Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp headline England A squad for all-format series against Australia A

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced their England A squad for the upcoming tour to Australia, where they will face off against Australia A in a series of matches. The tour, scheduled to take place from March 26 to April 15, will feature three T20s, three 50-over matches, and a four-day game. The England A team will be led by Head Coach and Performance Batting Coach Jon Lewis.

Interestingly, the England A team’s itinerary mirrors that of the senior team’s ill-fated Ashes tour in January, where they suffered a dismal 16-0 defeat at the hands of Australia. Now, the women’s set up will be looking to bounce back from that humiliating whitewash, as they aim to restore pride and make amends for the senior team’s struggles down under.

Four players from England’s Women’s Ashes squad – Alice Capsey, Danielle Gibson (both 50-over and four-day only), Bess Heath and Freya Kemp (all formats) have been selected for the squad. Capsey and Gibson will join the tour after completing their commitments in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025.

In a welcome boost, returning batter Paige Scholfield has been named in all three squads for the England A tour. Scholfield had to withdraw from England’s women’s tour to South Africa in November 2024 due to injury and is now set to make her comeback in Australia.

The squad also features several promising young players from England Women’s Pace Programme including Rihanna McDonald-Gay, Emma Jones (T20 and 50-over) and Alexa Stonehouse, who has been selected across formats.

Rounding out the England A squad are Hollie Armitage, Georgia Davis, Jodi Grewcock, Charis Pavely, Grace Potts, Grace Scrivens, Seren Smale, Mady Villiers, and Issy Wong who will play key roles across various formats. Kirstie Gordon is a key addition in the longer formats, reinforcing the team’s spin options. Other notable players include Mahika Gaur and Bryony Smith who will be looking to make a significant impact in their respective formats.

The preparations for the tour are already underway, with the majority of the squad honing their skills in a training camp in Abu-Dhabi. With their preparations well underway, the group will depart for Sydney on March 17.

England Women A Head Coach Jon Lewis emphasized the tough challenge ahead against a strong Australian side, acknowledging the hard work put in by players both at home and abroad. “This tour provides an opportunity for players to push for selection into the senior squad through strong performances against the Australians,” he added.

Director of England Women’s Cricket, Jonathan Finch, highlighted the balanced mix of experience across the squads, stressing how the competitive multi-format series will be invaluable for player development. “A tour to Australia is what so many young cricketers dream of, and we wish them well,” he said.

England Women A squads –

England Women A T20 squad

Hollie Armitage, Georgia Davis, Mahika Gaur, Jodi Grewcock, Bess Heath, Emma Jones, Freya Kemp, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Charis Pavely, Grace Potts, Paige Scholfield, Grace Scrivens, Seren Smale, Bryony Smith, Alexa Stonehouse, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong

England Women A 50-over squad

Hollie Armitage, Alice Capsey, Georgia Davis, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Kirstie Gordon, Jodi Grewcock, Bess Heath, Emma Jones, Freya Kemp, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Charis Pavely, Grace Potts, Paige Scholfield, Grace Scrivens, Seren Smale, Bryony Smith, Alexa Stonehouse, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong

England Women A four-day squad

Hollie Armitage, Alice Capsey, Georgia Davis, Danielle Gibson, Kirstie Gordon, Jodi Grewcock, Bess Heath, Freya Kemp, Charis Pavely, Grace Potts, Paige Scholfield, Grace Scrivens, Seren Smale, Alexa Stonehouse, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong

The England A team will kick off their tour of Australia on March 26 with a T20 match at Hurstville Oval. With a strong squad and valuable preparation under their belts, England will be looking to make a statement and come out on top against the hosts.

Australia A vs England A series schedule:

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