Captaining her country for the first time, Cross took a six-wicket haul and 38 not out in her side’s opening ODI match.

A youthful England team was made up of five debutants.

Hannah Baker and Ryana MacDonald-Gay, who made their full England debuts, took their maiden international wickets while Lauren Filer dismissed captain Gaby Lewis.

Paige Scholfield also made her full debut while Mady Villiers and Hollie Armitage earned their first caps in ODI cricket.

Orla Prendergast top scored for the hosts with 76 with Amy Hunter and Leah Paul contributing as Ireland recorded 210 in the first innings.

Openers Tammy Beaumont and Emma Lamb were dismissed early.

Armitage and Scholfield impressed posting a third-wicket stand of 62, before Cross and Bess Heath recorded 55 to help England reach their target with 15.1 overs to spare.

The two teams meet again in the second of three ODIs at the same venue on Monday (9 September).

Cross said: “We’re really pleased with today’s victory.

“I had a little bit more to think about with captaincy but it made me take responsibility with our five debutants.

“We haven’t had loads of time together but they did so well to rally around each other, it was a great effort.”

Ireland Women v England Women One Day International series fixtures

Saturday 7 September: Ireland v England first ODI, Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast – England won by four wickets
Monday 9 September: Ireland v England second ODI, Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast
Wednesday 11 September: Ireland v England third ODI, Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast

Ireland Women v England Women T20 International series fixtures
Saturday 14 September: Ireland v England Women 1st IT20, Castle Avenue, Dublin
Sunday 15 September: Ireland v England Women 2nd IT20, Castle Avenue, Dublin

With thanks to the ECB

Kate Cross will captain the group who will play three One Day Internationals and two IT20s in Belfast and Dublin respectively.

Jon Lewis, who has been leading the England A squad over the past 12 months, will take charge as head coach and is joined by Courtney Winfield-Hill and Chris Liddle (England Women’s Performance Coach) who both come off the back of working with Trent Rockets and London Spirit respectively in the Women’s Hundred.

All-rounder Freya Kemp and wicketkeeper-batter Bess Heath will form part of the ODI squad alongside fast bowler Lauren Filer and opener Emma Lamb.

All-rounder Mady Villiers returns to a senior England squad for the first time since 2021.

Bowler Mahika Gaur is selected in the T20 group after a side strain injury saw her sit out of England’s home series’ against New Zealand and The Hundred.

Central Sparks trio Hannah Baker, Georgia Davis (ODI only) and Charis Pavely (T20 only) are named alongside South East Stars’ Ryana MacDonald-Gay and Paige Scholfield as well as Georgia Adams (Southern Vipers and T20 only) and Seren Smale (Thunder and T20 only) and all could make their senior international debuts having represented their country at various age-group levels.

Director of England Women’s Cricket, Jonathan Finch said: “Following a busy period we are looking forward to finishing off our summer with the tour to Ireland.

“The squad has an exciting mix of experienced international players, those that are returning to a squad having played previously and those yet to take their first steps on the international stage. This is a strong squad made up of many players that have grown from being part of a strengthening domestic game.

“The growing complexity and challenges of managing year-round playing calendars for our international players presents an opportunity for those that have been pushing for selection to be challenged on the international stage.

“Ireland Women are coming off the back of a significant series win against Sri Lanka and this, mixed with playing away from home, will pose a significant challenge.

“It’s always a special moment to see players make their debut and seven could do so on this tour.”

