Ecclestone omitted from England women’s side vs West Indies as pacer Izzy Wong finds a place in the side for the series.
Ecclestone omitted out of England’s white-ball squad for the home series against West Indies, where Issy Wong is poised to make a comeback to international ranks.
Despite playing for Lancashire on Wednesday and scoring a fifty as England’s selection panel, which included recently appointed national selector Lydia Greenway, named their squads, Ecclestone has been unable to play domestic cricket because of a knee injury.
Wong joined fellow Warwickshire seamer Emily Arlott in the squad for three Twenty20 Internationals, although Maia Bouchier was left out. The roster also included Arlott, who has not yet made her international debut, for the next three ODIs.
After a challenging spell with poor form, Wong last played for England during the tour of Ireland in September of last year, as the first-choice T20 team was getting ready for the World Cup. She made an impression in her country’s opening games and during England Women A’s recent trip to Australia.
Batsmen Emma Lamb and Alice Davidson-Richards are also returning, having been picked for the ODIs following strong batting performances in the Metro Bank One Day Cup local competition.
While Mahika Gaur, a 19-year-old left-arm quick who travelled to Australia for the Ashes but did not play as part of her recovery from injury, was called up for the ODIs, the Blaze’s opening batsman Tammy Beaumont and spinner Linsey Smith, the top wicket-taker in the Metro Bank One Day Cup, are included in both squads. Beaumont only played the Test and ODIs in Australia, but she made a comeback to the T20I format last year after a two-year hiatus.
“Following her knee injury, Sophie Ecclestone is physically not quite at 100% yet,” said head coach Charlotte Edwards. “She’s been rehabbing and working hard but she’s only just got back on the park for Lancashire so she doesn’t have enough cricket under her belt to be ready for this series.
“All-rounders Freya Kemp (back) and Danielle Gibson (stress fracture) are both unavailable due to injury. Lauren Filer’s return from a knee injury continues positively and she will continue to be reviewed.
“Maia Bouchier misses out having been a part of the Ashes series, Maia’s talent is there for all to see and the challenge to her is to go and make consistent match-winning contributions for Hampshire in domestic cricket. It’s the same for any player who’d disappointed to not be a part of these squads.”