The names in the frame as England women's new era begins
The squads for the West Indies series reflect a new importance for domestic form
Valkerie Baynes
16-May-2025 • 7 hrs ago
Emily Arlott has been in the wickets for Warwickshire • Getty Images
As new England Women's head coach, Charlotte Edwards has placed an emphasis on performances at domestic level as a path to international selection. That means a few fresh faces have appeared in the squads named to face West Indies. We take a look at some of the more unfamiliar names, those making a comeback and what it could all mean for England as they embark on a new era under the leadership of Edwards, new captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and national selector Lydia Greenway. England host West Indies in three T20Is starting on May 21, followed by three ODIs from May 30.
The 27-year-old seamer received her maiden England call-up in a 17-strong squad ahead of the 2021 home Test against India. At the time, then-captain Heather Knight said her discovery "out of nowhere" was just an early indication of the sort of talent the team could unearth through the professionalisation of the domestic women's game. Three years on, Arlott is yet to make her international debut but, as the joint-leading wicket-taker in the Metro Bank One Day Cup with 14 wickets at an average of 20.85, she has been rewarded with selection for both the T20s and ODIs. She even showcased her batting credentials with a maiden hundred against Essex.
It looked like Beaumont's T20I career was over when she was dropped ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She had to wait more than two years for another appearance in the format, during England's tour of New Zealand in March last year, and then Ireland in September while the first-choice side was preparing for the World Cup. How becoming the first woman to score a century in the Hundred (118 off 61 balls) in 2023 didn't earn her a recall sooner remains a mystery. Beaumont didn't play the T20Is during the recent Ashes tour but, after two unbeaten centuries at a run a ball in four domestic 50-over innings, she has been picked for both squads.
A brisk century against Lancashire proved to be in vain for her Surrey side, but not for Davidson-Richards' quest to regain a place in the ODI squad. Scores of 57 not out off 47 balls and an unbeaten 40 off 23 earlier in the domestic season did no harm either as she seeks to add to her 15 England caps for the first time since Sri Lanka's visit in 2023. With Danni Wyatt-Hodge overlooked after 15 ODI innings without reaching fifty, there is space in the middle order.
Opener Lamb made a big impression in her first match of the season, scoring an unbeaten 130 for Lancashire while Edwards looked on in person, and she's barely stopped. Scores of 52, 86, 43, 20, 74 and 88 followed, making her the leading run-scorer in the One Day Cup, more than 100 runs ahead of the rest. She also has 12 wickets at 20.50. Lamb could add to her 14 ODI appearances, so far highlighted by the 2022 home series against South Africa in which she scored 65, 67 and 102. Maia Bouchier's omission opens the door at the top of the order.
Scholfield made her international debut in Ireland at the end of last summer and was poised to continue with the winter tour of her native South Africa until she was injured during training and had to fly back to England before the series began. She backed up a haul of runs for England A on their tour of Australia with solid performances for Surrey and she'll return to Oval Invincibles for the Women's Hundred in the top salary bracket, highlighting the value the franchise places on her run-scoring capacity.
Smith fell out of favour during the 2019 home summer after nine T20I appearances and it wasn't until the tour of New Zealand just over a year ago that she returned. She held her own as part of England's four-pronged spin attack at the T20 World Cup. Now, with fellow left-armer Sophie Ecclestone out of the squad, she can take even more responsibility. As joint-leading wicket-taker in the domestic 50-over competition with 14 at a better average and economy rate than Phoebe Turner and Arlott, Smith appears ready to do just that, not to mention make her ODI debut at the age of 30, having been named in both squads.
Since the end of 2022, Wong has only played three T20Is and a sole ODI - on the Ireland tour - having made her international debut as a 20-year-old tearaway quick during the home Test against South Africa. Struggles with her run-up and rhythm ensued but, after some time out of the spotlight, an impressive tour of Australia with England A, where she took eight wickets, put her back in contention for the T20 leg against West Indies in a considerable show of faith from Edwards and her fellow selectors.
Just turned 19, the left-arm seamer has already experienced the ups and downs of someone far more advanced in years. In September 2023, he produced a player-of-the-match performance on her England ODI debut with 3 for 26 against Sri Lanka, but that was followed by injury disruptions, an eye-opening Ashes tour as an observer with the senior side and a promising return to Australia with England A. Before any of that, she represented UAE in 19 T20Is. Now her cricket education is set to move to the next stage with a return to the ODI squad where she could add to her two caps in the format.
England Women T20I squad: Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Emily Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Paige Scholfield, Linsey Smith, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
England Women ODI squad: Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Alice Davidson-Richards, Emily Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Mahika Gaur, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith
Valkerie Baynes is a general editor, women's cricket, at ESPNcricinfo