KSL Squads - Strengths & Weaknesses

With the full squads of 15 having now been named it seems like a good time to take a first look at the strengths of each squad. Of course things will change – there are still over 3 months before the KSL actually swings into action, and a lot can happen within that time, including a run of form or a lack of it, injury, and not to mention an England series against Pakistan in June.

But let’s assume the KSL is starting tomorrow, who would be the strongest team?

 Lancashire Thunder

Key Bats – Deandra Dottin, Emma Lamb, Hayley Matthews, Sarah Taylor, Danni Wyatt

Key Seamers – Sarah Coyte, Kate Cross, Deandra Dottin

Key Spinners – Sophie Ecclestone, Hayley Matthews, Danni Wyatt

Wicketkeepers – Sarah Taylor & Ellie Threlkeld

Likely starting 11 – Danni Wyatt, Hayley Matthews, Sarah Taylor (wk), Deandra Dottin, Emma Lamb, Laura Newton, Sarah Coyte, Tash Miles, Ellie Threlkeld, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone

Explosive top four who could all make a hundred, or could all be out for a duck. No express pace seamers, but Coyte, Cross and Dottin will bear the brunt of the work. Big test for young spinners Matthews and Sophie Ecclestone, with Wyatt likely to get thrown the ball if they are having a bad day.

No place for Academy keeper Ellie Threlkeld behind the stumps with England’s Sarah Taylor choosing to head north to captain the Thunder.

Watching the Thunder could be a hairy ride.

Full Squad :-
Kate Cross, Sarah Taylor (capt), Danni Wyatt (England)
Sarah Coyte, Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews (Overseas)
Sophie Ecclestone, Emma Lamb, Ellie Threlkeld wk  (Academy)
Natalie Brown (rhb, 25), Georgia Holmes (ram, 19), Laura Marshall (rhb, 22), Tash Miles (rhb, 27), Laura Newton (rhb, 38), Nalisha Patel (rao, 18) (County)

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Loughborough Lightning

Key Bats – Sophie Devine, Georgia Elwiss, Amy Jones, Dane van Niekerk, Ellyse Perry

Key Seamers – Sophie Devine, Georgia Elwiss, Beth Langston, Ellyse Perry, Sonia Odedra

Key Spinners – Rebecca Grundy, Dane van Niekerk

Wicketkeepers – Amy Jones & Lauren Griffiths

Likely starting 11 – Amy Jones, Dane van Niekerk, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, Georgia Elwiss, Eveleyn Jones, Alex Macdonald, Paige Scholfield, Beth Langston, Rebecca Grundy, Sonia Odedra

A young side led by Georgia Elwiss, who will rely heavily on the experience of their overseas trio – Perry, Devine and van Niekerk – both with bat and ball. Time for Amy Jones, Langston and Elwiss to stake a claim for places in the England teams to tour West Indies and Sri Lanka before the end of 2016. Becky Grundy needs to prove her credentials as England’s left-arm spinner.

Full Squad:-
Georgia Elwiss (capt), Rebecca Grundy, Amy Jones wk, Beth Langston (England)
Sophie Devine, Dane van Niekerk, Ellyse Perry (Overseas)
Evelyn Jones, Alex Macdonald (Academy)
Georgie Boyce (rhb, 17), Thea Brookes (rao/rhb, 23) , Amy Gauvrit (ram, 21), Lauren Griffiths (wk, 29) , Sonia Odedra (ram, 27), Paige Scholfield ( ram/rhb, 20) (County)

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Southern Vipers

Key Bats – Suzie Bates, Charlotte Edwards, Lydia Greenway, Sarah McGlashan

Key Seamers – Suzie Bates, Arran Brindle, Tash Farrant, Megan Schutt

Key Spinners – Alice Macleod, Fi Morris

Wicketkeepers – Carla Rudd, Sarah McGlashan

Likely starting 11 – Bates, Edwards, McGlashan, Greenway, Adams, Brindle, Macleod, Schutt, Morris, Rudd, Farrant

It may seem an odd thing to say with England and New Zealand skippers Edwards and Bates at the top of the order, but the Southern Vipers look a bit light in the batting department. They also only have two genuine spinners in Macleod and Morris. The pressure will be on the top order to put runs on the board.

