Cliff Notes – Ecclestone out, Wong in as England Women name squads to face West Indies
- Sophie Ecclestone has been omitted from England’s white-ball squad due to ongoing recovery from a knee injury, despite a recent domestic appearance where she scored a fifty.
- Issy Wong returns to the international fold, having impressed in recent domestic matches, while Maia Bouchier has been left out after participating in the Ashes series.
- The squads for the T20Is and ODIs feature several players returning from injury, including Alice Davidson-Richards and Emma Lamb, alongside established players like Tammy Beaumont and Linsey Smith.
Ecclestone out, Wong in as England Women name squads to face West Indies
Sophie Ecclestone has been left out of England’s white-ball squad for the home series against West Indies, where Issy Wong is poised to make a comeback to international ranks.
Ecclestone has been unable to play domestic cricket due to a knee injury, although she turned out for Lancashire on Wednesday and scored a fifty as England’s selection panel, including newly appointed national selector Lydia Greenway, named their squads.
Maia Bouchier was omitted, while Wong joined fellow Warwickshire seamer Emily Arlott in the squad for three T20Is. Arlott – yet to make herinternational debut – was also selected in the squad for three ODIs to follow.
Wong last played for England on the tour of Ireland last September while the first-choice T20 squad was preparing for the World Cup after a difficult period struggling with her form. She impressed for England Women A in their recent tour of Australia and in her county’s opening matches.
Also making returns are batters Alice Davidson-Richards and Emma Lamb, selected for the ODIs off the back of impressive performances with the bat in the Metro Bank One Day Cup domestic competition.
The Blaze’s opening batter Tammy Beaumont and spinner Linsey Smith – the leading wicket-taker in the Metro Bank One Day Cup – are selected in both squads while Mahika Gaur, the 19-year-old left-arm quick who travelled to Australia for the Ashes but didn’t play as part of her return from injury, was called up for the ODIs. Beaumont returned to the T20I format last year following a two-year absence from the format although she only played the Test and ODIs in Australia.
“Following her knee injury, Sophie Ecclestone is physically not quite at 100% yet,” said head coach Charlotte Edwards. “She’s been rehabbing and working hard but she’s only just got back on the park for Lancashire so she doesn’t have enough cricket under her belt to be ready for this series.
“All-rounders Freya Kemp (back) and Danielle Gibson (stress fracture) are both unavailable due to injury. Lauren Filer’s return from a knee injury continues positively and she will continue to be reviewed.
“Maia Bouchier misses out having been a part of the Ashes series, Maia’s talent is there for all to see and the challenge to her is to go and make consistent match-winning contributions for Hampshire in domestic cricket. It’s the same for any player who’d disappointed to not be a part of these squads.
England Women T20I squad: Nat Sciver-Brunt, Emily Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Paige Scholfield, Linsey Smith, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
England Women ODI squad:M Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Alice Davidson-Richards, Emily Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Mahika Gaur, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith