We are incredibly proud to celebrate the achievements of Emily Arlott, a former student of John Masefield High School who has gone on to represent England on the international cricket stage.
Emily currently plays for Warwickshire Women Bears and Birmingham Phoenix, primarily as a right-arm medium-fast bowler.
International honours:
Emily received her maiden call-up to the England women’s cricket team, ahead of their home Test series against India in 2021 and again in 2022 versus South Africa. Illness and injury prevented her from making her debut, however consistent performance and hard work over the next few years paid off and on 21st May 2025 at Canterbury, Emily received her first England cap in a T20i series against the West Indies. She played in all three T20i matches and in only her second match wearing international colours she took 3/14 to seal the series win and was voted Player of the Match. On 30 May 2025 she received her ODI cap at Derby returning respectable figures of 2/47. England Women won the T20i and ODI series with Arlott taking 10 wickets across both formats, ending as the joint leading wicket taker for the series. For her impressive start, she was rewarded with further selection for the next series against India in both T20i and ODI formats.
Cricketing career:
Emily started her cricketing journey at Much Marcle Primary School through the Chance to Shine initiative playing age group cricket for Eastnor CC. She played her club cricket for Ledbury and Pershore and in 2013, she made her county debut for Worcestershire Women aged 15. A regular wicket taking player in the Worcestershire Women’s County squad from 2013-2019 she won many awards, including Player’s Player of the Year. In 2020, Arlott was one of 41 women nationally who were awarded a professional contract under the new regionalised domestic cricket structure. From 2020-2024 Emily played professionally for Central Sparks based at Edgbaston in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy (ODI) and Charlotte Edwards Cup (T20) taking a total of 75 list A wickets, including two hat tricks.
Career highlights:
– England Women’s T20i debut (cap no 68) vs West Indies at Canterbury (21 May 2025)
– England Women’s ODI debut (cap no 152) vs West Indies at Derby (30 May 2025)
– PCA Player of the Month for April 2025
– Warwickshire Women Bears 2025 – List A: 17 wickets in 9 matches, Maiden list A century scoring 130 off 141 as no. 7 bat
– Western Australia Women (WCNL) debut (Feb 2025) in Canberra against ACT Meteors 3/40
– Central Sparks 2020-2024 – List A: 75 wickets, including two hat tricks 48 catches/run outs and 1496 runs (highest score 63)
– 33 wickets for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred (2021-2024); best bowling 3/15
– PCA Women’s Team of the Year – 2022 & 2023
Overseas tours:
During her career, Emily has enjoyed tours to South Africa, Australia and India. In the winter of 2025 she played five matches for South Perth Women based in Western Australia and four for Western Australian Women State finishing with 9 wickets and scoring a total of 101 runs ( best bowling 3/40).
Fun fact:
Emily is often asked if she is related to the great cricketing commentator, John Arlott. A question she is often asked by journalists and umpires at the crease. Following research into this, unfortunately she cannot make that claim to cricketing royalty.
Schooling:
Emily attended John Masefield from Year 7 through to Year 13. During her time at the school, Emily displayed not only academic dedication but also a passion for sport that set her apart. Representing JMHS at Hockey, Athletics and Cricket her commitment, determination, and talent were evident from an early age, and it has been truly inspiring to watch her journey from school sports fields in Ledbury to some of the most prestigious cricket grounds in the world.
Career:
Following her time at John Masefield, Emily worked at Worcestershire County Cricket as a development coach, working with local primary schools to inspire the next generation, a true testament to her drive and work ethic.
Summary:
Over the last few years, women’s cricket has developed at a fast pace, with continued investment from the ECB to identify and develop talented players, who at the top level, can now play professionally at home and abroad and compete internationally on the biggest stages.
Emily’s success is a shining example of what young people from our school and town can achieve with hard work, resilience, and belief in their abilities. She is an inspiration not only to our current students but to all young and aspiring sports players across the Ledbury community.
We are honoured to count Emily among our international sporting alumni and look forward to watching her continue to make an impact both on and off the pitch.