England Women ODI squad: Kate Cross (captain; Thunder), Hollie Armitage (Northern Diamonds), Hannah Baker (Central Sparks), Tammy Beaumont (The Blaze), Georgia Davis (Central Sparks), Lauren Filer (Western Storm), Bess Heath (Northern Diamonds), Freya Kemp (Southern Vipers), Emma Lamb (Thunder), Ryana MacDonald-Gay (South East Stars), Paige Scholfield (South East Stars), Bryony Smith (South East Stars), Mady Villiers (Sunrisers), Issy Wong (Central Sparks)

England Women T20 squad: Kate Cross (captain; Thunder), Georgia Adams (Southern Vipers), Hollie Armitage (Northern Diamonds), Hannah Baker (Central Sparks), Tammy Beaumont (The Blaze), Mahika Gaur (Thunder), Ryana MacDonald-Gay (South East Stars), Charis Pavely (Central Sparks), Paige Scholfield (South East Stars), Seren Smale (Thunder), Bryony Smith (South East Stars), Mady Villiers (Sunrisers), Issy Wong (Central Sparks)

Ireland Women v England Women One Day International series fixtures

Saturday 7 September: Ireland v England first ODI, Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast
Monday 9 September: Ireland v England second ODI, Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast
Wednesday 11 September: Ireland v England third ODI, Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast

Ireland Women v England Women T20 International series fixtures
Saturday 14 September: Ireland v England Women 1st IT20, Castle Avenue, Dublin
Sunday 15 September: Ireland v England Women 2nd IT20, Castle Avenue, Dublin

With thanks to the ECB

When rain affects a cricket match, it’s hard to find anything positive to say about it.

But here’s an effort from the second T20 at Hove.

The groundstaff worked wonders to provide any play at all. In the end they had to admit defeat, but not before England had secured victory.

If we assume every English eye is fixed on the Bangladesh World Cup, then some useful boxes were ticked. Here are a few:

England were asked to bat first, rightly seen as the worse option when the forecast is bad.
None of the leading batters had the chance to put a proper innings together, but they scored at 9,98 runs per over, and ensured wickets didn’t fall in a loud clatter, as was all too possible in a match limited to a laughable nine overs each.

Together, the two highest scorers, Maia Bouchier (23) and Alice Capsey (28), hit five fours and three sixes, achieving scoring-rates of over 150.

Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight kept the waggon rolling at the same pace, and Sophie Ecclestone produced her party piece off the last ball on offer: a six sent towards the English Channel.

Only 15.4 overs in total, yet enough cricket was played to make a result possible – amazing!

Not so positive

In reply, Sophie Devine and Melie Kerr fell cheaply to the two opening bowlers, NSB and the returning Lauren Bell. Suzie Bates (4) faced only six balls during a 24-minute stay. That helps explain how she was dismissed by Charlie Dean at the end of the fifth over, when Dean was only the fourth bowler used.

What was the last time a player was awarded Player of the Match, after bowling only one over? Dean’s figures: 1-0-3-2.

Danielle Gibson was given another chance in the team, but it didn’t help that she batted No 7. She faced two balls and failed to score. Nor was her bowling needed. What was Jon Lewis’ thinking behind that?

Scores

England 89-6 (9 overs)
New Zealand 42-5 (6.4 overs)

Result, by the wonders of the DLS method, England won by 23 runs

And the Future

Still three games to come. Supporters will be eyeing Lewis’ selection policy with the greatest interest. Will Danni Gibson get a proper chance to show her abilities? Ditto every member of the squad?

Here’s a reminder of the full list: Heather Knight (Western Storm), Lauren Bell (Southern Vipers), Maia Bouchier (Southern Vipers), Alice Capsey (South East Stars), Charlie Dean (Southern Vipers),
Sophia Dunkley (South East Stars), Sophie Ecclestone (Thunder), Lauren Filer (Western Storm), Danielle Gibson (Western Storm), Sarah Glenn (The Blaze), Bess Heath (Northern Diamonds), Amy Jones (Central Sparks), Freya Kemp (Southern Vipers), Nat Sciver-Brunt (The Blaze), Linsey Smith (Southern Vipers), Danielle Wyatt (Southern Vipers)

This was the XI in the first match at Southampton: Wyatt, Bouchier, NSB, Kemp, Knight, Capsey, Jones, Dean, Ecclestone, Smith, Glenn

In the second at Hove: Wyatt, Bouchier, Capsey, NSB, Knight, Jones, Gibson, Ecclestone, Dean, Bell, Glenn

That means Bess Heath has yet to appear. Will she be allowed to wear the gloves? If not, she’ll have only her batting to be judged by. A few others have played only once, most critically Gibson at Hove. Filer, Kemp, and Smith must also be hoping for a second airing.

