Sophie Ecclestone picked in England Women's Ashes squad
Sophie Ecclestone, the 18-year old spinner, has been included in the 15-member squad that will travel to Australia for the Women's Ashes beginning late October, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Tuesday.
Ecclestone's inclusion meant Beth Langston, the right-arm pacer, misses out as the only change from the squad that lifted the 2017 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in July, after beating India by nine runs in the final. Langston didn't play a single game during the successful World Cup campaign although she featured in two warm-up matches, against New Zealand Women and Sri Lanka Women.
Kate Cross and Amy Jones will also be available for selection as both are currently playing for Western Fury, Western Australia's women's domestic side.
The squad, led by Heather Knight, will depart for Brisbane on October 7 and the multi-format series will kickstart on October 22 in the same city. After three One-Day Internationals, the first Women's day-night Test will be held at the North Sydney Oval from November 9, with three Twenty20 Internationals wrapping up the seven-match series.
The home side is the current holder of the Women's Ashes, having won the series 10-6 with victories in two ODIs, the one-off Test and one T20I. But Knight, captaining her side for the first time in the Ashes, is confident of success. “Ashes tours don’t come around all too often so it’s always a special opportunity. Australia are going to be very strong opponents on their home soil so we’ll have to be at our best, across all three formats." said Knight. “Winning the World Cup was a dream come true but it doesn’t get much bigger than the Ashes. We weren’t able to win in 2015 so I know that the whole group will be intent on regaining the trophy this time round.”
Ecclestone has played two ODIs and as many T20Is, having made her international debut in the T20I series against Pakistan at home in 2016. She missed out on selection for the Sri Lanka tour due to school, but that won't be an issue according to Mark Robinson, the England Women coach.
“It's a hugely exciting tour and one we are really looking forward to," he said. "Australia on their home soil will be a further test of the progress we have made. We said before the World Cup that the final at Lord's was never going to be our destination, it was just part of the journey, and that journey continues with this tour.
“Sophie Ecclestone has finished school now and has had a great summer domestically. Her selection will provide another option to our attack.”
Squad: Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Nat Sciver, Sarah Taylor (wk), Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt.