Kia Super League Teams taking shape

With the announcement today of the three international players who have signed for each of the six Kia Super League teams, the shape and strength of the teams is beginning to emerge. This follows on from the announcement last week of the England players allocated to each team.

Big names are Ellyse Perry to Loughborough Lightning, as suspected; Meg Lanning to Surrey Stars; Suzie Bates to Southern Vipers; and WWT20 winning captain Stafanie Taylor to the Western Storm.

The final piece in the jigsaw is due next week when the two or three Academy players per team will be announced, together with the additional players that each franchise has selected to boost their roster to the full 15. We will wait to comment on the strengths of each squad until the full 15 players have been named, but in the meantime here is how the teams are currently shaping up :-

Lancashire Thunder
Kate Cross, Sarah Taylor, Danni Wyatt
Sarah Coyte, Deandra Dottin, third tba



Loughborough Lightning
Georgia Elwiss, Rebecca Grundy, Amy Jones, Beth Langston
Sophie Devine, Dane van Niekerk, Ellyse Perry



Southern Vipers
Charlotte Edwards, Tash Farrant, Lydia Greenway
Suzie Bates, Sara McGlashan, Megan Schutt



Surrey Stars
Tammy Beaumont, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver
Rene Farrell, Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning



Western Storm
Heather Knight, Anya Shrubsole, Fran Wilson
Lizelle Lee, Rachel Priest, Stafanie Taylor



Yorkshire Diamonds
Katherine Brunt, Jenny Gunn, Dani Hazell, Lauren Winfield
Alex Blackwell, Shabnim Ismail, Beth Mooney



MD
14/IV/16

England Academy in Sri Lanka - images

Just a few images from the England Academy Tour to Sri Lanka March/April 2016
Played 8 Won 6 Lost 2

 

 

MD
12/IV/16

England tour to Sri Lanka ends with agonising loss

Two very tired sides battled out two T20s at the Premadasa Stadium to conclude the England Academy and Aussie Shooting Stars tours to Sri Lanka.

In the first game England won easily bowling out the Shooting Stars for just 75 in 17.4 overs. Only Patterson (26), Graham (13) and Molineaux (11) made it into double figures as Sophie Ecclestone claimed 3/11 off her four overs and Sophia Dunkley 3/16 off 3.4 overs. In reply England lost only openers Hollie Armitage (11) and Georgia Adams (20) as Sophia Dunkley (20*) and Fran Wilson (7*) knocked off the runs in just 12.2 overs.

But the second game was a much closer affair with the Aussies this time batting a little better, and England fielding worse, which allowed them to accumulate 111/6 at the end of their 20 overs. Alex Hartley bowled smartly to claim 3/15 off her allotted overs and Sophie Ecclestone (1/18) and Freya Davies (1/25) were the only other wicket-takers. Tahlia McGrath (32*) top scored for the Shooting Stars.

England made a horrible start in reply losing Adams bowled for a duck in the first over and Hollie Armitage caught for 1 in the third over, at which stage they were 6/2. But Emma Lamb looked in imperious form - the only bat to do so during the entire day. She lost Evelyn Jones lbw (8) at 32/3, but had taken England to relative comfort at 70/3 in the tenth over before she pulled a short ball to midwicket for 45. In the next over Sophie Luff (8) also went caught at mid-on, but England still only needed 39 from 9.3 overs, with five wickets in hand. Fran Wilson (12) and Alex Macdonald (7) had got the equation down to 21 off the last five before Macdonald was stumped and then Wilson caught on the boundary at cow corner. England needed 18 off the last three overs and a sumptuous 4 over extra cover from Beth Langston (7) eased the England nerves. Next ball she connected well with a sweep off a full toss. The ball was destined for the boundary but Sophie Molineaux stuck out a right paw at square leg and took a screaming catch. It was probably the key moment.