We’ll see whether the management’s policy is to give everyone a go (at least two goes?) or to keep picking the main guns, and see how many places are left over for the rest of the party.

The remaining games:

11 July, The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury
13 July, The Kia Oval
17 July, Lord’s

Rain delayed the start at Bristol till 14.35, the game reduced to 42 overs each. England decided to bowl; you might well ask why.

Both sides made changes: Jon Lewis added Lauren Bell and Sophia Dunkley in favour of Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Filer; Ben Sawyer replaced Fran Jonas and Jess Kerr with Eden Carson and Hannah Rowe.

New Zealand made a cautious start, reaching only 30 by the time the 8-over powerplay was completed. One wicket fell in that time, Georgia Plimmer taking an unwise single to backward-point, where Charlie Dean’s throw was too accurate.

The first of the Kiwis’ batting triumvirate, Suzie Bates (24), fell to a catch by Amy Jones, diving in front of first slip. Once again, Kate Cross’ bowling was a mixture (9-0-46-2); she added no-balls for over-stepping to the ingredients.

Now it would need Melie Kerr and Sophie Devine to make big contributions to ensure a total that would test England’s batting line-up that stretched a long way down. In the event they put on 59 (57 and 43 respectively), but the lack of real depth meant that Brooke Halliday’s 31 later on proved insufficient.

Lauren Bell was the bowler to dismiss all three. Crucially, she trapped Kerr in front, then beat Devine with an inswinger that deflected off the inside-edge. Wnen she had Issy Gaze caught by NSB, it left her the last over to dismiss Lauren Down to claim her first 5-fer. Down obliged by hoisting another mistimed ball into the same pair of hands. Bell (9-0-37-5) was showered in congratulations.

A total of 211 was just enough to cause a few flutters of concern in the crowd. But surely England must win…easily?

The Reply

There was drama first ball, as Issy Gaze dropped an edge off Hannah Rowe in front of Devine at slip. But then Rowe pinned Tammy Beaumont in front and was given out. She didn’t ask for the review that would have saved her.

England crawled to 4 in two overs. In the fifth Maia Bouchier had had enough; she deposited Rowe into the next world. Before the powerplay was over, Heather Knight was on her way back, Rowe holding a return off a top-edged splice. Her scores this series: 9*, 9, 9. Consistency isn’t everything.

Then an even bigger moment: Bouchier edged behind. That was the vital third wicket, seen as a big marker for a win in ODIs. So the state of the market was now: England 33-3 off 8. And a few superstitious people see repeat numbers as a bad omen.

Amelia Kerr took the twelfth over. She thought she had Sophia Dunkley lbw with a beautiful googly, but DRS disagreed. A fourth wicket this early on could have been critical.

NSB loosened the knot a little as she hit two fours off Kerr in the fourteenth. But Kerr took her revenge by dismissing Dunkley, Gaze taking a fine catch off a thin edge.

An Amy Jones 4 brought up the 100, but the hosts weren’t halfway there. That came as Penfold suffered two more fours in the same twentieth over.

Till now Devine had stuck to her four lead overs. In the 22nd over she threw Eden Carson the ball, and she went for eight. That helped bring the current rate well below the target rate.

NSB’s latest 50 came off the last ball of the 25th over. She may possibly be the best cricketer Tokyo has ever produced.

With 40 already against her name, Jones should have been looking safe, but Rowe caused two errors in one over. One mishit fell short of mid-wicket, then Kerr couldn’t hold a chance. The batting pair responded by taking a single of each ball of Carson’s next over.

So long as these two could stay together, the game was safe.

