England’s preparations for the Women’s T20 World Cup have been complicated by injury concerns surrounding key players. The most significant absentee is captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who missed the New Zealand ODIs with a “minor” calf tear and has been ruled out of the subsequent T20 series. England need her fit to play her full part as an all-rounder.
Sciver-Brunt’s Absence Impacts World Cup Preparations
With the World Cup beginning on 12 June, coach Charlotte Edwards has six T20s, starting with a match against New Zealand, to finetune her side. Edwards has been planning for this for months, but there remain plenty of questions to answer before the tournament gets under way.
England have been managing playing time and various issues for a number of weeks, which is why many players skipped rounds of domestic cricket at the start of the season. It will soon be crunch time.
Other Injury Concerns for England
Sciver-Brunt is not the only player Edwards is monitoring. Sophie Ecclestone’s appearance in the third ODI in Cardiff was only her fourth match of the season. She has been managing a quad issue which, again, England have said is only minor.
Batter Sophia Dunkley, who is set to open with Danni Wyatt-Hodge at the World Cup, has only played once competitively since December amid a knee issue.
Then there is Issy Wong. The fast bowler was included on England’s initial team sheet.
Spin Options for Edwards
The emergence of 18-year-old spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman on the international stage was significant during the one-day international series against New Zealand. She looked at ease on debut, which was a major boost to Edwards, who has long talked up the spinner’s talents.
Her emergence leaves Edwards with a difficult decision regarding the spin attack. Sophie Ecclestone, fitness permitting, still appears a guaranteed starter in England’s World Cup XI, but who will join her?
The other candidate is England’s third left-arm spinner, Linsey Smith. Smith was arguably England’s best bowler at last year’s 50-over World Cup. Her skills of bowling in the powerplay are arguably even more relevant in T20s than ODIs.
- Smith bowled more than half of her World Cup overs with the new ball last autumn.
- She took seven of her 13 wickets in that phase.
- Corteen-Coleman took 1-18 in four overs in a T20 when 427 runs were scored during England’s intra-squad camp in South Africa earlier this year.
You could play all three left-armers, but that would probably mean leaving out vice-captain Charlie Dean and having a problematically long tail.
Edwards’ Balancing Act
Charlotte Edwards took over as England coach at the start of last summer. She now has six T20s to finetune her side before the World Cup begins.
Edwards has been planning for this for months, but there remains plenty of questions to answer over the next two weeks before the big show gets under way.