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Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Charlie Dean, Freya Kemp, Linsey Smith, and Danni Wyatt all selected in England Women’s squads
Six Southern Vipers stars have been selected for international honours, as England Women have named their squads for their upcoming IT20 and ODI series against Pakistan.
Bowlers Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith, all-rounders Charlie Dean and Freya Kemp, and batters Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt, have all been included in England Women’s squads, with the first IT20 taking place at Edgbaston on Saturday 11 May.
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.
Jon Lewis, England Women Head Coach
Smith was named in England Women’s previous tour of New Zealand, where she made her return to an England side four years after her last appearance, and took the wicket of her former Vipers teammate, Suzie Bates, with her first ball back in an England shirt.
She has started the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in exemplary form, taking eight wickets with an economy rate of just 3.8 runs per over.
Maia Bouchier is coming off the back of a stellar tour of New Zealand, where she racked up 293 runs at an average of 41.85, with a best of 91 coming in the fourth IT20 in Wellington – the highest Women’s IT20 score by a touring batter in New Zealand.
Freya Kemp was also in the runs in New Zealand, playing for England A, where she scored 304 runs with two half-centuries, with a strike rate of 139.
The 19-year-old also scored her first Southern Vipers fifty, in the opening Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy match, against South East Stars.
Charlie Dean rose to second in the ICC Women’s IT20 bowling rankings whilst out in New Zealand, and contributed to the highest ever eighth wicket partnership in Women’s ODIs, where she put on 130 with Amy Jones to get England over the line by four wickets in the opening ODI of the series.
Lauren Bell was England Women’s second leading wicket taker on their tour of New Zealand, with nine wickets to her name, only behind Charlie Dean’s 11, whilst Danni Wyatt scored 52 runs.
England Women’s series against Pakistan consists of three IT20s and three ODIs, running from 11 May to 29 May, with series against New Zealand in the summer, where the Three Lions and the White Ferns will meet at Utilita Bowl on Saturday 6 July.
Tickets for the match are 95% sold out, with hospitality and pitch-facing bedrooms at Hilton Southampton - Utilita Bowl also becoming limited.
To find out more about England Women v New Zealand at Utilita Bowl, please visit the link below.
Southern Vipers have started their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy title defence strongly, winning three of their first four matches, and currently sit third in the table.
The reigning double champions have two more RHFT matches to play, against Western Storm on Saturday 4 May, and Sunrisers on Wednesday 8 May, before the attention turns to T20 action in the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
Southern Vipers host The Blaze at Utilita Bowl to kick off their campaign on Saturday 18 May, with two double headers alongside Hampshire Hawks on Thursday 30 May and Friday 14 June.
The Vipers, the most successful women’s team in English cricket, can call upon several big names from England such as Danni Wyatt, Charlie Dean, and Lauren Bell, but also highly talented domestic players from The Hundred, including Georgia Elwiss, Emily Windsor, and Georgia Adams.
Secure your place to watch the double champions at Utilita Bowl this summer by visiting the link below.
