England Team Preview: Experience is still the key for England

England have held the World Cup and World t20 simultaneously and they are aiming to do that again this November. In the meantime, they face two very good teams in tri-series in South Africa and New Zealand.



It might have been a good opportunity to look at some younger players, but the England selectors have gone with an experienced squad.



Key Players:



The undoubted heartbeat of the team is Sarah Taylor. The wicket-keeper batter sets the tempo with both bat and in the field. With the ability to stand up to England’s fastest bowlers she doesn’t allow batters to get settled. If she adds runs to that equation England will normally win.



Nat Sciver in this format of the game has the power to take games away from sides. She will also bowl her fair share of overs and is a very good fielder.



Danni Wyatt at the top of the order is important as her form over the winter showed. The two centuries she scored in pressure situations ensures her side are always in the game.



Sophie Ecclestone with her left-arm spin will dictate the middle-overs and if she takes wickets like she has been doing with a nerveless ease it will go a long way to taking the pressure off the other bowlers.



Strengths:



The batting is, without doubt, England’s main strength. Tammy Beaumont and Wyatt at the top of the order usually allow England to get off to good starts. Then with a middle-order that contains Heather Knight, Nat Sciver, Sarah Taylor and Katherine Brunt, England will back themselves to set or chase any target.



Weakness:



It is almost a disservice to say that England’s bowling is a weakness. England will feel confident that they can bowl any side out. T20 cricket though is tough for bowlers and it only takes the likes of a Lizelle Lee or a Suzie Bates to get stuck in and you wonder if England has the bowlers to contain them.



One of the problems that have been labelled is that the reliance on Brunt and Anya Shrubsole opening the bowling can take their toll. If wickets don’t come upfront England will start to chase the game. Tash Farrant has been included in the T20 side and with her left-arm seam offers England options.



Previous results:



England has not played much T20 cricket of late. They did play two series over the winter though with mixed results. They beat Australia 2-1 as part of the Ashes series. The second win helped to level the multi-format series.



A less experienced side then went to India, they won two of their group games but could not get over the line in the final.



Conclusion:



England will look to make a statement in this series. They will, therefore, go for the experience that has severed them well. The late nature of the squad announcement suggested that there may be changes with the likes of Sophia Dunkley and Emma Lamb, two players that would have benefited from the international experience. They are two players that would offer England something in West Indies conditions.



Squad:



Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Tash Farrant, Jenny Gunn, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Nat Sciver, Sarah Taylor, Danni Wyatt. For the games on Saturday: Katie George, Lauren Winfield.