England Women tour of South Africa: Capsey dropped from T20Is, Filer returns

England Women have announced their squads for their upcoming multi-format tour of South Africa, with Alice Capsey the most notable absentee from the T20 Internationals (T20I), following her dip in form at the Women's T20 World Cup and the ongoing Women's Big Bash League (WBBL). The 20-year-old has, however, been named in the ODI squad.

Fast bowler Lauren Filer, who was not picked for the mega event in the UAE based on the conditions, has found her way back in all three squads. Dani Gibson, though, misses out after undergoing knee surgery after an injury she sustained at the World Cup. 

All-rounder Paige Scholfield, who made her debut against Ireland in September, has been named in the T20I leg. The selected players other than the ones who are training in Loughborough in the build-up to the series before the T20I squad heads to South Africa on November 16. The ODI and Test squad will travel to the country on November 27.

The tour is also set to have a one-off Test in Bloemfontein - the first in the country since 2002, which could see Freya Kemp and Maia Bouchier make their debuts in the format.

The Heather Knight-led side were one of the favourites to win the T20 World Cup, but in the end, failed to make it to the semi-final. "We've got an amazing next six months ahead," Clare Connor, the ECB deputy chair and former women's captain, said at Lord's last week. 

"Going to South Africa is a really good next experience. It's multi-format as well, so it's another preparation tour, in a way, in terms of experiences for the Ashes.

"We welcome the same degree of scrutiny over performance as an England men's team, or equivalent, but the learning curve is steep.

"It's fascinating from a performance perspective that we went into that tournament in the vein of form that we did, and New Zealand went into that tournament with 10 consecutive defeats, and they won it.

"It's hugely disappointing that we didn't make the semi-final stage. But we will obviously be looking at how we build in that resilience to pressure, and decision-making and skill retention under pressure. Because, for 45 minutes, we did lose our skills and our way."

The Heather Knight-led side begin their South Africa series with the T20Is, starting November 24 in East London.

England Women T20I squad: Heather Knight (c), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Paige Scholfield, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

England Women ODI squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

England Women Test match squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

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