London, June 14 (IANS): Right-handed top-order batter Sophia Dunkley has made a return to England’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, starting from June 26. Sophia was left out of England’s white-ball squads for the series against Pakistan last month after a lean run with the bat on tours of India and New Zealand.
Since then, Sophia has been leading the run-scoring charts in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for South-East Stars, amassing 293 runs in five innings, averaging 97.66 and has hit a century as well as a fifty. She’s also hit two fifties for Stars in the Charlotte Edwards T20 cup tournament.
Sophia, though, was back with England’s ODI squad as cover for the second and third games at Taunton and Chelmsford respectively last month.
“We have named the same squad that finished the recent series against Pakistan. I felt we played some solid 50-over cricket in that series and have had excellent results over the past 18 months.”
“We welcomed Sophia Dunkley back into the squad at the end of the Pakistan series as her performance across the domestic game has been outstanding and she earned the right to be back in this squad through performance," said head coach Jon Lewis.
Sophia will be competing with Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Danni Wyatt and Alice Capsey for a spot in the England batting line-up which also has captain Heather Knight and vice-captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who made a return to bowling duties during the series against Pakistan.
Kate Cross, Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer are England’s fast-bowling options, with Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean being the spinners. England will play three ODIs against New Zealand at Durham on June 26, Worcester on June 30 and Bristol on July 3, and is followed by five T20Is, serving as final preparation for both teams ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh from October 3-20.
England ODI squad: Heather Knight (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones (wicketkeeper), Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danielle Wyatt