Northern Diamonds’ star Beth Heath has been selected in England Women’s white-ball squad for the forthcoming Vitality IT20 series’ against Pakistan, which gets underway on Saturday, 11 May, as the national team also announces the squad for the Metro Bank ODI series’.
The Diamonds’ keeper and power hitter was part of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy-winning side of 2022 and has been in the England A set-up for the last two years.
Pictured, Bess Heath looking relaxed ahead of The Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy – Northern Diamonds v Western Storm at Headingley earlier this season.
Left-arm spinner Linsey Smith is again selected after returning to the senior squad for the IT20s in New Zealand while there’s a return for Freya Kemp to the IT20 group. All-rounder Kemp will be available as a batter during the series.
Heather Knight’s side start with a three match IT20 series, beginning a week tomorrow at Edgbaston, where England played in front of nearly 20,000 fans in a Women’s Ashes IT20 in July 2023. They then travel to The County Ground, Northampton before finishing at Headingley.
That series is followed immediately by three ODIs against the same opposition at Derby, Taunton and Chelmsford.
Head coach Jon Lewis said: “We are really excited to start our home summer. It’s great to be kicking off the summer of sport on home soil. Edgbaston is an incredible place to play cricket, the atmosphere is always special and it will be a huge occasion. I know the group are looking forward to playing in front of our fans in grounds across the country throughout the series.
“It’s great to see England’s men’s and women’s teams playing side by side again after the success of the Ashes last year.
“These two series’ against Pakistan give us an opportunity to build, develop and ensure we are in the best place come the World Cup in Bangladesh in September.
“We are very keen whenever possible to make sure all the players vying for places in the World Cup squad get opportunities to play cricket this summer so that they are able to put in performances that help secure a place in the squad for Bangladesh.”
England Women Vitality IT20 squad: Heather Knight (C; Western Storm), Lauren Bell (Southern Vipers), Maia Bouchier (Southern Vipers), Alice Capsey (South East Stars), Charlie Dean (Southern Vipers), Sophie Ecclestone (Thunder), Lauren Filer (Western Storm), Danielle Gibson (Western Storm), Sarah Glenn (The Blaze), Bess Heath (Northern Diamonds), Amy Jones (Central Sparks), Freya Kemp (Southern Vipers), Nat Sciver-Brunt (The Blaze), Linsey Smith (Southern Vipers), Danielle Wyatt (Southern Vipers)
England Women Metro Bank ODI squad: Heather Knight (C; Western Storm), Tammy Beaumont (The Blaze), Lauren Bell (Southern Vipers), Maia Bouchier (Southern Vipers), Alice Capsey (South East Stars), Kate Cross (Thunder), Charlie Dean (Southern Vipers), Sophie Ecclestone (Thunder), Lauren Filer (Western Storm), Sarah Glenn (The Blaze), Amy Jones (Central Sparks), Nat Sciver-Brunt (The Blaze), Danielle Wyatt (Southern Vipers)
Women’s Vitality IT20 Series v Pakistan Women fixtures
11 May: 1st Women’s IT20 – Edgbaston, Birmingham, 2.30pm
17 May: 2nd Women’s IT20 – The County Ground, Northampton, 6.30pm
19 May: 3rd Women’s IT20 – Headingley, Leeds, 1pm
Women’s Metro Bank One-Day International Series v Pakistan Women fixtures
23 May: 1st Women’s One-Day International – The Incora County Ground, Derby, 1pm
26 May: 2nd Women’s One-Day International – The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, 11am
29 May: 3rd Women’s One-Day International – The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford, 1pm
Lock in your seats for the fixture at Headingley from £15 for adults and £5 juniors below…
Headingley IT20 Series tickets
