Alice Capsey is set for a new role with England as she prepares to keep wicket in the ODI series against Ireland. The 22-year-old has 95 England caps and is trusted for batting, bowling and fielding. Wicketkeeping, however, is new at international level. Capsey has kept only once professionally, for South East Stars in a 50-over game in 2020. With Amy Jones rested, she will now get her chance.
“Realistically, it is a bit of an unknown,” Capsey tells BBC Sport. “In games, I have not done it a huge amount. But the work I have done off the pitch, I know I am putting a lot of hard work in. It gives me a lot of confidence.”
England first looked at her during their pre-season camp in South Africa. She later became the back-up to Jones for the T20 World Cup. Capsey was not needed during the tournament, but her keeping work continued. She has now spent much of the summer getting used to the role. The Ireland series gives her a chance to show that the practice has helped.
Capsey was a wicketkeeper for much of her junior career and came through the Surrey academy with the gloves. She moved away from keeping after stepping up to a higher age group and focusing on off-spin. This opportunity takes her back to an old part of her game. She has spent the summer training behind the stumps while continuing her batting and bowling. Regular practice has made the role feel more natural.
Capsey also has a special link with former England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor. Taylor worked as a sports coach at Bede’s School in Sussex, where Capsey studied. Capsey was 12 when she watched Taylor and England win the 2017 World Cup at Lord’s. Taylor has encouraged her to return to wicketkeeping over the last few years. Capsey has stayed in touch with her.
“The way she went about it, did it her way and brought an X-factor to it was really cool,” Capsey says. “She has been on my shoulder for the last four or five years saying I need to get back to keeping. It has been awesome to touch base with her, especially this summer to be able to message her and say ‘I am back’.” Taylor’s support has helped Capsey return to wicketkeeping.
Capsey has changed parts of her gym work to prepare for keeping. She has focused on strengthening her legs and abductors because of the low position behind the stumps. She kept in an England warm-up against India before the T20 World Cup, taking a rising catch from Dani Gibson and a stumping off Linsey Smith without conceding a bye. She has also been standing up to Issy Wong.
“It was awesome,” Capsey says. “I loved the experience. Keeping up to Gibbo was a really nice challenge. That catch was one of the highlights but also it is the little things, whether in the first over stood back to [Lauren] Filer and getting one cleanly in the hands, there were a couple of leg-side takes as well.” The Ireland ODIs will test that work.
The three ODIs could show whether Capsey can become a second wicketkeeping option for England. Jones, 33, has been rested, while Capsey has secured her place through her batting. Her keeping could give England more freedom when picking the top order, especially after Jones made five single-figure scores in seven World Cup innings this year. Capsey knows there will be pressure, but she has experience.
“There is going to be nerves and pressure around, but more internal pressure than anything,” Capsey says. “As a professional athlete you don’t want to do it badly and you are representing England. It is an international series, there are ICC points on the line. To be trusted to have the gloves for England has got to give you confidence as well. I am not the finished article by any means but I did it for a long time growing up. Regardless of the challenges presented this week I know I have a bit of experience to fall back on which is nice.”
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