the Ashes 2023.

At 32 years old, Beaumont surpassed Betty Snowball’s 88-year-old record of 189 by scoring an impressive 208 runs at Trent Bridge. She was the final wicket to fall as England posted a total of 463 runs. At the end of day three, Australia stood at 82-0, leading by 92 runs.

Beaumont humbly acknowledged her accomplishment, saying, “It’s a great honor. I simply had an exceptional day on the field. I wasn’t aware of the milestone, which is why I didn’t celebrate it immediately since we still needed more runs. Achieving this feat in England against the best team in the world makes it even more special, and I hope it etches its place in the record books. I owe a lot to the support and guidance of our captain, Heather Knight, as well as Nat Sciver-Brunt. They have known me for a long time and understand when I need motivation to keep going.”

Reflecting on her incredible achievement, Beaumont shared her disbelief, saying, “To be honest, I can’t quite believe it. I scored a double hundred in the A game last week, and I thought it would be impossible to repeat it so soon. I remained composed for around 300 balls, but if you’re going to score a double hundred, you might as well give it your all. The girls will probably tell you that I didn’t say a word during tea; I was just completely focused.”

Beaumont’s record-breaking innings set several new records. She achieved England women’s highest individual score, surpassing Betty Snowball’s 189 from 1935. Her score of 208 also ranks as the fifth-highest in Test cricket history, with Kiran Baluch’s 242 against the West Indies in 2004 holding the top position. Although Beaumont fell just five runs short of Ellyse Perry’s Ashes record of 213* in 2017, her innings stands as the highest-ever score against Australia and the first double century against the perennial world number ones. Additionally, she hit 26 fours, the most in an England Test innings. Beaumont also joined an elite group of England players, becoming only the fourth to score centuries in all three formats, alongside Heather Knight, Jos Buttler, and Dawid Malan.

Previously facing uncertainties about her place in the team, Beaumont was dropped from England’s T20 side after the 2022 Ashes and missed out on last summer’s Commonwealth Games and this year’s T20 World Cup. However, the new aggressive and attack-minded approach under coach Jon Lewis has allowed Beaumont to showcase her skills as a touch player.

Georgia Elwiss, an England all-rounder, shared insights into Beaumont’s journey, saying, “I spoke to Tammy before the series, and she was uncertain about her position in the team. She finds herself in a challenging phase right now. England is aiming for an aggressive style of play, which doesn’t come naturally to Tammy. She’s more of a timing player, but she possesses all the shots. She has worked hard on her game and gained more confidence. Sometimes, uncertainty brings out the best in you, igniting your drive and determination, and that’s evident in her preparations for this Ashes series.”

Beaumont’s competitive nature and love for cricket make her a formidable opponent, according to her teammate Elwiss. Elwiss remarked, “She can be quite annoying to play against. She often fields at short leg and never stops talking! We’ve faced each other in internal games, and she definitely gets inside your head. Tammy is fiercely competitive, always eager to be batting. If there’s a spare slot in the nets, she’ll be the first to grab it. She’s an absolute cricket enthusiast and has the mindset of ‘If someone can do it, so can I,’ which is fantastic to have.”

The historic innings by Beaumont also brought immense pride to her family. Her parents and partner, Callum, expressed their joy in interviews. Julie, her mother, said, “We are extremely proud of her innings. It’s simply fantastic, surpassing all the dreams of a six-year-old who wanted to play with her brother in the boys’ team.” Kevin, her father, admitted being a nervous watcher, while Callum added, “When you witness the effort she puts into her game every day, it’s incredibly satisfying to see her achieve her dreams. She always aspired to score centuries in Test matches, and it’s truly wonderful to witness it.”

In other news unrelated to cricket, the comedic play “How will Princess Georgiana cope Down Under?” featuring Catherine Tate is gaining popularity, and a Panorama investigation delves into the reasons behind the limited adoption of electric cars in the UK.

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