Now at last Devine turned to her sixth bowler, Brooke Halliday. Jones’ 50 came up off 49 balls. The next moment Halliday found the edge of her bat. The fifth wicket had added 90 invaluable runs. England were playing safe by placing Alice Capsey at 7. The moment she was in, Plimmer dropped NSB at extra. Oh dear! Not the first Kiwi error that risked losing another match.

Their bowling tightened the noose again. Two fours were squeezed out of eight overs. The crowd grew restless.

Matters were eased with four overthrows. Capsey was intent on being there at the end, with the target achieved, of course. She wasn’t minded to take chances, but as the train approached the terminus, she hit Penfold for two 4s and two 2s, to leave NSB to see if she could score the winning single. She could.

Scores:

New Zealand 211-8 (A. Kerr 57, Bell 5-37)

England 212-5 (NSB 76*, Jones 50)

England won by five wickets

Player of the Match: Lauren Bell
Player of the Series: Maia Bouchier

Teams

New Zealand 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (captain), 5 Maddy Green, 6 Brooke Halliday, 7 Lauren Down, 8 Issy Gaze (wk), 9 Hannah Rowe, 10 Molly Penfold, 11 Eden Carson

England 1 Tammy Beaumont, 2 Maia Bouchier, 3 Heather Knight (captain), 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 5 Sophia Dunkley, 6 Amy Jones (wk), 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sarah Glenn, 10 Kate Cross, 11 Lauren Bell

Afterthoughts

On paper this was a convincing win, but the unevenness of the English batting is a concern. One benefit of the top order going early is that is gives the rest of the batters more of a chance to display their wares. They took it, Capsey adding 35* at the end.

As for the bowling, this was a complete turnaround, the seamers hogging all the seven wickets to fall to bowlers. How strange, in a game where Ecclestone was required to watch on.

Capsey may or may not have expected to bowl, but the skipper removed Sarah Glenn after two overs, as she couldn’t find line and length. She returned for three more, but went for 40 runs. Capsey took 0-13 off 3.

That brought a 3-0 win for the hosts. Now for five T20s.

England won the opening match of the series by a worryingly wide margin The Kiwi management has some serious thinking to do before the next game.

The weather was friendly, the outfield fast, so England had to be patient.

Lauren Bell’s start wasn’t an accurate indicator of the outcome. Suzie Bates hit her first over for 9, and

Heather Knight felt forced tor remove her after three overs for 28 runs. Her main rival for an opening spot, Lauren Filer, won the first breakthrough in the fourth over by bowling Bates for 16. That was one of the White Ferns’ three batting pillars downed, and Filer went on to record the most economical figures: 5-1-18-1.

It was important for the Kiwi younger generation to stand up and be counted. Georgia Plimmer did a job, scoring 29 and seeing the 50 up. Her dismissal was careless. Melie Kerr hit a straight drive that deflected off her partner to mid-wicket, where Maia Bouchier’s throw found Plimmer well short as she continued her run to the other end.

The other two pillars of the tripod, Kerr (10) and the skipper Sophie Devine (13), both fell to Sophie Ecclestone off outside edges that showed Amy Jones at her best.

With Kate Cross’ absence through a discomfort, there was still room for all three spinners, Ecclestone, Charlie Dean and Sarah Glenn. That was Jon Lewis’ stated wish, but it indicates his line of thinking: there must be at least three seamers on call! Nat Sciver-Brunt was allowed to offer five overs, and she pinned Maddy Green in front.

It was Dean who took the honours, bowling a searching spell that kept asking questions of batting techniques. She finished with 9-1-38-4, to raise her profile even further. The spinners returned a combined analysis of 20.3-2-86-7. Point proved.

The lack of Kiwi batting-depth is nothing new; now they subsided from 56-1 to 156 all out. Brooke Halliday held the breach bravely, becoming the sole batter to reach a half-century (51/60). When she had only No 11 Fran Jonas as company, she lofted Dean back over her head for the sole six of the innings.

