Jon Lewis has announced the names of 15 players to represent the country, not in Bangladesh as originally planned, but in the UAE. I’ll leave you to decide why that location was selected by the ICC.
The Squad:
Heather Knight (captain), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt (15)
Much store is set by the conditions expected at the two grounds used for England’s matches, Sharjah and Dubai; essentially slow and low. Hence the inclusion of four spinners again, plus Alice Capsey as a fifth option. On the recoil, it means relying on Lauren Bell to take the shine off the ball (what shine?), with bit parts played by Danielle Gibson, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Freya Kemp.
England selectors have been found wanting in the past with similar decisions about likely playing conditions. Several opponents will be glad not to be facing Lauren Filer, even on the sort of pitches Lewis is confidently expecting.
At least the spin-bowling department is as good as it gets. Linsey Smith fully deserves her place; her accuracy alone is exemplary, but she takes wickets too, top of The Hundred poll with 15.
For the rest of the selections you might term reactions from the general public “earnest debate”. If you expected sharp responses, you got them.
Batting: the most common cry is “where’s Tammy Beaumont?” The answer as usual is “put out to pasture”. She does look like persona non grata in the England set-up. She is picked for the Ireland fixtures, but even there she isn’t offered the captaincy; it’s offered to the equally deserving Kate Cross, but I’ve never been in favour of a bowler-captain; it rarely works. The people who matter rate Beaumont’s potential far lower than the general public, including me.
She worked wonders for Welsh Fire.
There are angry reactions to the retention of Sophia Dunkley, especially with the advance of Maia Bouchier. But complaints about her fielding are out of place.
Lewis and his assistants are still sure of Freya Kemp’s worth. We must trust their judgement; coming back from a long-lasting back injury is tough, but Kemp’s recent performances with bat and ball have failed to convince. How will an Australian batting line-up treat her bowling, judging by its present quality?
It’s the same with Bess Heath. There’s little doubt about her promise, but it remains hard to justify her inclusion against the performances of so many other batter-keepers. We can assume that Amy Jones will be offered the gloves for every single match. That then leaves the question: does Heath deserve an outing for her batting alone? It’s impossible to answer yes.
For the moment, we have to assume Lewis sees her as the best bet to replace Jones, once she decides to put her feet up. I wonder how many other people agree with that reading. The general standard of keeping in England is laudably high; so many rivals deserve consideration.
One constant claim from public responses is: ‘This is a clique, not a squad.’ It’s hard to disagree. Who would Mark Robinson have selected? He had a surer hand on the tiller.
The Ireland Tour
Between the 7th and 15th September England will play Ireland in three ODIs and two T20s in Belfast and Dublin.
One curiosity; there are more of the first than the second; that makes a pleasant change, and gives the players more time to spread their wings.
The ODI squad:
Kate Cross (captain), Hollie Armitage, Hannah Baker, Tammy Beaumont, Georgia Davis, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Freya Kemp, Emma Lamb, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Paige Scholfield, Bryony Smith, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong (14)
The T20 squad:
Kate Cross (captain), Georgia Adams, Hollie Armitage, Hannah Baker, Tammy Beaumont, Mahika Gaur, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Charis Pavely, Paige Scholfield, Seren Smale, Bryony Smith, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong (13)
Two players are included who will also be flying out to UAE for the World Cup, Heath and Kemp. It’s not in the least evident why they should have been given this double task. Is the trip to Ireland meant to be a warm-up for them? If so, the ECB selectors might as well have sent the full squad over. If they are thought to be in need of extra practice, then are there not other players less in need of special treatment?
At this distance, it’s hard to spot why players are included in the one group, not the other. Filer bowls in the ODIs, Gaur in the T20s. If their roles were reversed (or, if they were included in both!), would it make any difference to England’s chances?
The squads are a fascinating amalgam of the old and the new: players who have graced the scene for many seasons (Cross, Beaumont, Adams, Smith) sharing the limelight with the next generation.
Raf Nicholson wonders whether this squad, looking rather like an “A” team, is respectful to Ireland. Tricky. When the Irish win the series unbeaten, we’ll have the painful answer.
