All-Rounder Focuses on Performance as She Gains Recognition in West Indies Series

England all-rounder Charlie Dean is pleased to be back in the headlines for her performances rather than the controversy surrounding her dismissal at Lord’s last September. In that match, Dean was run out by India’s Deepti Sharma while backing up at the non-striker’s end, a decision that sparked a global debate.

Following the incident, Dean displayed good grace and humour, even mimicking a ‘Mankad’ during the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint final. However, she acknowledged that the experience had affected her.

Now, a few months later, Dean is making waves on tour in the West Indies, where she has taken seven wickets during a 3-0 ODI series sweep and claimed three for 22 in her first full T20 match. Speaking from Barbados, where England aims to maintain their 100% record with a series-clinching win in the third T20, she reflected on the emotional impact of the earlier incident.

“Initially, it did affect me,” she admitted. “As a cricketer, you want to be known for your performances, not for something like a type of dismissal. It brought up quite a few emotions. While it was a legal dismissal, it wasn’t how I would have chosen to get the last wicket.”

Dean managed to take a holiday afterward and stayed largely disconnected from social media, thankful she didn’t witness the online discourse surrounding the situation. “We’ve all put it to bed and moved on in this dressing room,” she noted, expressing her eagerness to focus on her cricketing achievements.

In the 50-over format, Dean is already making a name for herself, finishing 2022 with 29 wickets, second only to team-mate Sophie Ecclestone and South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail. However, opportunities in the T20 format have been limited due to the formidable partnership of Ecclestone and leg-spinner Sarah Glenn.

“With Eccles and Sarah being the top two bowlers in the ICC rankings, it’s tough to break in as a spinner,” she acknowledged. “I believe I could be good enough to be in the XI, but I have two exceptional performers ahead of me. That’s my next challenge.”