Lisa Keightley has announced the names of 15 players to represent England against the White Ferns in three T20 matches.
The Squad:
Heather Knight (captain)
Tammy Beaumont
Katherine Brunt
Sophie Ecclestone
Sarah Glenn
Tash Farrant
Amy Jones (wicketkeeper)
Anya Shrubsole
Nat Sciver
Danni Wyatt
Freya Davies
Sophia Dunkley
Mady Villiers
Charlie Dean*
Maia Bouchier*
*uncapped
Once again fifteen seems a large number for so few games. Is it better for a player to be picked in the squad and be left carrying the water, or left out completely? We of the Extra B Eleven can only imagine, but a handful of players have been left idle in recent campaigns.
A major reason is the fast rising standards across the country. Only a few years back there might have been only two or three leading spinners to choose from; in 2021 there must be a dozen.
Keightley is sticking largely to the tried and trusted, the centrally contracted squaddies. Just two new names are posted; more on them below.
Kate Cross’ omission is an inexplicable error. She has proved over the summer to be the tightest and fastest of the quick bowlers. How much longer do the selectors go on picking Katherine Brunt to lead the attack? Perhaps when she decides to hand up her boots and not before. And she was obviously overplaced at No 4 in the Superchargers batting line-up.
Alongside her Freya Davies is still seen as the young aspirant, ready to take her place, though her performances this summer have been less than overwhelming. She took 5 wickets in The Hundred; Cross took 12.
Will Tash Farrant (18 wickets) be left to knit another pullover on the boundary? If she is allowed to play, who drops out?
Mady Villiers is still seen as the first-choice off-spinner, though her figures scarcely merit that status. One of the two debutants (a word to be used cautiously, as they may not get the chance to play) is Charlotte (Charlie) Dean, another highly promising off-spinner, who can bat too. She is preferred to rivals who may well lack her all-round skills.
The unending problem of who to promote into the batting ranks has been decided: Maia Bouchier, originally of Middlesex, now of Southern Vipers and Brave like Dean, gets the nod. She is an elegant striker of the ball who has produced welcome runs for Charlotte Edwards’ squads.
Let’s hope she is given a proper chance to show her ability, unlike Bryony Smith, who, when debuting two years ago in the dark and wet at Chelmsford, was placed at No 8 in the order, a ridiculous decision for a promising top-order batter.
If, as seems likely, Bouchier will figure no higher than No 5, then she may suffer a similar fate. A 20-over innings leaves little chance for middle-order batters to display their wares to the full.
The ODIs are not far away. It is just possible we will see marked changes in Keightley’s choices, so the many disappointed players may yet be offered a chance to prove their ability.
The Challenge
Unfortunately it’s hard to see the White Ferns presenting a big challenge to England’s status. On their previous tour in 2018 the obvious lack was in depth of strength, both in batting and bowling. For as long as the great batters, Bates, Devine and Satterthwaite, can produce the runs, they are capable of setting demanding totals. But there is no Amelia Kerr to help out this time.
With the bowling, can all five or six of the players offered the ball keep the run-rate down and take the odd wicket when the pressure is on?
The White Fern Squad
Sophie Devine (captain, Wellington Blaze)
Amy Satterthwaite (Canterbury Magicians)
Suzie Bates (Otago Sparks)
Lauren Down (Auckland Hearts)
Claudia Green* (Central Hinds)
Maddy Green (Wellington Blaze)
Brooke Halliday (Northern Districts Spirit)
Hayley Jensen (Otago Sparks)
Leigh Kasperek (Wellington Blaze)
Jess Kerr (Wellington Blaze)
Rosemary Mair (Central Hinds)
Katey Martin (wk, Otago Sparks)
Jessie McFadyen* (wk, Wellington Blaze)
Thamsyn Newton (Wellington Blaze)
Hannah Rowe (Central Hinds)
Lea Tahuhu (Canterbury Magicians)
*uncapped
The three Fixtures
1. 2 September, Chelmsford 18.30
2. 5 September, Hove 18.30
3. 10 September, Taunton 18.30
The ODIs begin a week later in Bristol
Afterthought
I composed these words several days ago:
Here is an England Eleven that will not be appearing in the first T20 against New Zealand.
1 Wyatt
2 Beaumont
3 Sciver
4 Knight (c)
5 Jones (wk)
6 Capsey
7 Ecclestone
8 Glenn
9 Farrant
10 Wong
11 Bell
I have been proved very right!