The Reply

That target of 157 might have a chance against some national sides around the world, but not the hosts today. In short, Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier took the bowling attack to the cleaners.

Molly Penfold’s opening over was even more inaccurate than Bell’s had been; it contained three 4s, a single, a wide and a no-ball. She went for 15.

Both batters were in form; they waited for the inaccurate ball and smote it. The 50 was up by the eighth over (Bouchier 20*, Beaumont 26*). Devine gave Jess Kerr and Hannah Rowe lengthy spells to help them find their bearings and produce the magic ball. Kerr bowled some early inswing that needed careful treatment, but the wickets refused to fall.

After ten overs England were 68-0 and needed a run-rate of a tortoise-like 2.2.

Devine took the ball herself for the eleventh over. She did beat Bouchier’s bat once, but was dispatched for three 4s.

Melie Kerr was the other likely wicket-taker with her leg-spin, but in her second over both batters smashed her for six. Beaumont’s brought her her 50, then Bouchier’s saw the 100 partnership up. Her 50 came off 38 balls.

Cricket came closer to normality in the 18th over, when Bouchier didn’t get right over a drive, and Bates took a good diving catch off the deserving Halliday. But by then England needed only a further 20 runs.

The target was reached in only 21.2 overs, so some people could enjoy an early tea. For the White Ferns there will be some earnest reviews. How can they restore the balance?

For the English, this was the perfect start. Their target now must be to ensure a 100% record; they have a habit of loosening their grip and allowing defiant Kiwis to regain some late reward with a win.

Scores:

New Zealand 156 (33.3 overs) (Halliday 51, Dean 4-38) England 157-1 (21.2 overs) (Beaumont 76*; Bouchier 67) England won by 9 wickets

Teams
England

1 Tammy Beaumont, 2 Maia Bouchier, 3 Heather Knight (captain), 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 5 Danni Wyatt, 6 Amy Jones (wk), 7 Charlie Dean, 8 Sophie Ecclestone, 9 Sarah Glenn, 10 Lauren Filer, 11 Lauren Bell

New Zealand
1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (captain), 5 Maddy Green, 6 Brooke Halliday, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Hannah Rowe, 9 Jess Kerr, 10 Molly Penfold, 11 Fran Jonas

Afterthoughts

The English bowling line-up looked more secure than the batting: three spinners, two quicks and Nat Sciver-Brunt able to bowl again. There were more question-marks against the batters. Would they be able to keep the bat straight for longer than in the T20s or the imminent Hundred? They could!

In her preview chat Heather Knight picked the word “experimentation” as a key part of the thinking. There was little sign of it in Chester-le-Street, but perhaps her mind was turning towards the big event in Bangladesh.

It was a sad coincidence that Frank Duckworth MBE, co-inventor of the DLS method, died five days before the match.

Ryana Macdonald-Gay called up into the squad. Jon Lewis had been impressed with her performances in the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy, and there had been ‘a couple of niggles’ (Kate Cross and NSB) among the players. It was a shame that in her most recent matches, albeit T20s, RMG had not shown her best form.

One problem remains for the Kiwis. Their leading players are getting ever older; the younger generation (Plimmer, Gaze, Jonas all 20) has not (yet) shown the ability to take the weight off experienced shoulders.

The South East Stars seamer represented England Women A in their tour to New Zealand in March and will link up with the squad in Durham later today.

Heather Knight’s side begin their Metro Bank ODI series against the White Ferns at the Seat Unique Riverside tomorrow lunchtime.

Head coach Jon Lewis said: “Ryana has been a standout bowler in domestic 50-over cricket and had a good 50-over tour of New Zealand with our England A team.

“We have brought her in at this point as we have a couple of niggles in the squad. We have been really impressed with her skill level and accuracy.

“She is an exciting young talent and we look forward to having her in the squad.”

