England women have named their squads to face Sri Lanka in an ODI and T20I series starting later this month, with Mahika Gaur and Bess Heath called-up for the first time.
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Among the headlines is also the omission of several of England’s core group of players to mitigate for their packed schedule, as well as Tammy Beaumont’s continued absence from the T20I squad. England will play Sri Lanka in three T20Is followed by three ODI’s which conclude at Grace Road on September 14.
England Women T20I squad: Heather Knight (c), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Issy Wong, Danielle Wyatt
England Women ODI squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver-Brunt.
Rest and rotation
Four of England’s key players will not take part in at least one of the series. Sophie Ecclestone and Sophia Dunkley will miss both, while Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt will sit out the T20 and ODI series respectively. It’s been exactly a month since England won the final match of the Ashes series, with each of those players having played every match in the series. They will stay with their Hundred franchises while England’s other players make their case against Sri Lanka.
In some ways this makes sense. The Sri Lanka series will be at lower intensity for the Ashes series and it’s a chance for Jon Lewis and co to take a look at some lesser-known names for the next T20 World Cup in just over a year. With the first match of the T20I series set to take place four days after the Hundred final, it also lessens the intensity on those players who are in constant demand, particularly Ecclestone. Having bowled 77 overs in the Ashes Test match, she’s now captaining Manchester Originals in the Hundred. There is an argument that, after a sold-out Ashes ODI series, picking the players who entertained earlier in the summer is better for the game. But rest and rotation is part of the game, and with the expansion of women’s franchise cricket in particular, is here to stay.
Mahika Gaur bolsters fast-bowling ranks
In every match 17-year-old Mahika Gaur has played for Manchester Originals, she’s run in with constant speculation over when she will make her England debut. There also doesn’t seem to be a match that passes without mention that she’s over six feet tall. Gaur is no stranger to international cricket. She made her debut for the UAE when she was just 12 and has 19 international caps to her name. She was still playing for the UAE as recently as December last year in the U19 World Cup, but a British passport means she’s now on England’s books.
That high release point, left-arm angle and the movement she gets will be a welcome addition to England’s fast-bowling ranks. Lauren Filer has also made the breakthrough into both squads alongside Lauren Bell and Issy Wong. With none of those four older than 22, it’s another tick on the list for that group of young fast-bowlers.
Never-ending keeper supply gains a new face
Heath’s call-up is indicative of how England’s approach has changed over the last year. She’s a powerful middle-order batter and another of the domestic circuit’s bottomless pit of talented wicketkeepers. She made 20 off 11 balls for Northern Superchargers on her last outing and finished this year’s Charlotte Edwards Cup with a strike rate of 147.94. With Lauren Winfield-Hill currently out of the picture, she has a chance to settle into a position as Amy Jones’ understudy.
What’s going on with Wong?
Issy Wong didn’t play at all in the Ashes series, despite spending most of the series in the squad. She’s gone on to have a difficult start to the Hundred, and was left out of Birmingham Phoenix’ last game under the reasoning of “working on her run-up mechanics”.
“I think it’s been pretty obvious to everyone that Issy has struggled a little bit over the course of this summer off the back of a really good WPL,” said Lewis after the squad was announced. “I suppose the role for her to play is to come in and bowl her best if she gets selected. I think it’s quite important for us to keep what we feel is someone who’s really talented and really exciting close to us.” Still very much in England’s plans but, for now at least, Wong’s entertaining best seems as far away as ever.
Tammy Beaumont still awaits a T20I return
Despite the squad being picked after her century for Welsh Fire last weekend, and Dunkley’s absence, Tammy Beaumont hasn’t been recalled to the T20I side. Having been dropped last year and in a run of purple form over the last few months after her Ashes double-hundred, there was some expectation that Beaumont may be recalled for the series against Sri Lanka. However, England have gone with Maia Bouchier, who is expected to partner Wyatt up top. Bouchier has been in good form in the Hundred, hitting an unbeaten 63* and 26-ball 42 in her following innings. Bouchier has played 19 T20Is to date, in all of which she has come in between Nos.5-7 the middle order.