England were eight down and still needed 10 to win with 13 balls left. Ellie Threlkeld (6) and Steph Butler (4*) got that down to five to win from the last over. They scrambled one from the first ball as both batsmen came, went, waited and finally ran and bowler Alex Price could not get back to the stumps in time to run Butler out. Next ball Threlkeld was well caught behind by Banting as she tried to dab down to third man. The third ball was a dot ball and England managed two on a misfield at midwicket. Number 11 Sophie Ecclestone (2) was on strike for the last two balls with England just one run behind. The fifth ball was a dot and with the final ball Ecclestone was stumped to give Australia the game by one run.

Threlkeld goes with four balls to come

It was a disappointing end for the England girls who had won five out of six ODIs before today's T20 games. For the Aussies it was a reward for some gritty efforts by a squad of just 13 over a very long and hot three weeks in Sri Lanka.

MD
10/IV/16

Aussies hold nerve to win final ODI

In a sweltering hot and airless (not to mention crowdless) Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the England Academy team were pipped at the post by their Aussie counterparts, chasing down England's below par 232 all out, with two wickets and more just nine balls to spare.

Things had looked good for England after Emma Lamb (44) and Evelyn Jones (42) had taken their stand to 82 in the 16th over before Lamb went caught off a leading edge at extra cover. Five overs later Jones followed caught at mid-off off the legspin of Wellington. Next ball Georgia Adams (16) was caught pulling a short ball straight to midwicket. England had stumbled to 112/3. Fran Wilson (62) and Sophie Luff (21) rebuilt nicely and at 25 overs a score of around 275 looked a distinct possibility on a great batting track. But Luff gloved a dab to the keeper at 161, Dunkley (2) drove one straight back to the bowler at 167 and Threlkeld (10) was bowled at 192. But still Wilson was there. She passed 50 for the third time on this tour, but then rather gave her wicket away with five overs to go smashing McGrath to Hancock on the deep midwicket boundary. Unfortunately the tail could not wag, or indeed use up all the allotted overs, as Steph Butler (5) and Alex Hartley (0) left Freya Davies (4*) without any partners and with 12 balls unused.

In reply Australia made a lugubrious start through Patterson and Molineaux. Patterson was caught behind off Cross in the 9th over for 15 with the Aussie reply hardly underway on 23/1. When Hartley picked up a wicket in her 4th over and Ecclestone one in her 2nd, things were looking very rosey for England with the Aussies on 52/3 in the 18th over. But the Aussie middle order of Graham (38), Banting (44) and Stalenberg (42) started to move the Aussie score along from the 23rd over with all the bowlers coming in for a bit of stick. With 11 overs left the Shooting Stars needed 57 with five wickets in hand, but Gardner (21) and Stalenberg both lifted 6s just over Kate Cross at cow corner off the unfortunate Ecclestone and the target was down to just 44 in ten overs. The returning Cross and Langston tried to pull it out of the bag for England, and a couple of late wickets put some pressure on the Aussies, but Price (20*) and Hancock (5*) kept their heads and knocked the singles to ease past England's score in the 49th over.

It was the best game of the tour to date, and the girls will have probably got more out of a close game than they have out of some of the easy victories. The tour ends on Sunday when England are due to take on the Aussies again in two T20s. However the Aussies, with a squad of only 13, struggled to field 11 players today. Hopefully they can do so on Sunday.

England batting - Lamb 44, Jones 42, Adams 16, Wilson 62, Luff 21, Dunkley 2, Threlkeld 10, Langston 6, Butler 5, Davies 4*, Hartley 0.

England bowling - Cross 9.3-0-41-2, Langston 10-2-36-2, Davies 4-0-31-0, Hartley 7-2-19-1, Ecclestone 10-0-53-2, Butler 4-0-26-0, Dunkley 4-0-24-1

MD
07/IV/16

Academy continue winning ways

England Academy made it three wins out of three over Sri Lanka A in ODIs, and five out of five overall, with just an ODI against the Aussie Shooting Stars tomorrow and then two T20s against the same opposition on Sunday. They will be expecting to keep up their 100% record.

In truth Sri Lanka have been no match for England, as you might expect, and today confirmed the respective strengths of the two sides. Put into bat Sri Lanka struggled to make 133 all out in 38 of their 40 overs (the game having started late after heavy overnight rain and the pitch being left uncovered).

