Gloucestershire's Alex In England Academy Squad
28 January 2014
Gloucestershire’s Alex Macdonald has been named in a 14-strong England Women’s Academy squad to tour Sri Lanka.
The trip to Colombo will see the team play four T20 and two 50-over games against the host country before returning on February 12.
All-rounder Alex, 22, who plays for the Bristol Phoenix Club, was voted Gloucestershire’s Player-of-the-Year at the end of last season, having scored 552 runs at an average of 92.
She carried her bat through an innings no fewer than four times and also picked up seven wickets with her seam bowling, as well as taking five catches and effecting two run outs.
Alex, who lives at Frampton Cotterell, also won the county’s Performance-of-the-Year award for her unbeaten 105 against Hampshire.
The tour to Sri Lanka forms part of England Women’s ongoing preparations ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 competition in Bangladesh later this year.
The Academy squad includes a mix of exciting young prospects looking to make a positive impression. All have earned their spots on the plane following strong performances in domestic competitions last summer.
Commenting about the composition of the squad and the purpose of the tour, Head of England Women’s Cricket Clare Connor said: “The tour to Sri Lanka presents an exciting opportunity for this group of players to gain some valuable experience of playing in sub-continent conditions, and represents a strategic part of our preparation for the 2014 ICC World T20 competition.
“As we saw at the ICC Women’s World Cup in India in 2013, the Sri Lanka Women’s side is improving all the time and they will provide challenging opposition in the six scheduled fixtures.
“We have therefore selected a strong squad for this tour, mixing the likes of 2013 Women’s Ashes winner Tammy Beaumont, who will captain the side, with young up and coming talents such as Stephanie Butler from Staffordshire and Sussex’s Freya Davies.”
The players will be supported by Academy Head Coach Lisa Keightley, Assistant Coach Jonathan Finch, Team Manager Ella Donnison, and physio Phil Tranter.
Squad:
| Tammy Beaumont (capt) | Kent |
| Stephanie Butler | Staffordshire |
| Amara Carr | Devon |
| Freya Davies | Sussex |
| Jodie Dibble | Devon |
| Georgia Hennessy | Warwickshire |
| Beth Langston | Essex |
| Sophie Luff | Somerset |
| Alex MacDonald | Gloucestershire |
| Sonia Odedra | Nottinghamshire |
| Carla Rudd (wkt) | Berkshire |
| Helen Shipman | Warwickshire |
| Jess Watson | Yorkshire |
| Fran Wilson | Somerset |
Schedule
| 3 February | 1st 20 | Sri Lanka Women | Nondescripts Cricket Club |
| 5 February | 2th T20 | Sri Lanka Women | Nondescripts Cricket Club |
| 7 February | 3th T20 | Sri Lanka Women | Premadasa Stadium |
| 7 February (am) | 4th T20 | Sri Lanka Women | Premadasa Stadium |
| 9 February (pm) | 50 overs | Sri Lanka Women | Premadasa Stadium |
| 11 February | 50 overs | Sri Lanka Women | Burgher Recreation Ground |
