HEAD COACH Jon Lewis expects a lauded spin attack to carry out the “bulk of the work” when England target Women’s T20 World Cup glory.
England will travel to the United Arab Emirates spearheaded by four front-line spinners, with Linsey Smith, who returned to the international T20 fold earlier this year, joining Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean in a 15-strong squad captained by Heather Knight.
Ecclestone and Glenn have taken more than 200 international T20 wickets between them, and England’s spin attack is rated among the best in world cricket.
It is set to have a major bearing on how they perform at the tournament, which begins on October 3, with conditions likely to be spin-friendly at both venues in Dubai and Sharjah after the competition was moved from Bangladesh due to safety and security concerns.
“The squad we have selected has got a really nice balance to it. I feel we have got the best 15 for the conditions we are going to play in,” Lewis said.
“I feel it is a nicely rounded bowling attack — four seam options and four, maybe five, spin options — so we are in a good space.
“In terms of the conditions we are going to play, we feel those spinners are going to do the bulk of the work.”
As expected, there are no places for Tammy Beaumont, Issy Wong and Mahika Gaur, while Lauren Filer’s omission means that England will travel without an express pace bowler.
Three players have made an England T20 World Cup squad for the first time — Freya Kemp, Bess Heath and Danielle Gibson.
Heath is set to understudy wicketkeeper Amy Jones, while Kemp’s selection alongside Gibson gives England considerable strength in the all-rounder department.
Lewis added: “Competition within our squad is fierce, and competition just outside the squad is fierce.
“Picking squads for England and picking XIs in particular is really tricky at the moment, and that is a really strong position to be in. All the players selected will want to go and impact the tournament at some point.
“To win tournaments most of the time, your senior players and more experienced players do most of the heavy lifting.
“The exciting thing about the group we have is that our young players across the last six to nine months have really started to stamp their authority on international cricket and play some match-defining roles. That is exciting for English women’s cricket.”
England’s opening World Cup game is against Bangladesh in Sharjah on October 5, before they face remaining pool opponents South Africa, Scotland and West Indies.
The squad will head to Abu Dhabi for a training camp from September 13-24, before official tournament warm-up games.
Knight said: “World Cups are always special events to be involved in as a player, and I am really excited by the squad we have selected to take over to the UAE.
“It is an honour to lead the team into another World Cup. We are looking forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
Beaumont and Wong have been included in the England squad for three one-day internationals against Ireland in Belfast from September 7-11, while they are joined by Gaur in a T20 group for two games in Dublin on September 14 and 15.
Kate Cross will captain both squads, with Gaur’s return coming after a side strain meant she sat out England’s home series against New Zealand and The Hundred.
