Cricket Enthusiasts Eagerly Await England’s White-ball Series in Ireland
England’s upcoming white-ball tour of Ireland is set to feature a fresh-faced squad, with allrounder Freya Kemp and backup wicketkeeper Bess Heath among the notable inclusions. Veteran Kate Cross will captain the team, which is missing several players from the recent World Cup campaign.
The three-match ODI series and two T20Is could see a number of international debuts, with seven uncapped players across both squads. While England’s T20 World Cup team has been carefully assembled, the exclusion of pacer Lauren Filer raised some eyebrows.
“Selecting teams and squads with this group of players has become incredibly tricky and tough,” said England’s head coach, Jon Lewis. “There are players who have been really unfortunate to miss out and they’ll be a big part of what we do with England Cricket in the future.”
Sophia Dunkley, who earned a recall during the summer, has retained her spot, with Tammy Beaumont – the Welsh Fire Hundred finalist – also selected for both the ODI and T20I squads. Experienced spinner Linsey Smith, who returned to the T20I setup earlier this year, will provide backup to the spin trio of Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, and Sarah Glenn.
The flexibility offered by allrounders Kemp and Danielle Gibson meant England opted against taking the extra pace of Filer, although she will join the team for a training camp in Abu Dhabi before the World Cup. Teenage left-arm seamer Mahika Gaur, who missed out on World Cup selection due to injury and school commitments, has been included in the T20I squad.
The Ireland tour will serve as a crucial preparation ground for the T20 World Cup, with Captain Heather Knight expressing excitement about the squad’s potential to “cope and excel in the conditions we feel we will be faced with in the UAE.”
Meanwhile, veteran Kate Cross, who has 91 caps across formats, will lead the team in the absence of the World Cup players, marking her first experience as England captain.
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