Johnathan Batty has named his 13-player squad to face Australia A in three T20s at Haselgrave Ground, Loughborough. Significant inclusions include Alice Capsey and Alice Davidson-Richards who have been released from England’s senior test squad and 17-year-old Mahika Gaur who has previously represented the UAE.
England and Australia have taken different approaches to their respective T20 squads with England mainly including England senior white-ball players while Australia have opted for a mostly uncapped side.
The inclusion of Alice Davidson-Richards and especially Alice Capsey may have come as a shock as it meant that the pair were released from England’s Test squad. Davidson-Richard’s place – despite her century on debut – was less secure due to the addition of all-rounder Dani Gibson to the squad. For Capsey, this perhaps was more of a shock. The 18-year-old has not yet played in a Test match and it seems that England want to save Capsey for the white ball games given that six months ago she shattered her collar bone requiring reconstruction.
The series has given opportunities for uncapped Paige Scholfield, Bess Heath and Mahika Gaur – three of the most in-form regional players.
Scholfield made the move from the Southern Vipers to the South East Stars at the end of the 2022 season and scored 111* on debut. Sitting comfortably as the leading run-scorer in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, Scholfield has 303 runs from 5 innings with an average of 101.
Bess Heath is developing into one of the most destructive batters. Wracking up 158 runs in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and 108 runs in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, Heath hasn’t been at the top of the run charts however, her strike rate is what sets her apart.
In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, her strike rate has been 136.20, while in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, it’s up at 147.94. Her aggression from the first ball makes her presence in the game known. As a wicket-keeper, he opportunities have been limited with Lauren Winfield-Hill typically taking the gloves for the Northern Diamonds.
Mahika Gaur placed herself on the radar, when she took 5/2 in a game in which the UAE bowled Nepal out for 8 in an U19 Women’s World Cup Qualifier. Immediately, Gaur’s uniqueness was obvious standing at 6ft tall and bowling left arm seam, getting the ball to swing. Gaur has caps for both UAE and UAE U19 and recently moved back to the UK to play for Thunder. Being born in Reading, Gaur qualifies to play for England and she’s an exciting prospect for England selectors.
In many ways Australia’s squad is mainly about opportunity, seeing some potential but a chance to play overseas. England however, seem to be using this a preparation for the T20s. Allowing some key players: Capsey, Sarah Glenn, Maia Bouchier and Bryony Smith to find some form ahead of the Ashes T20s is no error.
With a few more years of professionalism within the domestic structure since England A last faced Australia A, will there be less disparity between the two?
England A Squad
Maia Bouchier (Southern Vipers), Alice Capsey (South East Stars), Alice Davidson-Richards (South East Stars), Freya Davies (South East Stars), Charlie Dean (Southern Vipers), Mahika Gaur (Thunder), Sarah Glenn (The Blaze), Bess Heath (Northern Diamonds), Freya Kemp (Southern Vipers) Paige Scholfield (South East Stars), Bryony Smith (South East Stars), Linsey Smith (Southern Vipers), Lauren Winfield-Hill (Northern Diamonds)
Australia A Squad
Maitlan Brown (New South Wales Breakers), Lauren Cheatle (New South Wales Breakers), Maddy Darke (Western Australia), Nicole Faltum (Victoria), Tess Flintoff (Victoria) Heather Graham (Tasmanian Tigers), Charli Knott (Queensland Fire), Kate Peterson (South Australian Scorpions), Courtney Sippel (Queensland Fire), Tayla Vlaeminck (Victoria), Courtney Webb (South Australian Scorpions), Amanda-Jade Wellington (South Australian Scorpions), Tahlia Wilson (New South Wales Breakers)
Comments