Over a decade on from leaving Sussex and seven years after being dropped from the England Academy, partly due to concerns over her batting, Rudd has come full circle.
She’s been back at her home county since 2019, and is relishing her role as a specialist wicketkeeper for Brave.
“My role in the team is really clear and I’ve been told by (coach) Charlotte Edwards that she really values my position,” says Rudd.
“The Hundred is so quick that there might be a sharp stumping chance or catch off the opposition’s main batter that you need a specialist to take, but which might be missed by an average wicketkeeper who is more of a batter.”
Brave’s batting line-up is so strong that Rudd is listed to come in at number 11.
The presence of England batters Danni Wyatt, Sophia Dunkley and Maia Bouchier, as well as overseas stars such as India’s Smriti Mandhana and Australia’s Tahlia McGrath, means Rudd has only batted once so far in this season’s tournament, facing two balls in Brave’s shock defeat to Northern Superchargers.
She was only required on two occasions last year, one of which was during Brave’s defeat to Oval Invincibles in the final, where they collapsed to 73 all out after topping the group stage.
However, Rudd’s excellent glovework has been key to Brave’s continued success, including a brilliant stumping to remove England’s Nat Sciver in their recent 10-wicket win over Trent Rockets.
Rudd’s wicketkeeping colleagues in The Hundred often bat in the top order – including players like Alyssa Healy, Lauren Winfield-Hill and Amy Jones.
Rudd says: “I think lots of teams in The Hundred will be looking at us and analysing what it is that makes us so strong. We’ve got great specialists all the way through the side. We know exactly what our roles are, which gives us excellent clarity when we’re out there on the field.”
As well as playing in arguably the strongest women’s domestic sides in the country, Rudd’s past work at Felsted means she has had a hand in bringing through potential stars of the future.
She picks out young wicketkeeper Jess Olorenshaw as one to watch. Olorenshaw, who recently made her debut for the Sunrisers regional team, would have lined up against her teacher in July’s 50-over game against Vipers had Rudd not injured her finger.
Rudd says: “Her name’s definitely in the frame for the Under-19 T20 World Cup (in South Africa in 2023). She has so much natural ability. The Hundred is really encouraging talented players to push on in cricket and believe that they can have a career in the game.”
As Rudd takes up a new role as Director of Sport at The Leys School in Cambridge this week, you can be sure she will be delighted if Olorenshaw isn’t the only former pupil she comes up against on the cricket field.
She might even have a Hundred winner’s medal to show her new charges.