England look to the return of star Shrubsole
ENGLAND’S miserable collapse in Montego Bay was hardly down to the absence of Anya Shrubsole, but Laura Marsh admits the star bowler’s expected return today will lend the team a huge lift.
Shrubsole was ruled out of England’s first two ODIs in the West Indies due to a side strain – and Deandra Dottin proceeded to demonstrate exactly what they had been missing on Monday.
With England in prime position to go 2-0 in the series – on 107-4 while chasing down 149 – they were suddenly 110 all out, as Dottin sent them into freefall with her right-arm seam by taking three wickets in an over.
It’s the same kind of impact that Shrubsole has made for England time and time again and with the remaining three ODIs to go towards qualification for the 2017 World Cup, her return for the Kingston clashes would be timely.
“Anya is one of the best bowlers in the world and any game where she’s not playing is a bit of a blow for us,” said Marsh. “It’s given other players a chance and I think there are positives to take from that. But if she’s fit, it can give us a huge boost.
“We can definitely learn from the result, we got ourselves in a brilliant position having started off really well with the bat. But the credit also has to go to Deandra Dottin, she got her yorkers in and though we didn’t match up to that it was a world-class spell.
“On the whole we can be pretty pleased. The preparation was interrupted (with Hurricane Matthew) but there’s still a lot to play for, three games with three points attached for the ICC Championship. We’ve got to keep the concentration going.”
In Shrubsole’s absence, England coach Mark Robinson has elected to use three specialist spinners in Marsh, Alex Hartley and 17-year-old ODI debutant Sophie Ecclestone.
It is a combination that has worked tremendously so far – the trio have combined for 13 wickets – and Marsh says she has only been inspired by the new caps on the scene.
“It’s been really favourable conditions for the spinners, the two youngsters have done brilliantly to come in and perform like that,” added 29-year-old Marsh, who is preparing for her 78th ODI appearance.“I think as a partnership, with my off-spin and their left-arm spin, it has come together really well. But the whole bowling attack has been performing if you take into account how well the seamers have played in less favourable conditions.
“Competition is brilliant and keeps us all motivated all the time, we’re all willing to learn from each other and that’s how we are going to improve.”
Predictably the batters have found the going tougher and allrounder Danielle Wyatt’s 44 proved crucial as England edged the first ODI by five runs, Katherine Brunt trapping both Shamilia Connell and Erva Giddings lbw in a frantic finish.
And Marsh knows that what would normally be looked upon as below-par knocks should not be sniffed at in trying conditions.
“The pitches are quite slow and definitely favours the bowlers, and the runs have been hard to come by,” she added.
“It never feels like you are in playing on pitches like that, or ever playing the perfect game, but if we do get stuck in then every run counts.”