Seamers Langston, Cross and Davies all took an early wicket apiece to leave Sri Lanka struggling at 44/3. The introduction of spin in the shape of left-armer Alex Hartley and off-spinner Steph Butler (3/26) produced more regular wickets, including two suicidal run outs. At 91/8 Sri Lanka were in danger of failing to make three figures. But the ninth wicket added 21, and the tenth the same, to take Sri Lanka to 133 all out.

In reply opening pair Emma Lamb (19) and Evelyn Jones (1) again got the opening duties, but Jones soon went slashing a ball to slip. Georgia Adams (9) followed in similar fashion in the next over to leave England on 13/2. Lamb and Fran Wilson (44) seemed to have things under control until Lamb missed a sweep shot and was lbw. This brought Wilson's former Somerset team-mate Sophie Luff to the crease. They had taken the score to beyond half of what was required when Luff was run out calling Wilson through for an optimistic single and failing to get back at the non-striker's end when Wilson declined the run.

But it seemed as though Wilson and Sophia Dunkley (18*) would bring home the win as they accumulated runs without too much bother, with the aid of some sloppy fielding from the tiring Sri Lankans, but Wilson then drove hard and aerial, but straight to mid-off. Kate Cross (18) helped Dunkley level the scores but then skied a ball to midwicket. Dunkley finished the job next ball with a trademark searing drive through wide mid-off. Job very much done.

It was a solid victory, which is never to be sneezed at, but in terms of developing future England players it probably had fairly limited impact. England will hope to be pushed a little harder by the Aussies tomorrow in their last 50 over fixture of the tour.

England bowling (unofficial) - Langston 7-2-21-1, Cross 7-2-12-2, Macdonald 4-2-19-0, Davies 6-2-15-1, Hartley 7-0-32-1, Butler 7-2-26-3.

England batting (unofficial) - Jones 1, Lamb 19, Adams 9, Wilson 44, Luff 13, Dunkley 18*, Cross 18, Macdonald 0*, Butler, Hartley * Langston did not bat.

MD
06/IV/16

Academy make it four in a row

England Academy cruised to their fourth victory in four, but then so they should against a Sri Lanka A side that has buckets of enthusiasm, but is lacking in raw talent.

England posted another decent total of 273 all out based around solid contributions from opener Emma Lamb (85) and keeper Ellie Threlkeld (58). Sophia Dunkley also hit a lusty 38. After a slow start Lamb found her touch and after reaching her fifty let loose on the Sri Lankan bowlers. In the over she was out bowled she had already taken 14 runs, but advancing down the wicket she played over the ball and departed bowled.

Dunkley creamed her first two balls for fours through the covers and continued to look to punish almost every ball she faced. She found a willing partner in Threlkeld who was happy to play both straight man and straight in the V, pushing the singles to allow her team mate to wreak more havoc. Dunkley finally played one shot too many and was stumped, but Threkeld continued bringing up her fifty in the 48th over. She celebrated in the next over by launching an imperious 6 over wide long-on, but was out in the same over caught behind.

273 was always going to be too many for the Sri Lankans although they started brightly. But they lost wickets at regular intervals - 26, 52, 68, 80, 94, 100, 113 and 113 - four of them to Sophie Ecclestone who bowled her 10 overs straight through for figures of 4/32, starting at the tenth over. At 113/8 the game looked to be coming to an early conclusion but Sri Lankan number 9 Malsha had other ideas. She swung lustily to leg in the fashion of someone scything down barley, or flat-batted the ball over extra cover. It proved effective as she scored 47 quick runs as the ninth wicket pair added 66 in 11 overs. The partnership was finally broken by the returning Beth Langston, and  Kate Cross polished off the final wicket, leaving the Sri Lankans 186 all out, still 87 runs adrift.

