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BBC News
23-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Who should be in England team for World Cup?
England have played their final competitive one-day international before the Women's World Cup starts at the end of September.A summer which started with a 3-0 win against a depleted West Indies culminated with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of a vastly superior India and has left coach Charlotte Edwards with plenty to ponder as she selects her squad for the the final ODI England fell short chasing a record 319 at Chester-le-Street, having comfortably won a rain-reduced encounter in the second match at Lord' are serious questions surrounding the balance of England's XI and concerns with their England's margin of defeat on Tuesday was 13 runs, after another display littered with misfields, fumbles and poor throws, it proved the difference between the contrast, India dived, raced across the outfield and took some cracking catches as the game reached its captain Nat Sciver-Brunt said in her post-match interview that "some people maybe seem surprised that the ball is coming to them" but also repeatedly insisted, alongside Edwards, that the players are "working extremely hard" on their Sciver-Brunt is in fine form with the bat, scoring an exquisite 98 in England's chase, her inability to bowl as she recovers from an Achilles problem has left a big void in England's team, one which they have attempted to plug in a variety of is expected to be fit to play as an all-rounder in the World Cup, but that in itself carries risk as her first competitive bowling since January's Ashes in such a high-pressure all-round stocks seem depleted - Alice Davidson-Richards played in the ODIs but did not bowl, power-hitting fast bowlers Dani Gibson and Freya Kemp are on the way back from injuries, and Alice Capsey, a top-order batter who offers part-time spin, has struggled to take her chances in internationals recently."I'm getting there," Edwards told BBC Test Match Special when asked whether she knew her best team."After the West Indies, it was really easy to think of an XI, but now I'm genuinely really close to what I think we'll start with in India."I want to win, but I've learned more from this than I would have than had we won 3-0."Then we'd be going into a World Cup where we'd not have had these experiences and exposure to the pressure that we have been under." Cross in? Wyatt-Hodge back? Capsey to bowl? BBC Sport and BBC TMS commentators have picked their teams for the opening World Cup game. Here's who they selected:England World Cup winner Alex Hartley: Jones, Beaumont, Knight, Sciver-Brunt, Dunkley, Gibson, Ecclestone, Dean, Cross, Filer, Bell."I've gone with this team because I feel like the wickets will be pretty flat at the start of the competition, so I've gone with the extra seamer."As soon as the wickets start to deteriorate and if the games become slower scoring, they'll need an extra spinner and that will be Sarah Glenn. I would take her as part of the wider squad because she offers something different as a leg-spinner."BBC cricket reporter and commentator Henry Moeran: Jones, Beaumont, Knight, Sciver-Brunt, Dunkley, Wyatt-Hodge, Capsey, Ecclestone, Dean, Filer, Bell."The opening partnership has been solid so that has to stay put, and Heather Knight comes straight back into the side for her batting and additional leadership experience."Sophia Dunkley has looked in good touch. As a bit of a wildcard, I'd bring Danni Wyatt-Hodge back. She plays spin well and has a good record of playing in World Cups."Alice Capsey possibly comes in more for her bowling as England will need the spin options, but they also need more batting depth, which she provides too."Former England spinner Dani Hazell: Jones, Beaumont, Knight, Sciver-Brunt, Dunkley, Wyatt-Hodge, Ecclestone, Dean, Smith, Bell, Filer."A fit Nat Sciver-Brunt bowling makes a huge difference. I'd take four spinners."Linsey Smith would be in the side and Wyatt-Hodge would come back in at six or seven, where she can play spin well and have a real impact on the game."Smith can just hold the stumps. The pitches get a bit slower and lower later in the game and, if the batters play across the line to her, they'll be in trouble."BBC chief cricket reporter Stephan Shemilt: Beaumont, Jones, Lamb, Sciver-Brunt, Knight, Kemp, Gibson, Dean, Ecclestone, Smith/Bell, Filer."There is quite a big doubt over Gibson but she balances the team beautifully if fit to bowl. Kemp is yet to fulfil her potential, but I want her power and left-handedness, even if that is tough on Davidson-Richards."Emma Lamb