England XI to take on Pakistan at city ground
LOUGHBOROUGH University graduate Sophia Dunkley and Issy Wong have been selected in a strong England Development XI to take on Pakistan at Leicestershire’s Uptonsteel County Ground today.
The T20 game serves as a warm-up for the tourists ahead of two whiteball international series against England, with pace bowling coach Chris Liddle taking charge.
His side contains four players from the senior squad – Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Linsey Smith and Dani Wyatt – and will be captained by Hollie Armitage of Northern Diamonds.
But there will be great interest in the performance of top-order batter Dunkley, above, who has been dropped from both formats after a lean run of form and was told to rediscover her rhythm.
Pace bowler Wong, meanwhile, remains firmly on the national side’s radar but needs to find a level of consistency before coming back to the highest level.
England Women’s head of performance pathways Richard Bedbrook said: “The ECB Development XI match opportunities provide us with real flexibility in an approach to selection.
“On this occasion, this T20 fixture is the only one of the summer against an International opposition outside of the various England Women bilateral series and therefore providing opportunities to a particularly strong playing XI is important as we continue to build with the bigger picture of the T20 World Cup in mind.”
ECB Development XI team:
Hollie Armitage (c, Northern Diamonds), Georgia Adams (Southern Vipers), Sophia Dunkley (South East Stars), Lauren Filer (Western Storm), Bess Heath (Northern Diamonds), Grace Potts (Central Sparks), Bryony Smith (South East Stars), Linsey Smith (Southern Vipers), Mady Villiers (Sunrisers), Issy Wong (Central Sparks), Danielle Wyatt (Southern Vipers).