England batting (unofficial) - Lamb 85, Jones 15, Adams 18, Wilson 1, Dunkley 38, Armitage 0, Threlkeld 58, Cross 16, Butler 18, Ecclestone 1, Davies 2*

Engalnd bowling (unofficial) - Langston 6-0-25-2, Davies 4-0-21-0, Cross 3.5 -0-15-1, Ecclestone 10-2-32-4, Hartley 7-0-28-2, Armitage 4-0-14-0, Butler 2-0-29-0, Dunkley 3-0-16-0

MD
2/IV/16

England Academy make it three out of three

England Academy handed out another serious drubbing of their Aussie counterparts when they bowled them out for just 135 inside 35 overs, chasing England's 200 all out, on a turning pitch at the P. Sara Stadium in Colombo.

Batting first England made a poor start with Sophia Dunkley caught at slip off the away swinging Brennan for a duck and Emma Lamb (9) caught behind off the same bowler in her next over. England were 11/2.

But Fran Wilson (69) and Georgia Adams (49) seemed to have set England up for a decent score with a 113 run third wicket partnership. Wilson cut, drove and swept with great timing and Adams bludgeoned the bad ball to the boundary. Adams succumbed to the returning Brennan, caught behind, in the 23rd over, but England must have been thinking of in excess of 260 at this point. But when Wilson mistimed a pull off Brennan and was caught England's innings started to unravel. Hollie Armitage skied Price to extra cover for 0, before Sophie Luff (15) and Kate Cross added 29 for the fifth wicket. It was the last meaningful partnership for England, and it could have been worse if Cross had not been dropped on the boundary on 14. Luff clothed a full-toss to mid-off and Langston (5) was lbw, both to off-spinner Price. Next over Steph Butler (0) skied Wellington to square leg. Within four more overs the last two wickets had fallen, as Cross (34) was caught and bowled and Threkeld was lbw. England had managed to put an under-par 200 on the board.

After their disastrous start in the last game the Aussies took a more measured approach this time. Patterson (43) batted nicely again putting away the bad ball, while Molineaux (11) was resolute in defence. They took the score to 64 in the 15th over before Hartley and Butler (4/35) got to work on a pitch that was producing some decent turn and bounce. Hartley removed Patterson lbw sweeping and then Butler enticed Molineaux to drive to Cross at mid-off. Stalenburg then repeated the error and McGrath was well caught sweeping at Butler and gloving it to keeper Threlkeld. From a position of some strength the Aussies were now 66/4.

The Butler/Cross partnership then accounted for Gardner and slow left-armer Sophie Ecclestone weighed in with the sixth wicket as Price swung her to Davies on the deep midwicket boundary. 83/6 and the Aussie innings was in tatters. Skipper Banting briefly held up the onslaught, but when she was bowled by leggie Sophia Dunkley's third ball, and Smith was caught behind off Ecclestone the end appeared to be in sight. But Hancock and Wellington  held England at bay until Freya Davies applied the coup de grace picking up the ninth and tenth wickets in successive overs to catches at mid-off by Ecclestone. Australia were all out for 135 and England had won by 65 runs.

England will be keen to keep their 100% record going when they play Sri Lanka A tomorrow at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.

England batting (unofficial) - Dunkley 0, Lamb 9, Adams 49, Wilson 69, Luff 15, Armitage 0, Cross 35, Langston 5, Butler 0, Ecclestone 0*, Threlkeld 0

England bowling (unofficial) - Langston 5-0-16-0, Cross 4-0-17-0, Davies 3.5-0-20-2, Hartley 5-2-18-1, Butler 6-2-35-4, Ecclestone 6-1-20-2, Dunkley 4-0-14-1

Australia batting (unofficial) - Patterson 43, Molineaux 13, McGrath 1, Stalenberg 1, Banting 18, Gardner 4, Price 0, Smith 1, Hancock 11, Wellington 15*, Vakarewa 1.

Australia bowling (unofficial) - Brennan 8-2-22-4, Hancock 4-0-22-0, Wellington 10-2-37-1, McGrath 3-0-20-0, Smith 6-0-28-0, Vakarewa 4-0-22-0, Price 8-1-30-3, Molineaux 1.5-0-7-2

MD
1/IV/16