Jodie Dibble has been named by selectors as a member of the England women's academy squad which will travel to Potchefstroom in April for their first international tour.
They will play three Twenty20 matches and three 50-over matches against South Africa women.
The tour is a significant first in the women’s game, where an A side has the opportunity to play a series of matches against full international opposition. The academy players will experience the pressure of international cricket and will be able to gauge where they need to improve to enhance their chances of breaking in to the full England women’s squad.”
The academy will embark on the tour with high hopes after their success against full international opposition last summer. The squad will be looking to build on the wins they recorded against Australia and New Zealand during the warm-up matches ahead of the NatWest Women’s Quadrangular Series held in England.
ECB head of England women’s cricket Clare Connor said: “We are really looking forward to seeing how our academy side compete against the full South African team.
“Preparations for the tour have gone well at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough, where the players have been coached and mentored by our lead specialist coaches - assistant coach to the academy Jonathan Finch and head coach Lisa Keightley.
The England women’s academy will be based in Potchefstroom from April 6 to 23 and the squad is:Caroline Atkins (Sussex, captain), Tammy Beaumont (Kent), Deanna Cooper (Kent), Kate Cross (Lancashire), Catherine Dalton (Middlesex), Jodie Dibble (Devon), Amy Jones (Warwickshire), Beth MacGregor (Essex), Alice Macleod (Berkshire), Natasha Miles (Middlesex), Natalie Sciver (Surrey), Helen Shipman (Warwickshire), Fran Wilson (Somerset), Danni Wyatt (Staffordshire).
Match schedule, all matches at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom Tues, April 10: warm-up match; Fri April 13: 1st 50-over; Sun, April 15: 2nd 50-over ; Tue April 17: 3rd 50-over; Fri, April 20: 1st T20; Sat, April 21: 2nd T20; Sun, April 23: 3rd T20.
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