Charlie Dean has been handed the captaincy of the England women's cricket side for the upcoming three‑match One Day International (ODI) series against Ireland in September. This appointment follows her stint as stand‑in captain earlier in the season when she led the team against New Zealand after Nat Sciver‑Brunt was forced out with an injury. Dean will now close out the summer with three further ODIs, providing continuity and leadership as England looks to deepen its talent pool. The selection panel has opted to rest several senior players for this series, citing the need to manage fitness and recovery.
Both Nat Sciver‑Brunt and Danni Wyatt‑Hodge have been omitted, while fast bowler Sophie Ecclestone and all‑rounder Lauren Bell are also absent. In the wicket‑keeping department, Amy Jones will not feature, opening the door for Alice Capsey to don the gloves. The board has explained that these decisions are part of a broader strategy to broaden and deepen the pool of players available for England's ODI programme. Dean will lead a 15‑member squad that blends seasoned internationals with newcomers eager to make their mark at the highest level.
Among the uncapped names are seam bowler Grace Potts and keeper‑batter Kira Chathli, both of whom have been involved with England squads earlier in the summer but have yet to debut in an official match. Their inclusion signals a clear intent to give emerging talent a taste of senior international cricket.
Joining them is all‑rounder Charis Pavely, a regular in the England A side who has already featured in two Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) but is still awaiting her first ODI appearance. Pavely will be looking to translate her limited‑overs experience into a successful debut in the 50‑over format. Also returning after a lengthy lay‑off is Ryana MacDonald‑Gay, who is back in the senior set‑up after recovering from a lower‑back injury that kept her out for much of the previous year.
The squad also contains eight players who were part of the side that finished as runners‑up at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup. Left‑arm spinner Tilly Corteen‑Coleman, for instance, will be hoping to build on the two ODIs she played against New Zealand earlier in the season and add more wickets to her tally. England head coach Charlotte Edwards highlighted the significance of the series, stating, "It has been an incredible summer for women's cricket already, and these three Metro Bank ODI matches against Ireland make up an important series for us to complete our summer.
The focus has rightly been on T20 cricket for much of this year, but with a memorable run to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup final now behind us, this is a chance for players to display their 50‑over skills and bank some valuable experience for the future. We have got plenty of exciting and talented cricketers in our game and this is an opportunity for some of them to push themselves further forward by hopefully contributing to England victories and putting pressure on future selection." The fixture list is straightforward: the first encounter will take place on 1 September at Uptonsteel Grace Road in Leicester, with a 1 pm start. The second match follows on 3 September at The OurCoop County Ground in Derby, also kicking off at 1 pm.
The series will conclude on 6 September at New Road in Worcester, where the game will begin at 10:30 am. A look at the full playing roster reveals a mixture of county stalwarts and rising stars: Maia Bouchier (Hampshire), Alice Capsey (Surrey), Kira Chathli (Surrey), Tilly Corteen‑Coleman (Surrey), Charlie Dean (c) (Somerset), Sophia Dunkley (Surrey), Lauren Filer (Durham), Dani Gibson (Somerset), Jodi Grewcock (Essex), Freya Kemp (Hampshire), Ryana MacDonald‑Gay (Surrey), Charis Pavely (Warwickshire), Grace Potts (Lancashire), Mady Villiers (Durham) and Issy Wong (Warwickshire).
Beyond the on‑field action, fans can stream England cricket and related content via NOW, tune into the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast for deeper analysis, and keep up with daily scorecards on the Sky Sports app. For the best viewing experience, a Chrome browser is recommended to ensure full accessibility of the video player. Overall, this series offers a valuable platform for England to experiment with squad depth, give promising talent a taste of ODI cricket, and maintain momentum after a successful T20 World Cup campaign.
With Dean at the helm and a blend of experienced campaigners and fresh faces, the team will aim to secure a series win while providing a solid foundation for future selections.