England have announced they will be without captain and star player Nat Sciver-Brunt for Friday’s third Women’s T20 against India.
Despite batting after spending a large chunk of India’s innings in Bristol on Tuesday off the field, Sciver-Brunt is now awaiting the outcome of a scan on her left groin.
She will at least miss out at the Kia Oval as England look to drag their way back into a five-match series they trail 2-0, with the recently-recalled Tammy Beaumont leading the side in Sciver-Brunt’s absence.
The hosts will be keeping their fingers crossed Sciver-Brunt’s setback is not too serious, with her predecessor as England skipper, Heather Knight, already out for the summer due to a hamstring injury.
Maia Bouchier has been drafted in as cover, having not featured for England since last winter’s Ashes whitewash defeat, while Beaumont might be the surprise choice to take the reins for the first time in an international as Sophia Dunkley is officially Sciver-Brunt’s understudy.
Dunkley will keep her position as vice-captain in south London and Beaumont explained: “Sophia is quite a young player and someone we’re investing in to be a leader of the future.
“But unfortunately in this situation, it probably needs someone with a bit more experience.
“It’s a real honour to be asked to do the job. We need a bit of a fight to come out in this series and I’m probably someone who likes to get in a battle, so I can understand why (she was made captain).”
Tammy Beaumont
Just seven of Beaumont’s 106 T20 caps have been since January 2022 and she was only recalled owing to Knight’s injury, but the 34-year-old demonstrated her fighting qualities with a rapid fifty in England’s 24-run loss last time out.
Having been comprehensively beaten in the first two T20s, England now must win the last three to ensure Charlotte Edwards does not suffer her first series defeat since becoming head coach earlier this year.
Beaumont added: “I think the worst thing we could do right now is panic. We didn’t want to be 2-0 down, we didn’t want our captain and best batter to be out of the team but we are where we are.
“We’ve got to try and bring some calm to it, some rationale and logic and we certainly believe we can come back and win this.
“We’ll be coming out fighting again. Full credit to India, they’ve challenged and pushed us but I certainly intend on getting the girls to try and respond to what’s happened so far.”
For exclusive stories and all the detailed cricket news you need, subscribe to The Cricket Paper website, digital edition, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day.
