Shrubsole, Ecclestone miss Sri Lanka tour

Saturday, 29 October 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Fran Wilson has recovered from injury to take her place in the England squad – Getty Images

REUTERS: Anya Shrubsole has been ruled out of England’s tour of Sri Lanka with the neck injury that forced her to return early from the West Indies. Sophie Ecclestone, the 17-year-old left-arm spinner, is unavailable due to school commitments.

There is a recall for batsman Fran Wilson after she recovered from a broken finger, and she will be aiming to play her first ODI since 2010, while one further player will be added to the squad following a training camp in Abu Dhabi from November 1-7. Ecclestone will join the training camp before returning to the UK.

Tash Farrant, the left-arm seamer, was not considered for the tour with England deciding she was better served continuing her spell with Western Australia in the Women’s National Cricket League.

England require just one victory from the latter three matches of the four-game series, which are part of the Women’s Championship, to confirm their qualification for next year’s World Cup following the 3-2 series victory in West Indies.

“I’m really happy with the character and fight that the team showed to win the recent series against the West Indies in the Caribbean, and we now look ahead to the fresh challenge of taking on Sri Lanka in their own conditions, with the ambition of finishing the busiest ever year for the England women’s team on a high,” Mark Robinson, the England coach, said.

“The involvement of some of our younger players in the training camp in the UAE presents a fantastic opportunity for their development, and gives us an excellent chance to continue to develop the depth of the talent pool underneath the England women’s squad.

“Fran Wilson gives us another option with the bat, is a strong, athletic fielder, and had an impressive domestic summer. It is disappointing that Anya Shrubsole is still side-lined through injury, but in Beth Langston we have an exciting fresh face, who is ready to be unleashed on the international game.”

England squad for Sri Lanka tour: Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones (wk), Beth Langston, Laura Marsh, Natalie Sciver, Lauren Winfield, Fran Wilson, Danielle Wyatt (plus one to be added).

Additional players for training camp: Georgia Adams, Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Hennessy, Hannah Jones, Emma Lamb, Bryony Smith.