England Women head to Kent

Charlotte Edwards, the England Women and Kent captain will lead her team out on home soil as England kick off their summer campaign with a NatWest Women’s ODI against South Africa at Canterbury on August 6.

South Africa, who are currently ranked fifth in the world provide the second challenge of the summer after England beat the West Indies 1-0 in July. The first match was abandoned due to rain but in the second England powered to a ten-wicket victory after bowling the visitors out for just 41. Isa Guha took her second international five-wicket haul and Sarah Taylor steered the hosts to victory with a run-a-ball unbeaten 30.

England are currently high on confidence having retained the Ashes in Australia earlier this year and then going on to beat New Zealand 3-1 in a one-day series.

An excited Edwards said: “We’re so excited about this summer.

Playing South Africa and India is going to present a huge challenge as it’s lots of games in quick succession for us. But it will be fantastic preparation for next year which sees us compete in the ICC Women’s World Cup and the ICC Women’s World Twenty20.

“We’re travelling to some amazing grounds this summer, which makes us feel really privileged. It’s great that we can take women’s cricket right across the country and helps us generate more interest and raise the profile of the sport.

“I am so excited about playing at Canterbury, my home county ground. It’s a great honour to lead the England team out anywhere but it’ll be speacil to lead the girls out in Kent where I play regularly.”

This series signifies the start of a hectic schedule for England as they embark on 12 months of almost non-stop cricket. Following the series against South Africa they take on India in five one-day internationals and one Twenty20. The ICC Women’s World Cup follows shortly afterwards in Australia in March and that’s swiftly followed by the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 tournament in England in June 2009.

The semi-finals and final of that competition will be held on the same day at the same venue and the same ticket as the men’s equivalent matches.

Squad: