Women face academy in Twenty20

Charlotte Edwards will lead the senior team on Sunday

Buy this photo

England women will take on the England women academy side in a Twenty20 fixture this Sunday at Taunton, the home of women’s cricket, at 6pm.

The game will be played immediately after the Twenty20 Cup clash between Somerset Sabres and Worcestershire Royals.

The showcase match will give the Taunton crowds a taste of what is to come next June as Taunton plays host to the group stages of the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 women’s tournament.

Every day from June 11-16 2009 will provide a double header of Twenty20 matches with the first game starting at 12pm and the second at 4pm. All eight teams featuring in this global competition will be based in and around Taunton.

Sunday’s match will feature all England women’s Ashes winners as well as others who toured Australia and New Zealand in the winter. They will be joined by nine players that the selectors feel are knocking on the door for a squad place.

England captain Charlotte Edwards will lead the full England side, while the academy will be captained by Jenny Halstead.

ECB head of England women’s cricket Clare Connor said: “With only a year to go before the ICC World Twenty20, this match gives our players the opportunity to win over some new fans at the County Ground Taunton who may not have seen much live women’s cricket before.

“We are thrilled that Taunton can host all twenty-four group stage matches in June next year before the semi-finals and final at Trent Bridge, the Oval and Lord’s respectively.

“Along with their programme of two NatWest women’s Series, the England women’s team have four NatWest women’s International Twenty20 matches on the horizon against South Africa and India, with a televised match here on September 5.

"Every Twenty20 match is an opportunity for the players to prepare for a successful campaign in the ICC World Twenty20 next year.”

The teams for the match are as follows:

England

Charlotte Edwards (capt)
Sarah Taylor (wk)
Claire Taylor
Lydia Greenway
Jenny Gunn
Ebony Rainford-Brent
Beth Morgan
Nicky Shaw
Laura Marsh
Katherine Brunt
Isa Guha

Academy

Jenny Halstead (capt)
Salliann Briggs
Caroline Atkins
Rosalie Birch
Kate Oakenfold
Anya Shrubsole
Lynsey Askew
Kathryn Cross
Lauren Griffiths (wk)
Danielle Hazell
Georgia Elwiss

12th player (for both teams) Danni Wyatt