Anxious wait for England places

There are a lot of anxious girls around the UK waiting for the imminent announcement of the England squad to tour West Indies; the England U19 squad to tour South Africa; and the England Academy, U19 and U15 Winter training squads. This week will hopefully put most of them out of their misery.

England have a bit of a dilemma over the West Indies squad in that many of the successful Ashes squad are currently nursing niggles/injuries. Of the 18 players originally named for the Ashes series at least eight have current injury issues, two of whom will definitely not be touring - Heather Knight and Laura Marsh.

Katherine Brunt - played in the County Champs final v Sussex but did not bowl
Georgia Elwiss - has missed the last two months of the season with a back injury
Lydia Greenway - did not play for Kent in the County T20 Finals two weeks ago
Jenny Gunn - did not play for Notts in the County T20 Finals two weeks ago
Heather Knight - will not tour as recovering from hamstring tear
Laura Marsh - is back in hospital having apparently had further surgery on her right shoulder
Anya Shrubsole - pulled up in the first T20I with a groin injury and missed rest of T20s
Sarah Taylor - missed Sussex's County T20 final match, but played County Champs final albeit with a stiff back.

This leaves Charlotte Edwards, Tammy Beaumont, Arran Brindle, Holly Colvin, Tash Farrant, Dani Hazell, Ami Jones, Nat Sciver, Lauren Winfield and Danni Wyatt from the original 18.

England have four or five T20Is (depends if they get to the final) and three ODIs to play in 20 days in the West Indies, starting on 14th October (just under four weeks). I anticipate that a few younger players will get a chance to tour with the full England side and may even get a chance to take to the field. It is a chance to blood some younger players, particularly before the Ashes return trip to Oz in January. The Aussies are likely to be a tougher outfit on home soil and will be smarting from their 12-4 trouncing this Summer. They will also be half way through their own domestic season, so some of their batsmen and bowlers may have found the form that eluded them here in England.

More news on all the squads as soon as I can get hold of it.

MD
17/IX/13