Beaumont axed as England make bold Comm Games calls

England have dropped experienced opener Tammy Beaumont for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, opting for youth over experience in their 15-player squad.

Uncapped teenagers Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp – both 17 years of age – have been handed their first England call-ups, while 20-year-old quick Issy Wong, who made her ODI debut last week, and Bryony Smith, 24, are also fresh faces.

Beaumont, who has played 99 T20Is for England, was the notable omission.

"We feel that is our best squad and the way we have approached it, we want to be quite aggressive up top," England coach Lisa Keightley said.

"The players we have picked we think gives us options to do that and also other options in the batting line-up. I think we have just got real good flexibility.

"Obviously Tammy is an amazing player and she has performed really well over a long period of time.

"I suppose the challenge is out to Tam to go away, work on things we have been working on and show us why she should be in the squad.

"I am sure she will bounce back and that is what we want really. We want pressure on, players getting better in every format and in 50-over cricket, you can’t match Tammy’s record, it speaks for itself.

"In T20, I think there is still some room for growth and improvement there and now it is up to her to go away and do that. The Hundred is a fantastic opportunity to do that and we will see what she can do."

The same 15-player squad will meet South Africa in three 20-over games ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

Beaumont’s spot at the top of the order could be filled by Smith, who returns to the England set-up having played the last of her three T20Is in 2018.

Meanwhile Capsey, a prodigiously talented allrounder who was part of the England A team that toured Australia at the start of the year, seems likely to make her international debut in the coming weeks.

Image Id: 45758AD46CAC4956AB50E2F3F44CF0B3 Image Caption: Alice Capsey bats for England A in Adelaide in January 2022 // Getty

"I think Alice’s time is now and she gives us lots of options with the ball, another option to bowl, and she can float in the batting order," Keightley said.

"She tends to be able to move quite freely with a good strike rate in doing that. We have always had an eye on her. Sometimes the skipper doesn’t want to put too much pressure on a young kid too early and I think she has done that really well."

South Africa will remain without regular captain Dane van Niekerk for their Commonwealth Games, with the allrounder not yet recovered from the fractured ankle that ruled her out of the ODI World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year.

The Proteas will continue to be skippered by Sune Luus, while Lizelle Lee is another notable absentee from their 15-player squad following her sudden retirement from international cricket last week.

Women’s T20 cricket is appearing in the Commonwealth Games for the first time, with the eight-team tournament to be played at Edgbaston from July 29 to August 7.

England squad: Heather Knight (c), Nat Sciver (vc), Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Bryony Smith, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt

South Africa squad: Suné Luus (c), Chloé Tryon (vc), Anneke Bosch, Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Mignon du Preez, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Laura Wolvaardt

Australia's Tour of the UK, 2022

Australia's squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

T20 Tri-Series

Ireland squad: Laura Delany (c), Ava Canning, Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron

Pakistan squad: Bismah Maroof (c), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gul Feroza, Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Tuba Hassan

July 16: Australia v Pakistan

July 17: Australia v Ireland

July 19: Ireland v Pakistan

July 21: Australia v Ireland

July 23: Australia v Pakistan

July 24: Ireland v Pakistan

All matches start 4pm local time (1am AEST) and played at Bready Cricket Club, Derry, Northern Ireland

Australia’s T20 tri-series matches will be broadcast in Australia on Foxtel and Kayo, while the games between Pakistan and Ireland can be watched via live stream here. 

2022 Commonwealth Games

July 29 v India (11am local time, 8pm AEST)

July 31 v Barbados (6pm local, 3am Aug 1 AEST)

August 3 v Pakistan (11am local, 8pm AEST)

Group A: Australia, India, Pakistan, Barbados

Group B: England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka

Semi-finals: August 6, 11am local (8pm AEST) and 6pm local (3am Aug 7 AEST)

Bronze medal match: August 7, 10am local (7pm AEST)

Gold medal match: August 7, 5pm local (2am Aug 8 AEST)

All matches played at Edgbaston Stadium