Tara Gabriella Norris (Tara Norris), born on June 4, 1998, is an American cricketer who has made a name for herself in the sport. Norris currently plays for Sussex, North West Thunder, and Southern Brave as a left-arm medium bowler. She has previously played for Loughborough Lightning and Southern Vipers, both of which are renowned teams in the world of cricket.
Despite being born in the United States, Norris played for the United States women’s national cricket team at the 2021 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier. Her performance at the tournament proved to be impressive, further cementing her status as a rising star in the world of cricket.
Early Life
Norris was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is half-Italian. She spent her early years in Spain before moving to England at the age of eight. Norris attended Portslade Aldridge Community Academy and started playing for Horsham Cricket Club at a young age. Her passion and dedication to the sport helped her make a name for herself early on in her career.
Domestic Career
Norris made her county debut in 2014, playing for Sussex against Warwickshire. While she didn’t bat or bowl, her debut marked the start of a successful career in cricket. A year later, she was part of the Sussex squad that won the 2015 Women’s Twenty20 Cup, showcasing her potential as a talented bowler.
Norris had a strong season in the 2018 Women’s County Championship, where she took 10 wickets at an average of 10.30, helping her side get promoted from Division 2.
In the following year, she had another successful county season, where she was Sussex’s second-leading wicket-taker in both competitions.
She also hit her maiden county half-century, scoring 59 not out opening the batting in a T20 victory over Warwickshire.
In the 2021 Women’s Twenty20 Cup, Norris was Sussex’s joint-leading wicket-taker, with 7 wickets at an average of 11.71.
She continued her impressive form in the 2022 Women’s Twenty20 Cup, taking eight wickets at an average of 7.87, including Twenty20 best bowling figures of 4/11, taken against Surrey. In 2020, Norris returned to Southern Vipers for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, where she took 12 wickets at an average of 17.91, including taking 4/45 in a match against Western Storm.
Tara Gabriella Norris (Tara Norris)
Norris was the joint-second leading wicket-taker in the Charlotte Edwards Cup in 2021, with 13 wickets at an average of 13.30. She achieved her Twenty20 best bowling in the tournament against Lightning, taking 4/14 from her 3.5 overs.
In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, she took 11 wickets at an average of 30.09, including taking her List A best bowling figures, again 4/14, against North West Thunder.
In the final of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, Norris hit her List A best of 40 not out as part of an unbroken stand of 78 for the eighth wicket with Emily Windsor to help her side recover from 109/7 to win the match and the tournament by 3 wickets with two balls to spare.
Norris also played six matches for Southern Brave in The Hundred, taking 3 wickets at an average of 22.66. In 2022, she took two wickets in four appearances in the Charlotte Edwards Cup and was Southern Vipers’ leading wicket-taker in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, with 12 wickets at
Despite her young age, Tara Gabriella Norris has already established herself as a formidable cricketer. With her left-arm medium bowling, she has consistently delivered impressive performances for the teams she’s played for.
Born on June 4, 1998, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, Norris spent her early years in Spain before moving to England at the age of eight. She attended Portslade Aldridge Community Academy and started playing for Horsham Cricket Club at a young age.
Her domestic career began in 2014 when she made her county debut for Sussex against Warwickshire. Although she did not bat or bowl, it was the start of a successful career in cricket.
In the 2015 Women’s Twenty20 Cup, Norris was part of the Sussex squad that emerged victorious. Her team’s success continued in the 2018 Women’s County Championship, where they were promoted from Division 2, thanks to Norris’ strong season. She took ten wickets at an average of 10.30.
The following year, she continued her success and was Sussex’s second-leading wicket-taker in both competitions. She also hit her maiden county half-century, scoring 59* opening the batting in a T20 victory over Warwickshire. Her remarkable performance earned her a place in the Southern Vipers squad for the Women’s Cricket Super League.
In 2020, Norris returned to Southern Vipers for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, where she took 12 wickets at an average of 17.91, including 4/45 in a match against Western Storm.
She was also the joint-third leading wicket-taker across the tournament. Norris continued to make waves in the 2021 season, where she was the joint-second leading wicket-taker in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, with 13 wickets at an average of 13.30.
She also achieved her Twenty20 best bowling in the tournament against Lightning, taking 4/14 from her 3.5 overs.
Her impressive performances led her to be selected for the United States women’s national cricket team at the 2021 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier.
She made her Twenty20 International debut in the first match of the tournament against Brazil on October 18, 2021, and went on to play five of USA’s six matches in the tournament, taking 4 wickets at an average of 7.75.
Tara Gabriella Norris is a young cricketer with a bright future ahead of her. She has proven herself time and time again with her exceptional performances for various teams.
Her skill as a left-arm medium bowler has made her an invaluable player for Sussex, North West Thunder, and Southern Brave.
Her determination and dedication to the sport have earned her a place in the United States national team, and she will undoubtedly continue to make waves in the cricket world in the years to come.
WPL Career
Tara Norris officially becomes the first American woman cricketer in the WPL as Delhi Capitals sign her for the WPL 2023 for Rs 10 lakh .