has taken her chance, so squeezes out Sophia Dunkley. I like the batting depth and bowling options of this team, with the choice between Linsey Smith and Lauren Bell dependant on conditions. The crying shame is Capsey, who should be in but has missed her opportunities."BBC Sport journalist Ffion Wynne: Beaumont, Jones, Lamb, Knight, Sciver-Brunt, Dunkley, Gibson, Ecclestone, Dean, Bell, Filer."There is a risk with Gibson considering her recent injury but she gives England some much-needed versatility as a power-hitting number seven, a brilliant fielder and another bowling option."I would also have Smith in the squad so, pitch-dependent in India, she could slot in for Lauren Filer or Lauren Bell, as Gibson and Sciver-Brunt would be the other seamers."I'd have liked to see England try more of Emma Lamb's spin during this recent series, but she has been in sparkling batting form so keeps her spot at three, with Heather Knight jumping straight back in." Durham batter and BBC Test Match Special commentator Emily Windsor: Jones, Beaumont, Knight, Sciver-Brunt, Dunkley, Bouchier, Davidson-Richards, Dean, Ecclestone, Smith, Bell."Heather Knight comes straight back in and Sciver-Brunt is bowling in this team, which is going to be crucial because it allows the extra batter in Maia Bouchier, which will be key in India."I'd have Davidson-Richards at seven. She's a very smart player and she could also be put in ahead of Bouchier if England are under the pump. I'd like to see her bowling too."Filer was close but, with Sciver-Brunt bowling, I've gone with Bell for her death skills."
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Charlotte Edwards: England reaching World Cup final would be ‘real success'
England head coach Charlotte Edwards believes reaching the World Cup final would be a 'real success' for the team and insisted there was 'real progress' within the group. With the tournament set to begin in the autumn, England concluded their summer with a 2-1 one-day international series defeat against India at Chester-Le-Street after losing by 13 runs, thanks to a brilliant effort with the bat from Harmanpreet Kaur. The India captain smashed 102 off 84 balls and a half-century from Jemimah Rodrigues – along with scores of 45 from Smriti Mandhana and Harleen Deol – helped the visitors reach 318 for five. Nat Sciver-Brunt and Emma Lamb led the recovery effort for the hosts with a mammoth 162-run partnership, but a quick loss of four wickets in the final five overs saw India ease to victory. England's next target is the World Cup, where they play their opening game against South Africa in October and Edwards insisted her side were going to the tournament to 'really compete'. Asked what success would look like at the tournament, Edwards replied: 'We're going there to win it, clearly, because any team I'm sure me and Nat are part of, we want to win. 'Getting to the final would be a real success for us, but that's obviously a long way off. 'We're certainly going there to really compete and we believe we've got a team that can really compete. 'I know you guys haven't seen the results from us in this series that you would've liked, but we know in our dressing room what we're doing and how we're progressing. 'That's the most important thing to me, if I'm honest, we're really progressing and improving. I can see real progress with this group.' England have faced criticism since their 16-0 Ashes whitewash at the start of the year, which led to the appointment of Edwards and Nat Sciver-Brunt as captain. The first summer in their new roles saw a clean sweep in their white-ball series against the West Indies followed by a T20 and ODI series defeat to India. One area that continues to be questioned is their fielding displays over the course of the summer and Edwards admitted that while there had been lessons learned, her side were 'out-fielded' by India. 'I think a brilliant series to be part of, I thought there were three excellent games of cricket where we've been tested,' she said. 'We've had really close games of cricket. I've seen us against one of the best teams in the world and positives have been around our batting. 'How we've performed with the bat over this series has followed on from the West Indies series. 'I think India have been exceptional, they've been really disciplined with the ball and I think it's something we can really learn from. 'I think they've out-fielded us, hence why they've lifted the trophy today and we haven't. 'Certainly from every player and fans that have been watching it, it's been a great series to view and we've certainly learned a lot about our squad over the last two or three weeks.'
