England spinner Sarah Glenn believes there is healthy competition within the team that will have everyone fighting for their place as preparations for the T20 World Cup begin.
England face Pakistan on Saturday in the first of six white-ball games in front of an expected crowd of 15,000 as both teams prepare live for the World Cup in Bangladesh in October Sky Sports.
Glenn suffered a concussion during England’s tour of New Zealand last month after hitting her head on the turf while attempting a catch in the third T20 match in Nelson, but the wait to finally get back into action is over and the leg spinner can’t wait to get started.
Saturday, May 11, 2:00 p.m
“We’re really excited,” Glenn said. “The team came together in the last few days before this game and we developed well.”
“We know that the World Cup is quickly approaching, but we can’t get too far ahead of it either. That’s something we have in mind and will continue to work towards and develop our game.”
“We’re doing really well at the moment. Pakistan are a strong team and I think there will be so many moments of pressure in the game but it will be a good challenge for us. I’m really excited.”
Glenn forms a strong trio alongside left-back Sophie Ecclestone and off-spinner Charlie Dean and will be supported by Linsey Smith in the Pakistan series.
“I definitely feel like we’re a pretty strong trio, but it also feels like you could make a change at any time,” she said.
“We have seen so many talented spinners performing consistently in the regional set-up, so the pressure is always on to keep your place.”
“It may seem solid at this point, but deep down we know we have to keep performing to keep our place. It’s a very level playing field for selection and it’s an exciting prospect for our chances of winning the World Cup.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has already sold over 75,000 tickets for the Pakistan series and the upcoming summer tour of New Zealand, which is more than were sold this time last year – including an Ashes tour.
At the beginning of this year the The ECB announced the creation of a three-tier domestic competition structure and a shift in the ownership model that underpins professional women’s soccer.
Alongside the new structure, the ECB will invest an additional £4m to £5m per year in women’s professional football from 2025 to 2028, bringing the annual investment to up to £16m.
The plan would see the current eight women’s regional teams develop into “Tier 1 Clubs” and each “be owned, managed and operated by an individual First Class County (FCC) or Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). “.
“It shows where the women’s game is going and the progress we have made in regional cricket over the last few years has been amazing,” Glenn said.
“It’s a big step forward and I think the fact that we’re attracting more spectators for women’s cricket alone is great. Working with the men has seen how effective that has been at The Hundred, I think. “It will bring us further benefits down the line.”
“For a lot of the girls on the team we didn’t have that growing up and of course there were talented cricketers competing back then but they weren’t on TV so I kind of grew up with male role models which isn’t the case.” One problem, but I think the girls have more access now and may think about playing cricket in the future.
“It’s really special and it almost feels like a small responsibility to give them what we couldn’t have and what we really wanted.”
Watch England Women take on Pakistan live in the T20I and ODI series Sky Sports Cricket, Starts on Saturday, May 11th, from 2 p.m.
Women’s Vitality IT20 Series fixtures against Pakistan – live on Sky Sports
May 11th: 1. Women’s IT20 – Edgbaston, Birmingham, 2.30pm
17th of May: 2. Women’s IT20 – The County Ground, Northampton, 6.30pm
May 19th: 3. Women’s IT20 – Headingley, Leeds, 1pm
Women’s Metro Bank One-Day International Series schedule against Pakistan – live on Sky Sports
23. May: 1. Women’s One-Day International – The Incora County Ground, Derby, 1:00 p.m
May 26: 2. Women’s One-Day International – The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, 11am
May 29th: 3rd Women’s One-Day International – The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford, 1pm
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