On Thursday England start their quest for the Ashes. Let’s hope they have been entirely cut off from all media channels, or they will be aware of the abysmal, disheartening, unacceptable, abject (delete as preferred) performance of their menfolk in Australia (a 0-4 defeat).
Much will depend on Lisa Keightley’s powers of psychology. As an Australian she has to learn the English attitude to combatting the juggernaut that faces them. Recent confrontations have revealed English weaknesses that were not visible against other nations. Two days I spent at Canterbury, separated by a few years, displayed a lack of self-confidence in the players’ minds. Alex Hartley is hardly more optimistic; she suggests a 10-6 loss for England.
The squad has changed little. Of the side dismantled by Ellyse Perry (7-22) in July 2019 (Knight, Jones, Beaumont, Taylor, Sciver, Wilson, Wyatt, Marsh, Shrubsole, Ecclestone and Cross), eight will parade in 2022.
While new faces have been given their chance since Keightley’s succession, her selections have been marked by caution rather than adventurousness. So the majority of any likely side will carry the scars of past defeats. She has hinted that she will be flexible, one great advantage of taking two sides on tour.
This is the current squad of 17:
Heather Knight (Western Storm, captain), Tammy Beaumont (Lightning), Maia Bouchier (Southern Vipers), Katherine Brunt (Northern Diamonds), Kate Cross (Thunder), Freya Davies (South East Stars), Charlie Dean (Southern Vipers), Sophia Dunkley (South East Stars), Sophie Ecclestone (Thunder), Tash Farrant (South East Stars), Sarah Glenn (Central Sparks), Amy Jones (Central Sparks), Nat Sciver (Northern Diamonds, vice-captain), Anya Shrubsole (Western Storm), Mady Villiers (Sunrisers), Lauren Winfield-Hill (Northern Diamonds), Danni Wyatt (Southern Vipers).
The recent additions are Bouchier, Davies, Dean, Dunkley, Glenn and Villiers. Farrant and Winfield-Hill are of older vintage.
The relatively large squad covers all formats, T20s, the test and ODIs. If Keightley sticks to her early principles, that means Wyatt to open the short-form knock-abouts; Winfield-Hill to take over in the longer formats. But LWH’s record in ODIs is less than overwhelming. If she had been Australian, would she have been given such an extended run?
This is the A squad:
Emily Arlott (Central Sparks), Lauren Bell (Southern Vipers), Alice Capsey (South East Stars), Alice Davidson-Richards (South East Stars), Georgia Elwiss (Southern Vipers), Kirstie Gordon (Lightning), Eve Jones (Central Sparks), Beth Langston (Northern Diamonds), Emma Lamb (Thunder), Bryony Smith (South East Stars), Ellie Threlkeld (Thunder), Issy Wong (Central Sparks).
This group of twelve looks much more like a team ready to take the field. Indeed, many observers would have expected to see some of them added to the first team, at the expense of… ah, that’s the question!
The more cavalier among us would have placed Alice Capsey in the elite group at LWH’s expense. Once more – would the Aussies have given a 17-year-old the chance? If you’re good enough, you’re old enough. Remember that hint of flexibility. We shall see.
Some excellent news comes in the first warm-up match played within the two squads. Capsey scored runs and Bell took three wickets of leading England run-makers.
Covid Concerns
Covid-19 still haunts the scene; one member of the support staff has already tested positive. The privations the pandemic causes are a distinct drag on the team’s performance. If anyone succumbs in the coming weeks, there’s the possibility she will not be allowed into New Zealand for the World Cup. The squad has already spent the winter having to improvise practice at home, calling on family members to help out with unpaid assistance.
With NZ hosting world cups in both cricket and rugby this year, this must be a nervous time for the NZ government. Will they feel able to make exceptions to protocols, if players are likely to be excluded? Till now officials have taken prompt action to restrict the effects of the virus, but the consequences here are serious. The Djokovic case rings loud bells.
All that lies in the future. For now the Ashes come calling. We wait to see who will represent the nation in the first T20 in Canberra.
First date with fate: Thursday 20 January 08.10 GMT. The BBC promises wide coverage.
