History-making woman dropped from England side

On Monday, it was reported that Kathryn Leng will this week become the first woman to play in a male University Centre of Cricketing Excellence (UCCE) team in England, a couple of notches below first-class level. Today, we can report that she has been dropped from the England national team.

England selectors announced yesterday a squad of twelve to take part in the Test and one-day series against Australia starting late next month and being played under the banner of the "CricInfo Women's Series". Five players are missing from the squad of fourteen which failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup in New Zealand last December. Leg-spin all-rounder Leng, who today commences a two-day match for Bradford/Leeds UCCE against Loughborough UCCE, is one of them.

Charlotte Edwards, who was dropped from the England side mid-way through the World Cup a few days after making the second-highest score of the tournament, will miss the entire 2001 season after suffering cruciate ligament damage to her knee. She is due to have an operation next month. Thirty-six year-old Barbara Daniels was omitted from the squad, the former Executive Director of Women's Cricket for the ECB announcing her retirement from the international game. Left-arm pace bowler Melissa Reynard, the vice-captain for the unsuccessful World Cup campaign, has felt the selectors' axe, as has nineteen year-old pace bowler Nicki Shaw.

Only wicketkeeper Jane Cassar and 35 year-old opening batsman Clare Taylor remain from the England side which was victorious in the 1993 Women's World Cup.

All may not be lost for some of the discarded players, however, as the squad is expected to be expanded to fourteen players before the start of the First Test at Shenley on June 24, following two matches between the Australians and an England Development Squad.

Three players without full international England experience come into the squad - 25 year-old Kate Lowe of Nottinghamshire, 20 year-old Jackie Hawker of Somerset, and 20 year-old Caroline Atkins of Sussex. Somerset off-spinner Laura Harper is the youngest member of the squad at the age of seventeen.

The England team will be coached this season by Jane Powell, who has previously handled the England Under-19 and Under-17 sides. Former Australian coach John Harmer takes over the England side following the conclusion of the CricInfo Women's Series.

The full England squad is: Clare Connor (capt), Caroline Atkins, Jane Cassar, Sarah Collyer, Laura Harper, Jackie Hawker, Dawn Holden, Kate Lowe, Lucy Pearson, Clare Taylor, Claire Taylor, Arran Thompson.