Freya Davies awarded England Women contract ahead of India tour
Sussex fast bowler promoted from rookie list as ECB announce contracts for 21 players
ESPNcricinfo staff
06-Feb-2019
Freya Davies has received an ECB central contract • Getty Images
England Women have awarded fast bowler Freya Davies her first full central contract ahead of their upcoming tour of India.
Davies, 23, was part of the Western Storm side that won the 2017 Kia Super League and finished runners-up last season, having made her first senior appearance for Sussex aged just 14 in a T20 against Middlesex. She has been promoted to a full contract for 2019 from a rookie contract.
"I'm absolutely thrilled to receive my first full contract," Davies said. "It's always been my aim to represent England and this is an exciting step in the right direction. I'm looking forward to continuing the hard work, and the challenge now of getting myself picked."
England Women face India in three ODIs in Mumbai starting on February 22 and three IT20s in Guwahati in March.
Davies is among 21 players centrally contracted to ECB for 2019, with four of those on rookie deals, including Surrey's Bryony Smith, who received her first call-up to the senior team for last year's tri-series against India and Australia. Smith is joined on the rookie list by Linsey Smith, Alice Davidson-Richards and Katie George.
Tash Farrant and Beth Langston have been released, while Dani Hazell announced her retirement from the international game last month. Langston was part of the squad that won the ICC Women's World Cup while Farrant's most recent tour was as part of England's runners-up finish in the ICC Women's World T20.
England Women contracted players Tammy Beaumont (Kent), Katherine Brunt (Yorkshire), Kate Cross (Lancashire), Freya Davies (Sussex), Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire), Georgia Elwiss (Sussex), Jenny Gunn (Warwickshire), Alex Hartley (Lancashire), Amy Jones (Warwickshire), Heather Knight (Berkshire), Laura Marsh (Kent), Nat Sciver (Surrey), Anya Shrubsole (Somerset), Sarah Taylor (Sussex), Fran Wilson (Kent), Lauren Winfield (Yorkshire), Danni Wyatt (Sussex). Rookies: Alice Davidson-Richards (Kent), Katie George (Hampshire), Bryony Smith (Surrey), Linsey Smith (Sussex).