England have been nothing short of dominant against the West Indies with their new-look leadership, now under the guidance of head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt. Their confident whitewash in both the IT20 and ODI series has been the start of a much-needed redemption arc for the side that suffered a humiliating 16-0 loss to Australia in January.
New players, a new ethos, and an injection of expertise have been the necessary antidote to the reputational damage endured across the winter months.
Edwards has made her mark on this England team already. The former England skipper has an ability to reignite careers, make fascinating role changes and most importantly, win games.
Warwickshire’s Em Arlott, who made her IT20 and ODI debuts in this series, has been one of the success stories from the early stages of Edwards’ tenure. The 27-year-old took 10 wickets across the five games she featured in and will cause a selection headache for England.
Left-arm spinner Linsey Smith has been another positive for England. Since making her IT20 debut back in 2018, international opportunities have been scarce. Smith is one of the best county players, plying her trade at Hampshire where she has now bowled herself into England’s T20 and ODI side. Debuting in 50-over cricket at Derby, Smith finished with figures of 5/36 from her 10 overs, a statement performance from the 30-year-old.
Among the batters, there has also been some tweaking. Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones have been reinstated as the opening batters in ODI cricket. It’s quite indicative of a new era when Jones, 12 years into her England career, scores her maiden international century as she did in Derby. It’s even more convincing when, a few days later, she produces another century, beating the previous total she set.
The newfound success of Jones has perhaps overshadowed what her opening partner was doing at the other end, Beaumont also scoring two centuries across the first two ODIs. Stability at the top of the order is something England have craved and, while these have not been scores against the best team in the world, England can only play the opposition in front of them.
A significant reflection after the Ashes, especially when directly comparing England and Australia, was the lack of competition for places in the England side. Although this is something that cannot change overnight, the remodelled county structure has reaped the rewards of the past five years of domestic professional development. The likes of Arlott, Smith and Alice Davidson-Richards were all selected based on their impressive county performances in the early stages of the One Day Cup.
England’s lack of competition for places has meant players have at times not been dropped despite below-par or mediocre performances. Edwards seems to be changing this. With a greater emphasis on playing county cricket, and vitally, performing well, the likes of Maia Bouchier were left out of the squad.
England confidently secured victory in all six matches against the West Indies; however, a critical eye would have noticed some poor overs from England’s bowlers. Jannillea Glasgow and Qiana Joseph, in the 2nd and 3rd ODIs respectively, were gifted boundaries by England’s seam attack. While these were not game-changing overs, against India they could be.
Realistically, the India series, comprising five IT20s and three ODIs, will be the real litmus test for the side. The ODIs will be crucial preparation for the World Cup taking place in India this Autumn. While the expectation is not for England to lift the trophy, a good run in the tournament will be another crucial step in their redemption.
Sophie Ecclestone, who was boldly left out of Edward’s first squad after an injury issue, could be back for the series against India. She is currently managing a quad problem and opting to take a step back from cricket for a short, if undisclosed, period, but the England camp are hopeful that Ecclestone will return in time.
India should prove tough opposition for England, with their top-order batters in particular finding a purple patch of form. Winning a tri-series against Sri Lanka and South Africa in May, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues both averaged above 50, registering centuries. Opener Pratika Rawal, who has only played a handful of international games, got runs under her belt, while off-spinner Sneh Rana finished top of the charts with 15 wickets from five games.
Pressure has been a point of concern for this England team, particularly under the old regime. At no point in this series were the hosts truly tested and put in precarious positions, something they are likely to face against India. In short, India will not make it easy.
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