Grundy teams up with Ashes old hands

Warwickshire's left-arm spinner Rebecca Grundy is the only player named in a highly-experienced England women's Royal London ODI squad who hasn't previously been involved in a Women's Ashes series.

Grundy will be looking to build on her excellent introduction to international cricket, having taken 13 wickets in four ODIs and six T20Is to date, in the three-match series which represents the start of the multi-format Ashes series in which England will be seeking a third consecutive series victory.

Between the 14-players, there are 807 ODI caps, with captain Charlotte Edwards (185), Kent team-mate Lydia Greenway (121) and Nottinghamshire's Jenny Gunn (125) all having represented England over a hundred times in 50-over cricket. Vice-captain, Heather Knight (Berkshire), is also in line to win her 50th ODI cap in the first ODI in Taunton on 21 July.

Sussex allrounder Georgia Elwiss will return to international duty for the first time since the Women's World Twenty20 in Bangladesh last year. She has forced her way back into England contention following a series of impressive performances for the England Women's Academy against their Australian counterparts, the Shooting Stars, in Dubai at the start of the year - a tour which saw her score 316 runs at an average of 63 and take five wickets in four 50-over matches and two T20s.

"I don't think it's too dramatic a statement to say that the 2015 Women's Ashes contest is possibly the most eagerly anticipated series in the history of international women's cricket," Clare Connor, director of England women's cricket, said. "The pace at which the women's game is evolving at the moment is extraordinary."

The three Royal London ODIs will carry additional significance for both teams, as they will form England and Australia's third round of fixtures in the ICC Women's Championship, which will determine qualification for the 2017 Women's World Cup in England.

The 2015 series will also be the third time that the Women's Ashes have been contested across all three formats of the game - three ODIs, one Test and three T20Is - with two points available for a win in each of the ODIs and T20Is and four points up for grabs for the winner of the Test match. Two points will be awarded to each side in the event of a drawn Test.

England will be hoping to emulate their performances from the first two multi-format Women's Ashes contests, having won 12-4 on home soil in 2013 and 10-8 Down Under in 2014.

Squad: Charlotte Edwards (capt, Kent), Katherine Brunt (Yorks), Kathryn Cross (Lancs), Georgia Elwiss (Sussex), Lydia Greenway (Kent), Rebecca Grundy (Warks), Jenny Gunn (Notts), Amy Jones (Warks), Heather Knight (Berks), Laura Marsh (Kent), Natalie Sciver (Surrey), Anya Shrubsole (Som), Sarah Taylor (Sussex), Lauren Winfield (Yorks).

Royal London ODIs:
July 21, Taunton
July 23, Bristol
July 26, Worcester.