England Women have called up Ryana Macdonald-Gay to their ODI squad to face New Zealand, bringing the fast-bowler in to cover off injury concerns in the camp. Here's all you need to know about the 20-year-old.
England announced a surprise addition to their squad today (June 25), with uncapped Macdonald-Gay set to make the trip to Durham to join the group. Their squad for the ODI series against New Zealand was announced over a week ago, with Kate Cross, Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer and Nat Sciver-Brunt the fast-bowlers included. However, Macdonald-Gay will now join them.
In a statement released with her inclusion, head coach Jon Lewis said: We have brought her [Macdonald-Gay] in at this point as we have a couple of niggles in the squad. We have been really impressed with her skill level and accuracy. She is an exciting young talent and we look forward to having her in the squad."
Of the known injury concerns to the fast-bowling group before the series, Sciver-Brunt bowled for the first time in international cricket since April during the final match of the series against Pakistan late last month. Mahika Gaur was also not included in either the ODI or T20I squad for the series due to a side strain. Details of other injury concerns have not been released.
MacDonald-Gay's inclusion has come off the back of an impressive domestic season so far. She is currently second in the wicket-taking charts in the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy, having taken 12 wickets in four matches at an average of 11.75 for South East Stars. Those wickets included a five-for against The Blaze early in the season, where ran through all of the top four in the opening 13 overs of the match, taking 5-31.
Her call-up to the senior England squad caps off a rapid rise for Macdonald-Gay. Having made her county debut in 2019 for Kent, in 2022 she was the county's leading wicket-taker in the T20 Cup, taking ten wickets at an average of 9.00. Following that season, she was part of the South East Stars Academy in 2021 and made her debut for the senior South East Stars side in the Charlotte Edwards Cup in 2021. She played five matches for the side across both domestic competitions in 2022. She also made her maiden List A half-century that season against Lightning, in a match where she also took six wickets.
In 2022, she was also bought by the Oval Invincibles, playing every match of their winning campaign and taking five wickets at 14.20. She signed her first professional contract with South East Stars at the end of the 2022 season, and was the side's second leading wicket-taker in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in 2023, also taking eight wickets for the Oval Invincibles that season.
In early 2023, Macdonald-Gay was included in England's squad for the first ever women's U19 T20 World Cup. She played six matches in the tournament and took four wickets. She also effected a crucial run out in England's tense semi-final win over Australia.
Earlier this year, she was part of England Women's A ODI series in New Zealand, finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the series with six wickets from two matches at 14.16.
The first match of the ODI series begins tomorrow (June 26) at Chester-le-Street.
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