Sophie Ecclestone

Early life Ecclestone was born in Chester, Cheshire, From when she was a young child, she, her older brother, James, and her father, Paul, played cricket or football outside their home, on a daily basis. She received her formal cricketing education at Alvanley Cricket Club in Helsby, She joined the club's junior section at seven years of age, and entered the Cheshire U13s pathway just two years later. She was then spotted by Lancashire, for which she signed and made her top-level domestic debut in 2015 at the age of 16.

International Ecclestone was fast-tracked into England's Academy squad. In 2016, still aged 16, she was selected for the England Academy winter squad, and went on her first tour abroad, to Sri Lanka with the academy. During that tour, and despite suffering from homesickness, she took 16 wickets for the academy in a tri-series against Australia A and Sri Lanka A, including four wickets in a match against the latter team in Panagoda. During that match, she had the good fortune to take her first wicket with a full toss.

As the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup approached, Ecclestone was in contention for selection to play for England, the ultimate winner of the tournament. However, she was still 17 years old, and had another round of exams to go before finishing school. Ecclestone, her parents and England's then coach Mark Robinson therefore decided that she would not play for England that summer.

In October 2018, she was named in England's squad for the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies. Ahead of the tournament, she was named as one of the players to watch.

In February 2019, she was awarded a full central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for 2019. In June 2019, the ECB named her in England's squad for their opening match against Australia to contest the Women's Ashes.

In January 2020, she was named in England's squad for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia. On 1 March 2020, in England's final group match of the tournament, Ecclestone took her 50th wicket in WT20Is, and her 100th wicket in international cricket. She became the youngest woman to take 50 wickets in WT20I cricket, which she achieved in 34 matches. With eight tournament wickets at an average of 6.12 and an economy rate of just 3.23, she also emerged from the tournament as the world's number one WT20I bowler.

Ecclestone was the first England bowler to hold that distinction since Anya Shrubsole in 2016, and the first England spinner to do so since Danielle Hazell in 2015. In February 2021, during England's tour of New Zealand, Ecclestone took her 100th international wicket. In June 2021, Ecclestone was named as in England's Test squad for their one-off match against India.

In December 2021, Ecclestone was named in England's squad for their tour to Australia to contest the Women's Ashes. In February 2022, she was named in England's team for the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. During the tournament, she took a total of 21 wickets, just two short of Lyn Fullston's all-time record for ODI World Cup tournaments; her scalps included three back-to-back three-wicket hauls.

In July 2022, she was named in England's team for the cricket tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

She was named in the England squad for the 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

Ecclestone won the Women's Cricket Award at the 2024 Cricket Writers' Club Awards. In December 2024, she was ranked no.1 T20I bowler and overtook Sadia Iqbal.

She was named in England's squad for their multi-format tour to South Africa in November 2024.

Ecclestone was named in the England squad for the 2025 Women's Ashes series in Australia.

Personal life Ecclestone told BBC Sport in 2020 that she had an ambition to become a pilot. As of 2022, she had a fiancé named Craig and a dog named Rex.

Ecclestone supports Everton Football Club.