England have named their three winter training squads, which include a total of 55 players ranging from 35 year old Charlotte Edwards down to 15 year old Rhianna Southby. The three squads are the England Women's Performance Squad (EWPS), the England Women's Academy (EWA) and the England Women's Development Programme (EWDP) (which used to be U19s, but now appears to have no age restriction).
Despite a poor 2015 for England (both in New Zealand and at home in the Ashes) the only change from last year's EWPS is the dropping of Notts' Sonia Odedra, who, after the EWA tour to Dubai, played no further part in England or England Academy games during the summer. All 18 contracted players remain, with Jodie Dibble, Beth Langston and Fran Wilson again expected to train at the same level without payment. There are no additions from the Academy, although with eight of the 18 contracted players wintering in Australia there should be some opportunities for the Academy players to be called up to train with the EWPS. The ECB have also confirmed that the current England contracts will now continue until the end of January 2016, although an announcement on new contracts will apparently be made before the end of 2015. Given the lack of movement into the main squad it seems unlikely there will be many surprises. England either have great faith in what they have or they are not impressed by what is coming through?
But in the Academy four players have lost their places - Aylish Cranstone, Georgia Hennessy, Paige Scholfield and Carla Rudd, with five girls promoted from last year's EWDP U19s - Sophia Dunkley (opening bat/leg spinner), Sophie Ecclestone (left-arm spinner), Katie George (left-arm seamer), Bryony Smith (hard-hitting top order bat) and Ellie Threlkeld (wicket-keeper bat). In addition Sussex's 17 year old Ellen Burt (right-am seamer/ middle order bat) has been added into the Academy after a good season with her county at U17 and senior level, and in the rain-affected Junior Super 3s in August.
In addition the Academy have also lost their Head Coach Lisa Keightley, who has decided to return to her native Australia. High Performance Manager Jonathan Finch steps into the role for the time being, although I understand that the ECB hope to make a new appointment early in the new year.
In the EWDP eight girls lose their places for 2015/2016, but coming in are Megan Belt, Izzy Cloke, Alice Dyson, Emily Edgcombe, Tiarna Gilkes, Sarah Glenn, Lucy Higham, Rhianna Southby and twins Erin and Lucy Staunton-Turner. Most of those that have been omitted are 18 and 19 and most of those that have been brought in are two or three years younger.
The full squads are:-
England Women's Performance Squad
Tammy Beaumont
Katherine Brunt
Kate Cross
Jodie Dibble
Charlotte Edwards
Georgia Elwiss
Tash Farrant
Lydia Greenway
Rebecca Grundy
Jenny Gunn
Danielle Hazell
Amy Jones
Heather Knight
Beth Langston
Laura Marsh
Nat Sciver
Anya Shrubsole
Sarah Taylor
Fran Wilson
Lauren Winfield
Danielle Wyatt
England Women's Academy
Georgia Adams
Hollie Armitage
Ellen Burt
Steph Butler
Freya Davies
Sophia Dunkley
Sophie Ecclestone
Katie George
Alex Hartley
Evelyn Jones
Emma Lamb
Sophie Luff
Alex Macdonald
Bryony Smith
Eleanor Threlkeld
England Women's Development Programme
Emily Arlott
Megan Belt
Maia Bouchier
Georgie Boyce
Izzy Cloke
Izzy Collis
Alice Dyson
Emily Edgcombe
Tiarna Gilkes
Sarah Glenn
Cordelia Griffith
Lucy Higham
Hannah Jones
Sophie Mackenzie
Anna Nicholls
Tara Norris
Rhianna Southby
Erin Staunton-Turner
Lucy Staunton-Turner
MD
22/IX/15
expert & informed news, views and comment on women's cricket around the world - sponsored by B3 Cricket
Somewhat remarkable that not a single new batsmen has been elevated to the senior training programme (given it was our batting that lost us The Ashes).
ReplyDeleteOne can only hope the so call Academy system is far more successful in the next 5 years than it has been in the last 5 years in bringing through new talent - Nat Sciver is the only newly capped player in the last 5 years to nail down (as in always get selected) England spot.
There is a huge opportunity in the WSL for some of these young players to make an impact. In the meantime we have a stagnated senior squad that will be allocated contracts despite some significant failings this summer. I would like to see the ECB issue short term contracts for the winter tours and then look longer term giving some a last chance saloon.
ReplyDeleteBut instead we will probably see the same group of players for the the next season, I have no doubt they can beat the rest but they've been found wanting against the Australians who didn't even perform to their best.
Not a single batsman has been elevated to the senior squad I agree. But I’ve been on Play Cricket and looked at the best bats in div 1 of the County Champs this year. I challenge people to come up with anyone from the list of leading scorers who doesn’t fall into one of these three categories:
ReplyDeleteAlready in the senior England squad
Has ‘retired’ from internationals
Has had a go with England and not really looked the part
People you just can’t see being good enough were they to be allowed to step up
Re. Martin Saxon 24 Sep:
ReplyDeleteYou have listed 4 categories not three, although there are effectively 3 since the fourth is not a valid category in my opinion. "People you just can’t see being good enough were they to be allowed to step up" - We can't know if they are good enough unless given a chance. Some players are always top at County level and never make it for England; others look nothing special at County yet can really contribute for England because they are big game players who manage to find another level. Unfortunately discovering this trait requires a trial and error approach.