Full Squad :-
Charlotte Edwards (capt), Tash Farrant, Lydia Greenway (England)
Suzie Bates, Sara McGlashan, Megan Schutt (Overseas)
Georgia Adams, Ellen Burt, Katie George (Academy)
Arran Brindle (rhb/ram, 34), Izzy Collis (rhb, 19), Daisy Gardner (ram, 25), Alice Macleod (rhb/rao, 21), Fi Morris (rao, 22), Carla Rudd (wkt, 22) (County)

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Surrey Stars


Key Bats – Tammy Beaumont, Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning, Nat Sciver

Key Seamers – Rene Farrell, Marizanne Kapp, Nat Sciver

Key Spinners – Sophia Dunkley, Alex Hartley, Laura Marsh

Wicketkeepers – Tammy Beaumont, Kirsty White

Likely starting 11 – Beaumont, Kapp, Lanning, Sciver, Smith, Dunkley, Griffith, Morgan, Marsh, Farrell, Hartley

Any team that has Meg Lanning in their batting line-up is going to be strong, but the Stars cannot rely on her to score all their runs. Big series for skipper Nat Sciver and opener Tammy Beaumont. Can they put in match winning performances with the bat? Sciver’s re-modelled bowling action will also be tested, but spin in the shape of Hartley, Marsh and Dunkley could be the Star’s bowling strength.

Full Squad :-
Tammy Beaumont, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver (capt) (England)
Rene Farrell, Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning (Overseas)
Sophia Dunkley, Alex Hartley, Bryony Smith (Academy)
Aylish Cranstone (lhb, 21), Grace Gibbs (ram, 20), Cordelia Griffith (rhb, 20), Raveena Lakhtaria (rao, 23), Beth Morgan (rhb, 27), Kirsty White (wkt, 28) (County)

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Western Storm

Key Bats – Heather Knight, Lizelle Lee, Rachel Priest, Stafanie Taylor

Key Seamers – Freya Davies, Georgia Hennessy, Anya Shrubsole

Key Spinners – Jodie Dibble, Heather Knight, Stafanie Taylor

Wicketkeepers – Rachel Priest, Amara Carr

Likely starting 11 – Priest, Knight, Taylor, Lee, Wilson, Luff, Hennessy, Fairbairn, Shrubsole, Davies, Dibble

Perhaps the most balanced squad, even if they have fewer England/EWA players than any other team. Knight had a good winter leading the unfancied Hobart Hurricanes and she will hope she can do the same for her West Country franchise. Batting looks strong and they have a good mix of seam and spin bowlers to call on.

Full Squad :-
Heather Knight (capt), Anya Shrubsole, Fran Wilson (England)
Lizelle Lee, Rachel Priest, Stafanie Taylor (Overseas)
Freya Davies, Sophie Luff (Academy)
Rosalie Fairbairn (rhb, 32), Amara Carr (wkt, 22), Jodie Dibble (lao, 21), Georgia Hennessy (ram/rhb, 19), Sophie MacKenzie (ram, 17), Caitlin O'Keefe (ram, 19), Izzy Westbury (rao, 26) (County)

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Yorkshire Diamonds

Key Bats – Alex Blackwell, Beth Mooney, Lauren Winfield

Key Seamers – Katherine Brunt, Jenny Gunn, Shabnim Ismail

Key Spinners – Steph Butler, Dani Hazell, Katie Levick

Wicketkeepers – Beth Mooney, Lauren Winfield

Likely starting 11 – Winfield, Mooney, Blackwell, Armitage, Brunt, Gunn, Ismail, Butler, Hazell, Levick, Davidson-Richards

Beth Mooney had a great WBBL with the bat and could be the Diamonds’ key player. Lauren Winfield’s WBBL was not quite so good and she has a lot to prove in this competition. Alex Blackwell is a shrewd signing. She is a great game manager and calming influence. With the ball Brunt will be joined by the firey Shabnim Ismail. It could get explosive. Leg-spinner Katie Levick does well at county level, but how will she handle the step up?

Full Squad :-
Katherine Brunt, Jenny Gunn, Dani Hazell, Lauren Winfield (capt) (England)
Alex Blackwell, Beth Mooney, Shabnim Ismail (Overseas)
Hollie Armitage, Steph Butler (Academy)
Alice Davidson-Richards (ram, 21), Teresa Graves (rhb, 17), Katie Levick (ralb, 24), Anna Nicholls (rhb, 18), Laura Spragg (lam, 33), Katie Thompson (ram, 19) (County)

MD
22/IV/16