England Women’s Cricket Team Faces Scrutiny Ahead of Multi-Format Series Against South Africa
JOHANNESBURG, November 8, 2024 – The England women’s cricket team is under intense scrutiny following their disastrous performance at last month’s T20 World Cup, as they prepare to take on South Africa in a multi-format series.
All-rounder Alice Capsey, who made her England debut in 2022 at the age of 17, has been omitted from the T20I squad for the upcoming tour, after a prolonged form slump that saw her manage just 19 runs in three innings at the World Cup and a further 27 runs in five innings for the Melbourne Renegades in the Women’s Big Bash League.
Paige Scholfield, who debuted for England in Ireland in September, has earned a call-up for the T20I leg of the tour, alongside fast bowler Lauren Filer, who was overlooked for the World Cup due to the perceived conditions but has been named in all three squads for the upcoming multi-format series.
The tour will feature England’s first Women’s Test in South Africa since 2002, with Freya Kemp and Maia Bouchier set to be the notable debutants. Heather Knight will retain her role as captain across all formats, having returned to action in the Big Bash this month following the ligament injury that prevented her from leading in the field during their tournament-ending six-wicket loss to West Indies in Dubai.
“The tour is seen as a vital opportunity for England to reset their ambitions against a team that has now reached each of the last two T20 World Cup finals.”
The selected players, minus those currently competing in the Big Bash, have been training at Loughborough in the build-up to the series, with the T20I squad set to depart for South Africa on November 16, followed by the ODI and Test squads on November 27.
England Women’s head coach, Jon Lewis, has hit back at the criticism leveled at the team’s fitness levels, particularly from former World Cup winner-turned-commentator Alex Hartley. Lewis defended the team’s physical preparation, stating that they “work incredibly hard” and are “in really good shape,” while challenging Hartley to be more specific about her claims.
The South Africa tour is a crucial staging post for England ahead of their next key objective, the Women’s Ashes in Australia in January. ECB deputy chair and former women’s captain, Clare Connor, acknowledged the heightened scrutiny the players have faced in the wake of the World Cup, but emphasized the need to “build in that resilience to pressure, and decision-making and skill retention under pressure.”
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