The Guardian
22-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
India win women's ODI series decider as Kaur century gives England mountain to climb
India finished their tour of England with a 13-run win at Chester-le-Street and a 2-1 one-day international series victory, although England came desperately close to pulling off what would have been a record run chase, falling just short of their 319-run target. The hosts had been in trouble at eight for two, but Nat Sciver-Brunt and Emma Lamb overcame the faltering start to add 162 runs for the third wicket and give England hope. Lamb was bowled by Shree Charani for 68 and Sciver-Brunt gloved the ball to a diving Richa Ghosh in the 35th over, two runs short of a century. Some nifty boundary-striking in the gaps from Sophia Dunkley, Charlie Dean and Alice Davidson-Richards kept them in touch. But with England needing 55 from the last five overs, Jemimah Rodrigues held on to two excellent catches at long-on and seamer Kranti Goud finished up with six for 52, as the hosts were ultimately unable to quite match the late-innings acceleration of their opponents. With the World Cup now 10 weeks away, England will take renewed confidence from the efforts of a middle order which looks at last to have absorbed some of the coach Charlotte Edwards's lessons about prioritising intelligent cricket above showboating. On the other hand, England could have sent Harmanpreet packing for 22, had they referred a leg-before call in the 28th over to the third umpire. It was one of two non-referrals which would have seen an India batter dismissed – the other was against Harleen Deol – and exposed some uncertainty about England's DRS chain-of-command. Traditionally, it is the captain who makes the final call, but both times here Sciver-Brunt appeared to rely purely on Amy Jones's judgment. Sciver-Brunt eventually held on to a diving catch at extra cover to dismiss Harmanpreet, but with just eight balls left of the innings it was too late to atone. India's captain, who had failed to score above 26 in six previous innings on this tour, specialises in scoring runs when her back is against the wall and on Tuesday – after finally winning a toss at the eighth time of asking – her seventh ODI hundred was the mainstay of India's match-winning total of 318 for five. Earlier, Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal had put on a 64-run opening stand for India, but their scoring rate took a nosedive when Sophie Ecclestone was brought on in the 10th over and proceeded to send down a remarkable opening spell of 7-2-14-1, including a wicket maiden in which a frustrated Mandhana pulled straight to Dunkley at short midwicket. Ecclestone conceded just 28 runs in her 10 overs – an incredible feat on a day in which Dean went for 69, Linsey Smith 74 and Lauren Bell 82 – but she was bowled out by the 34th over, leaving India to go big at the back end, hammering 120 from the final 10 overs. In an interview broadcast by Sky before the match, Ecclestone revealed that she had actually come close to retiring earlier in the summer due to the ongoing fallout from the Women's Ashes, during which she came under fire after refusing an interview with the BBC's Alex Hartley. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion 'During that West Indies series [in May] I wasn't actually sure if I was going to come back and play cricket,' Ecclestone said, while struggling to hold back tears. 'I cried to a few people, I cried to my dad. It was a tough time. I was so tired and so drained from the last few months.' Speaking for the first time about the Hartley incident, she said that she felt it had been 'blown out of proportion'; 'I had to put myself first in that situation. Warm-ups in an Ashes game were more important for me [than doing an interview].' Ecclestone added: 'I feel like I've come out the other side now. I'm back playing cricket and I've got a smile on my face again.'
