Nottinghamshire’s Jenny Gunn and Danielle Wyatt have been named as part of a 21-strong England Women’s Performance Squad (EWPS) for the winter of 2015-2016.
Georgie Boyce also joined the pair in international squads for the winter, the 16-year-old being named in the England Women’s Development Programme (EWDP) as England named a total of 54 players across three winter squads.
The three squads, which constitute the England women’s cricket pathway, will feature 54 players this winter, ranging from England women’s captain, Charlotte Edwards as part of the 21-strong EWPS, to Surrey’s fifteen-year-old Rihanna Southby, who is the youngest member of the EWDP.
Training for all three squads will commence from October at the National Cricket Performance Centre (NCPC) in Loughborough.
ECB’s Director of England Women’s Cricket, Clare Connor, said: “We saw during the Women’s Ashes series this summer that the standard of international women’s cricket is constantly being pushed forwards and we must ensure that we have a structure in place that produces a continual stream of talented players, who are ready to perform in an England shirt if the opportunity arises.
“The England women’s cricket pathway is wider reaching and better resourced than ever before, and it is particularly encouraging to see some exciting young prospects coming through from the England Women’s Development Programme.“
England women will next be in action in February 2016 when they will travel to South Africa to play a three match One-Day International series and three match Twenty20 International series.
The ECB also confirmed that the next wave of England women’s central contracts will be awarded from February 1 2016 – January 31 2017. The recipients of the new contracts will be announced before the end of the year.
The 2015 season has seen dramatic last-gasp four day victories, thrilling limited-overs contests and an historic Investec Ashes Test, all in the unique surroundings of Trent Bridge.
Next season, we’d wager, will be no less enthralling and frankly we’d hate for you to miss out.