England Women announced their squad for the Ashes tour of Australia today with Warwickshire’s Jenny Gunn named as part of the 15.

Ashes tours don’t come around all too often so it’s always a special opportunity. Australia are going to be very strong opponents on their home soil so we’ll have to be at our best.

Heather Knight

The ICC Women’s World Cup champions depart for Brisbane on October 7, where they’ll attempt to regain the Ashes across a multi-format series that takes in three one-day internationals, a Test match and three T20 internationals. In 2015 in England, Australia ran out 10-6 winners after winning two ODIs, the one-off Test match and one T20I.

The inclusion of Lancashire’s Sophie Ecclestone is the only change from the squad that triumphed in front of a sell-out crowd at Lord’s on July 23. It’ll be the first time that Heather Knight has led her side into an Ashes series.

England Squad

  • Heather Knight (captain, Berkshire)
  • Tammy Beaumont (Kent)
  • Katherine Brunt (Yorkshire)
  • Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire)
  • Georgia Elwiss (Sussex)
  • Jenny Gunn (Warwickshire)
  • Alex Hartley (Lancashire)
  • Danielle Hazell (Yorkshire)
  • Laura Marsh (Kent)
  • Anya Shrubsole (Somerset)
  • Nat Sciver (Surrey)
  • Sarah Taylor (wicketkeeper, Sussex)
  • Fran Wilson (Middlesex)
  • Lauren Winfield (Yorkshire)
  • Danni Wyatt (Sussex)

We said before the World Cup that the final at Lord’s was never going to be our destination, it was just part of the journey, and that journey continues with this tour.

Mark Robinson

Coach Mark Robinson said: “It’s a hugely exciting tour and one we are really looking forward to. Australia on their home soil will be a further test of the progress we have made.

“We said before the World Cup that the final at Lord’s was never going to be our destination, it was just part of the journey, and that journey continues with this tour.”

Captain Heather Knight said: “Ashes tours don’t come around all too often so it’s always a special opportunity. Australia are going to be very strong opponents on their home soil so we’ll have to be at our best, across all three formats.

“Winning the World Cup was a dream come true but it doesn’t get much bigger than the Ashes. We weren’t able to win in 2015 so I know that the whole group will be intent on regaining the trophy this time round.”