England’s Amy Jones admitted she will have to make wicketkeeping adjustments to deal with the turning tracks of Bangladesh at the Women’s T20 World Cup in October.
Jones is regarded as one of the world’s best with the gloves and is especially adroit standing up to the stumps, complementing the work of spinners Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean.
The trio have been at the forefront of England’s unbeaten summer in white-ball series against Pakistan and New Zealand and are likely to take centre stage on the slow and low pitches of Bangladesh.
Jones therefore knows she will have to bring her A-game behind the stumps and, while she prefers keeping on bouncier pitches, the 31-year-old is happy to put the work in to get the best chance of success.
England will play their entire Women’s T20 World Cup group stage matches in Dhaka.
“I’m looking forward to it but I think it will be tricky as well,” she told the PA news agency. “A lot of balls coming through pretty low.
“I’m much more comfortable when it’s around hip height and on bouncier wickets so it will definitely be a challenge.
“There are similarities to India but in India you sometimes get big turn and bounce, which is really fun to keep on. In Bangladesh, it might be a bit less fun if it’s going to be round my ankles.
“I’ve been working hard on staying low and in a powerful position, particularly down the leg side, where I find that a bit harder.”
Ecclestone and Glenn are the world’s top two ranked bowlers in T20s, with Dean eighth, while England fielded four spinners in their series-opening T20 against New Zealand earlier this month.
Linsey Smith was brought in and also played at the Kia Oval at the weekend as England moved 4-0 ahead in the series as they tinker with their line-up to prepare for what might await them in Bangladesh.
“I love keeping to them,” Jones said. “The skill they’ve all got is really high and they are wicket-takers. If not all of them, at least one of them comes in and cleans up. They’re a huge strength for us.”
England can complete a clean sweep over the White Ferns at Lord’s on Wednesday, having also won the preceding ODI series 3-0 and prevailed in all five completed matches against Pakistan in May.
“Winning definitely is a habit and experience tells you that,” Jones added.
“When you see really good teams you’ve played with or against over the years, sometimes they look like they’re totally out of it and then they get across the line. That’s when it’s a bit of a habit – when you know how to get it done and we’re working towards that.”
Source: Cricket365
BDST: 1110 HRS, JULY 16, 2024
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