With thanks to the ECB

Heather Knight’s outfit take on the White Ferns in Durham (26 June), Worcester (30 June) and Bristol (3 July).

There is a return for South East Stars’ Sophia Dunkley; the opener has featured in all but one of her region’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy matches in the 2024 season to date.

Tickets for the ODI series and the T20 series to follow are available here.

Head coach Jon Lewis said: “We have named the same squad who finished the recent series against Pakistan. I felt we played some solid 50-over cricket in that series and have had excellent results over the past 18 months.

“We welcomed Sophia Dunkley back into the squad at the end of the Pakistan series as her performance across the domestic game has been outstanding and she earned the right to be back in this squad through performance.”

England Women ODI squad to take on New Zealand

Heather Knight (captain; Western Storm)
Tammy Beaumont (The Blaze)
Lauren Bell (Southern Vipers)
Maia Bouchier (Southern Vipers)
Alice Capsey (South East Stars)
Kate Cross (Thunder)
Charlie Dean (Southern Vipers)
Sophia Dunkley (South East Stars)
Sophie Ecclestone (Thunder)
Lauren Filer (Western Storm)
Sarah Glenn (The Blaze)
Amy Jones (Central Sparks)
Nat Sciver-Brunt (The Blaze)
Danielle Wyatt (Southern Vipers)

With thanks to the ECB

Following Sunday’s abandonment due to rain in Taunton, the two sides played their final match of the series at Chelmsford’s Cloud FM County Ground.

Danni Wyatt and Alice Capsey contributed 44 and 39 respectively as England made 302-5.

It was a memorable day for Sophie Ecclestone, who took 3-15, including her 100th ODI wicket.

Lauren Bell had earlier dismissed the tourist’s openers Sadaf Shamas and Sidra Ameen, the latter caught by Maia Bouchier

Sciver-Brunt also took two wickets, Kate Cross and Charlie Dean a wicket apiece to help England end the series as 2-0 winners.

Head coach Jon Lewis and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s post-match press conference is available to download here.

Women’s Vitality IT20 Series v Pakistan Women fixtures

11 May: 1st Women’s Vitality IT20 – Edgbaston, Birmingham, England won by 53 runs

17 May: 2nd Women’s Vitality IT20 – The County Ground, Northampton, England won by 65 runs

19 May: 3rd Women’s Vitality IT20 – Headingley, Leeds, England won by 34 runs

Women’s Metro Bank One-Day International Series v Pakistan Women fixtures

23 May: 1st Women’s Metro Bank One-Day International – County Ground, Derby, England won by 37 runs

26 May: 2nd Women’s Metro Bank One-Day International – The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, match abandoned due to rain

29 May: 3rd Women’s Metro Bank One-Day International – The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford, England won by 178 runs

With thanks to the ECB

It’s the fashion to fasten on to a new national head coach and add “-ball” to whatever strategy he claims to be pursuing.

So after “Baz-ball” we now have “Jon-ball”, but it’s difficult to decipher exactly what that entails. When England players claim it means an aggressive approach, we need only look at the bare bones of the game at Derby to see how little it was in evidence.

The England openers, Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier, were no more aggressive in their first few overs than Sadaf Shamas and Sidra Amin were later. They were taking the traditional approach: see the new ball off, then exploit.

The first powerplay saw 47 runs hoisted for the loss of Bouchier’s wicket. She became just one of the first seven batters to get started but not go on. Their totals ranged from her 17 to Alice Capsey’s 44.

Will Lewis be content or critical? It was a relief to see the consistent scoring up and down the order, but the inability to post a single 50 is a concern. There used to be a warning to batters: if you play across the line, you are liable to be found out.

The statisticians tell us that Pakistan bowled no fewer than 26 overs worth of dot balls. I’ve counted 35 in the first ten overs.

England have three times topped 300 against these opponents. Their run-rate was over 4.8, but that fell short of their expectations. Was there a psychological problem that they know the Pakistan batters are unlikely ever to match their total? The result turned out to be the tightest Pakistan have achieved against England.

