DEVON duo Jodie Dibble and Amara Carr have both been picked to tour Sri Lanka with the England Women’s Academy Squad in early March, writes Conrad Sutcliffe.

Seam bowler Dibble is a member of the Sidmouth cricketing dynasty that includes brother Adam who plays for Somerset. Dad Mike and uncle Charlie both play for Sidmouth.

Carr, a wicketkeeper-batter, plays her cricket for Plympton.

The trip will include three 50-over matches and two T20 games. The girls are part of a 14-strong squad led by Warwickshire’s Helen Shipman.

Dibble and Carr have previous experience of tours with different ECB squads. Both were part of the England U16 development squad that won the U19 Cape Town International tournament in 2010. Dibble has toured India previously with the Academy. It is progression from her selection for the England U19 Squad that played two T20 matches against Pakistan at the end of last summer.

Both girls have endured plenty of injury heartache over the past couple of seasons.

It is testament to how much hard work they have put in - individually and with their coaches - to get themselves physically fit enough to make the trip in addition to the strides they are making with their individual games.

It will be a hectic period of travelling for both girls. Dibble is currently visiting family in Dubai before returning to attend a final pre-tour training camp.

Carr will be in Dubai with the Devon U19 girls’ squad from February 16-24 as they take part in the inaugural Sport Arabia ARCH Cricket Tournament, before a week’s turn around and departing for Sri Lanka in early March.