Telegraph
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Sophie Ecclestone: I considered quitting after Alex Hartley spat
Sophie Ecclestone has admitted she considered quitting cricket in the aftermath of the public spat involving Alex Hartley and the Ashes whitewash. In January, before the first T20 of the Women's Ashes, Ecclestone refused to be interviewed by her former team-mate Hartley, who later said on air she had been 'hung out to dry' by players who would not speak to her. In the wake of England's dismal T20 World Cup exit in October, Hartley said some members of the side were not up to the required fitness standards, and stood by her claims as the side performed badly throughout the 16-0 whitewash Down Under. 'It was a weird time,' Ecclestone told Sky Sports, speaking about the incident for the first time before taking the field for the final ODI of the series against India at Durham. 'I felt like I was taking my warm-up more seriously than doing interviews for a game. I feel like that went down [the] wrong way and a few things were said. I was just concentrating on cricket at that moment but a lot of things were being said which wasn't ideal.' Ecclestone disputed the claim that she refused to do the interview, saying: 'The word 'refuse' was being thrown around which wasn't really true.' Clare Connor, managing director of England Women's cricket, called it an 'unfortunate incident that won't happen again' during her press conference the morning after the series. When new head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt then took over from sacked coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight, Ecclestone took a break from cricket before the white-ball series against India to prioritise her mental health. 'During the West Indies series, I wasn't actually sure if I was going to come back and play cricket,' she said. 'It was a tough time. [I] feel like I have come out of the other side now, back playing cricket with the girls. I [have] got a smile on my face again and I feel like I wouldn't have done it without the girls. 'It wasn't very nice but we are all over that now. There were a lot of feelings involved and [it's time] to move on,' she explained. After the Ashes whitewash, Ecclestone went to the Women's Premier League where she suffered a torn meniscus, and was left out of the white-ball series against West Indies. Ecclestone returned to the national side for the India series, coming straight back into the starting XI and playing every match of the series, including taking three for 27 at Lord's.
Glasgow Times
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
England target series win over India and World Cup momentum
Dean and her team-mates head into Tuesday's third match at Chester-le-Street having avenged their four-wicket defeat at Southampton with an eight-wicket victory in a rain-affected clash at Lord's on Saturday to set up a decider in the north-east. A win would make amends for the 3-2 T20 series defeat by the Indians which preceded the 50-over encounters and provide a boost as Charlotte Edwards and her players work towards this Autumn's World Cup campaign in India and Sri Lanka. We beat the rain ☔To claim victory over India! 🙌We now head to a decider! 💪2nd ODI highlights here 👇 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 20, 2025 Dean said: 'It is massively important. We are taking every game as it comes, but ultimately we want to win the series. It will put us with great momentum into the World Cup. 'We've still got a lot of time and a lot of cricket before then, but hopefully it will only help us.' England chased down a revised total of 115 from 24 overs at headquarters to gain a foothold in the series, but they were also able to take positives from their defeat in the opening game when after being reduced to 97 for four, Sophia Dunkley's 83 and a half-century from Alice Davidson-Richards helped them post 258 for six. Dean said: 'While we don't want to be in those situations, it's brilliant that we can learn from that and really grow and put those platforms together where previously we might have crumbled. 'We always want to be on top but realistically, we are not going to win games by 120 runs now, they're going to be closer, so the more that we can spend time in pressure situations and be on the right side of them, the better.' Head coach Charlotte Edwards will lead England into the World Cup later this year (John Walton/PA) Edwards replaced Jon Lewis as head coach in April and has had little time to hone her squad – from which Alice Capsey has been released to play for Surrey – for what lies ahead, but Dean has been impressed by her consistency in reflecting upon results good and bad. She said: 'That's what really good head coaches do, they stay consistent and I think that will hopefully allow us to really hone in on the learnings that we're having. 'I guess when you've got a World Cup coming up, it doesn't matter too much about the results beforehand as long as you take those learnings and you improve and do that quickly. 'That's maybe where frustrations are if we are making the same mistakes, but hopefully that won't continue to happen as much as we grow and get better. 'I love working with Lottie and she's got a brilliant tactical mind around the game, so I can definitely see us going from strength to strength.'
