Mahika Gaur, Bess Heath earn maiden England call-ups for Sri Lanka collection
Fast bowler Mahika Gaur and wicketkeeper-batter Bess Heath have been named for the primary time in England’s white-ball squads for the ODI and T20I collection towards Sri Lanka later this month, however there isn’t any 20-over return for Tammy Beaumont, regardless of her excellent latest type throughout codecs.
Gaur, 17, has earned her call-up after a collection of eyecatching shows this summer season, most just lately for Manchester Originals in her maiden season of the Women’s Hundred. As a left-arm seamer able to swing from a excessive launch level, she has beforehand represented UAE in 19 T20Is, and was a key member of the Thunder squad that reached the Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day in June.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Heath was a part of Northern Diamonds’ Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy-winning aspect of 2022, making a vital 44 of their two-run victory over Southern Vipers at Lord’s, and has made an additional 249 runs at 41.00 on this yr’s marketing campaign. She has additionally featured in all of Northern Superchargers’ 2023 Hundred matches to this point, together with a quickfire 23 not out from 10 balls towards Trent Rockets final week.
Both Gaur and Heath have been a part of the England A set-up in latest seasons, together with the latest warm-up matches towards Australia A forward of the white-ball leg of this yr’s Women’s Ashes.
There’s no return to the T20I set-up for one in every of England’s stars of that Ashes marketing campaign, nonetheless. Beaumont made a career-best 208 within the one-off Test at Trent Bridge, plus key matchwinning performances within the ODI leg of the collection, however she’s been ignored for the shortest format, regardless of making extra historical past final week together with her 118 from 61 balls for Welsh Fire against Trent Rockets, the primary century within the Women’s Hundred.
Another younger star of the ladies’s set-up, Freya Kemp, returns to the 20-over squad after recovering from a stress fracture in her again, whereas quick bowler Lauren Filer – who impressed together with her uncooked velocity on debut within the Ashes Test – receives her first T20I call-up.
England might be lacking plenty of star gamers in the middle of the six white-ball matches. Sophie Ecclestone and Sophia Dunkley are being rested from the complete marketing campaign, which begins in Hove on August 31 and ends at Grace Road on September 14, whereas Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt will miss the T20I and ODI legs respectively, to handle their workloads.
“We have named a squad with a good blend of youth and experience and see this as an important series to test the depth of playing pool,” Jon Lewis, England’s head coach, mentioned. “We have some exciting, new young players coming in who we are looking forward to working with.
“Mahika [Gaur] is a really thrilling expertise. Left-arm swing bowlers of over six-foot tall are distinctive in ladies’s cricket. Mahika has proven constantly this summer season that she is a menace with the brand new ball and we’re excited to see how she performs at worldwide stage.
“Bess [Heath] is an all-action cricketer who impacts games and is a great fit for us and how we want to play. She impressed in the A team games against Australia earlier in the summer and she also provides cover for Amy Jones with the gloves.
“With a World Cup arising subsequent yr it is crucial we develop the squad and gamers can acquire worldwide caps and expertise.
“The chance to play at venues around the country is exciting. It’s great the opening fixture against Sri Lanka at Hove is now sold out.
“After an unbelievable Ashes summer season, we wish to keep momentum on and off the sector and look ahead to getting began.”
Meanwhile, an ECB Development XI will take on Sri Lanka in a warm-up fixture at Arundel on Monday 28 August. The squad will be announced once the final three teams to progress in the Hundred are confirmed.
England T20I squad Heather Knight (capt), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt
England ODI squad Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver-Brunt