Sophie Ecclestone left out of first England squad under Charlotte Edwards
Sophie Ecclestone has been left out of Charlotte Edwards's first England squad for the upcoming white-ball series against West Indies.
Telegraph Sport understands the selectors' decision to omit Ecclestone predominantly because of a knee injury sustained by Ecclestone over the winter.
Ecclestone, who tops the ICC's T20Is and 50-over bowling rankings, returned to domestic cricket with Lancashire on Wednesday after missing the opening seven rounds. It is expected she will play for the county for a month before any decisions on her international future are made.
Maia Bouchier is another notable absence from Edwards's first squad as England head coach, having opened across the formats during the Ashes.
Ecclestone made headlines during England's chastening Ashes defeat in Australia when she publicly refused to do an interview with her former team-mate-turned pundit Alex Hartley. The public spat was over comments made by Hartley during the T20 World Cup in the autumn questioning the players' fitness levels, although she did not name any individuals specifically.
Since taking over the role of head coach following the sacking of Jon Lewis in the wake of the England and Wales Cricket Board's review of the series, Edwards has set out her mantra.
Abandoning the previous notion of 'inspire and entertain', Edwards insisted in her opening press conference that going forwards it would be about winning matches.
The conversations surrounding fitness became a black cloud following the England side, amid Lewis' ill-judged comments that Australia's superior 'athleticism' was because of their improved climate and something he noticed on a walk between Bondi and Coogee.
Edwards, who refers to it as the 'f-word' in team settings, has insisted she will judge for herself the abilities of the squad she inherited, but has already shown she is not afraid to go against those who came before her when it comes to squad choices.
Over the past few years, the England women's side has faced criticism for selecting essentially the same squad for all series, despite their fluctuating on-field fortunes.
Edwards has not only encouraged her players to feature for their counties under the new tiered system, but also told them that their performances will play a part in selection.
Along with appointing a new national selector, who Telegraph Sport understands to be Lydia Greenway, Edwards is moving new captain Nat Sciver-Brunt's role away from squad selection.
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