Though they put up a good fight and kept England in the field till the last ball, few onlookers would have given them a ghost’s chance of reaching the target of 244.

One big concern was the quality of England’s bowling. Between them, Kate Cross (5), Lauren Bell (7), Sophie Ecclestone (2), Charlie Dean (4) and Sarah Glenn (2) contrived to set an all-time record of 31 wides. Cold hands may be a partial excuse, but we have five proud bowlers here. Amy Jones may be feeling the effects of having to dive to her left to rescue so many misdirected rockets. Most unusually, Jones’ dive to the right to snaffle an edge from a Bell leg-cutter went to ground.Now we await the next two encounters. Will Nida Dar prove bold enough to win the toss and bat first? It looked like a defensive move that she chose to bowl first here in Derby.

Result:

England 243-9
Pakistan: 206-9 (50 overs)
England won by 37 runs
Player of the Match: Sophie Ecclestone (3-26)

Once more it’s Heather Knight who previews England’s chances as they prepare to take on Pakistan in the first of three ODI’s.

It is she, not the head coach, Jon Lewis, who maps out her team’s approach to switching from three unbeaten T20s to three ODIs. The batters need more consistency, she declares, pointing out the obvious.

When she centres on the different ways they achieved match-winning totals on the first matches of the Pakistan tour, she reveals the uncertainties that underlay their efforts. 11-4 in the first match, then an all-embracing innings by Danni Wyatt to shore up another win.

With Tammy Beaumont all too likely to reappear in the longer format, the questions loom: why was she omitted from the T20 squad in the first place? Who does she replace? Maia Bouchier is the most junior of the top order batters. Her fine performances in the recent past were countered by her mirror-like dismissals in the recent series, when she twice ran herself out in preposterous circumstances.

Will the selectors take any notice of performances in the Development team’s game at Northampton? (http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2024/05/22/the-latest-pakistan-tour-game/). Will Emma Lamb be considered as a partner for Beaumont? Will Danni Wyatt be retained after that match-winning 87? If so, as opener or down the order? The latter seems more probable.

Behind these questions lies an issue that Knight touches on indirectly. She points to the length of England’s batting order. Yes, but that becomes significant only when the top order has failed to produce the results. It’s England’s good fortune that their spinners, Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean and Sarah Glenn, can all produce runs when they’re needed. But if numbers 1-6 did the job they’re paid to do, they could concentrate on their primary skill. Does a fine bowler get dropped simply because the batters can’t be relied upon?

A key case in point is Alice Capsey. She hasn’t scored the runs expected of her. You can put that down to all sorts of reasons, including placing too high a value on her promise in her mid-teens. The selectors could go on picking her in the knowledge that she will come off startlingly well at some stage. But is that the wisest selection policy for the squad as a whole?

Nat Sciver-Brunt won’t be bowling, so decisions have to be made about the make-up of the attack.

England can’t reasonably go in to a 50-over game with only one pace bowler, as they did in the T20 series. Kate Cross is the obvious choice, but surely not at the expense of excluding one of England prize possessions, their spin-trio.

It would be interesting to know Lewis’ views on all these matters. We may not get an answer till the sides are revealed before the toss.

The gap between the two teams at ODI level is yawningly wide: England 2nd, Pakistan 10th. That is two places further apart than in T20s (2nd-8th), where England showed quite enough weaknesses for concern, despite their apparent 3-0 canter.

A possible XI

1. Beaumont
2. Bouchier
3. Knight
4. NS-B
5. Wyatt
6. Jones
7. Ecclestone
8. Dean
9. Glenn
10. Cross
11. Bell

Match details:
Date: 23 May
Venue: County Ground, Derby Start: 13.00 BST

The forecast shows a 25% chance of rain through the morning till start time, then dry weather. But the men’s game up the road at Headingley on the 22nd didn’t even start. Fingers crossed.