England Women Shift Training Camp to South Africa After Abu Dhabi Cancellation

England Women will travel to South Africa for a rescheduled training camp after plans for a pre-World Cup camp in Abu Dhabi were cancelled due to security concerns in the region.

A group of 30 players will now assemble in Pretoria from March 10 to March 27, where they will compete in a five-match intra-squad series as preparations intensify for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to be held in England later this year.

The players will be divided into two squads of 15, named Team Brittin and Team Heyhoe-Flint in honour of former England greats Jan Brittin and Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, both of whom lifted a World Cup trophy on home soil. England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt will lead Team Brittin, while vice-captain Charlie Dean will captain Team Heyhoe-Flint.

Former England captain and current head coach Charlotte Edwards will oversee both squads, with assistant coaches Jon Lewis and Luke Williams taking charge of the respective teams during the competitive training block.

Edwards said the camp offers every player an opportunity to stake their claim for a place in the World Cup squad.

“This is a big opportunity for every player involved to demonstrate they are an invaluable part of our World Cup plans,” Edwards said. “Whether they are new to the team or highly experienced, we want to see players performing under pressure in competitive match situations.”

The camp will also feature several uncapped players hoping to break into the senior side, including teenage opener Davina Perrin, spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman, and former England Under-19 captain Grace Scrivens.

Meanwhile, leg-spinner Sarah Glenn will miss the trip after suffering a fractured finger during training last month.

England are continuing their preparations for a busy international summer that includes white-ball series against New Zealand and India before the T20 World Cup begins on June 12.

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