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Farrant, Elwiss picked for first three T20s of tri-series

Katie George and Lauren Winfield will boost the strength of the squad from 14 to 16 after England's opening T20 on Wednesday

BCCI

BCCI

England have made only one change to the women's ODI squad that faced South Africa, by replacing wicketkeeper-batsman Lauren Winfield with left-arm quick Tash Farrant for the opener of the T20 tri-series on June 20. Winfield will, however, join the squad of 14 along with Katie George for the double-header on June 23, when the hosts take on South Africa and New Zealand. Allrounder Georgia Elwiss, who last played a T20 international in 2016, was also picked in the squad after playing two ODIs against South Africa.
Katherine Brunt, Laura Marsh and Sarah Taylor, who didn't travel for the T20I tri-series in India in March, also returned. Brunt had missed those T20s because of a back injury and returned for the ODIs against South Africa to take six wickets, the second-most in the series. Taylor was left out of the India tour as part of management of her anxiety condition and she scored a century in the second ODI at Hove, in their 69-run win.
The players to be left out after the India tour were Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, Alex Hartley, Bryony Smith and Fran Wilson. While Cross hasn't played international cricket since 2016, Hartely was dropped from the ODI squad too recently. Interestingly, Smith put in impressive performances recently - two consecutive half-centuries against the Aboriginal Women, a century and five-for against Essex, and another half-century for Surrey - and was still left out.
"In selecting this squad, we've had the opportunity to consider our England Women's Senior Academy fixtures against South Africa and New Zealand and it's heartening to see so much competition for places," coach Mark Robinson said.
"We saw some excellent individual performances in those games - Sophia Dunkley hit 91 against New Zealand, Emma Lamb and Freya Davies have bowled well and Bryony Smith made an outstanding 92 yesterday against South Africa. "There's a growing number of players beginning to make cases for selection which is a reflection of the depth that's starting to emerge and that's exciting."
Squad: Heather Knight (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Tash Farrant, Jenny Gunn, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones (wk), Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Nat Sciver, Sarah Taylor (wk), Danni Wyatt