Tilly Corteen-Coleman received the call that changed her life while out walking her dogs—a fitting start for an 18-year-old who calls her four dogs her biggest cheerleaders. The left-arm spinner is the only uncapped player named in England’s T20 World Cup squad, set for a home tournament this summer as the team chases its first trophy since 2017.
Corteen-Coleman described the moment head coach Charlotte Edwards broke the news as a “complete whirlwind.” She told BBC Sport, “It all happened so quickly, I was so emotional… not one part of me thought I'd be in that squad, it's so competitive. I just went straight to my parents, ran in jumping up and down.”
The teenager’s rapid ascent includes a £105,000 deal in The Hundred with Southern Brave, where she made her debut aged 16 and claimed her first wicket—Meg Lanning, the legendary former Australia captain. Brave captain Georgia Adams praised Corteen-Coleman’s blend of youthful energy and maturity: “She has got a really wonderful balance of just being a kid… but also being really mature for her age. So much has happened for her, but she is still the exact same Tilly as she was on her first day of training.”
For Corteen-Coleman, the call-up feels like a “full circle” moment: Edwards, who gave her first Kent under-11s cap, is now her national coach. “It’s crazy,” the spinner said, still buzzing from the news that will see her share a dressing room with England stars as they aim for World Cup glory.