Cricket

England's women's cricket team faces a "tricky" period before the T20 World Cup in October, according to head coach Jon Lewis. Despite an undefeated home summer, Lewis acknowledges the challenges of maintaining momentum during an extended break.England's 13 wins in 14 matches against Pakistan and New Zealand showcased their dominance, but Lewis emphasizes the need for consistency and adaptability. The team's world-class spin attack, led by Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, and Sarah Glenn, has been instrumental in their success.However, Lewis highlights the importance of fielding improvements, particularly from Sarah Glenn, and the growing experience of Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer, and Freya Kemp. The team's ability to bat "360 degrees" and access all areas of the ground has also been a key factor.Lewis acknowledges the sense of calm and confidence within the group, but he also recognizes the potential for distractions during the Hundred tournament. He believes that the Hundred can provide valuable experience, but it's crucial for players to navigate it effectively.The conditions in Bangladesh, where the T20 World Cup will be held, pose a significant challenge. Lewis emphasizes the need to understand and adapt to those conditions, as the team that plays them best will likely emerge victorious.To prepare for the unknown, Lewis has intentionally introduced distractions during New Zealand's visit, creating anxiety and pressure to help players develop coping mechanisms. He believes that by raising the level of anxiety, players can learn to bring themselves back to a calm place and communicate effectively.

England Women's cricket team has undergone a significant transformation under head coach Jon Lewis, embracing a more aggressive and attacking style of play. However, captain Heather Knight emphasizes the importance of becoming smarter and adapting to different conditions.Since Lewis' appointment in 2022, England has drawn the Ashes series against Australia and defeated New Zealand in both ODIs and T20Is. However, Knight acknowledges that the team still has room for improvement.During their recent series against Pakistan, England struggled to maintain consistency and polish. Knight believes that the upcoming series against New Zealand will provide an opportunity to build on the lessons learned during their tour of New Zealand earlier this year."We became a bit of a smarter team," Knight said. "We learned how to adapt to different conditions and how to be a bit more patient when necessary."England's recent record has been impressive, with only two ODI losses and 21 T20I wins since December 2022. However, Knight stresses the importance of continuing to improve and winning games even when the conditions are not ideal."Our job is just to keep getting better and keep playing the cricket that we want to play," Knight said. "We need to be smart with it and adapt to what's in front of us."The balance between aggression and adaptability is crucial in T20 cricket, where margins for error are small. Knight highlights the importance of being clear on individual roles and responsibilities within the team.Beyond on-field success, Knight is also passionate about inspiring young people through cricket. She has worked with Chance to Shine, a children's cricket charity, for many years, and believes that providing positive experiences for state-school children is essential for the growth of the sport."It's really important to try to get cricket into state schools," Knight said. "Chance to Shine is doing amazing work in giving young people from all backgrounds the opportunity to experience cricket."

England Women's cricket team is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their selection process. Head coach Jon Lewis credits AI with playing a crucial role in their drawn Ashes series last year.Lewis first encountered the technology from London-based company PSi while coaching in the Women's Premier League (WPL). The system allows coaching staff to simulate various match-ups and scenarios."We can run simulated teams against simulated opposition to understand how they might match up," Lewis explained. "I can send multiple lineups, and they run approximately 250,000 simulations per team, considering all possible permutations."Lewis emphasizes that AI is not the sole determinant of team selection but rather a valuable tool to inform decisions. "We used it successfully in the Ashes last summer to match up against the Australian side," he said.However, Lewis acknowledges the limitations of historical data in the women's game, which can impact the accuracy of AI simulations. He believes this will improve as the international schedule and franchise scene expand.While AI can assist in borderline selection calls, Lewis prioritizes a people-first approach. "We're on the ground with the players, and that's our primary consideration," he said. "But AI is a fascinating tool that complements our cricketing judgment."Lewis highlighted the T20I leg of last summer's Ashes as an example where AI proved beneficial. "We identified a strength in Australia and matched our best bowlers to that part of the game," he said. "It helped us win the T20 series and get back into the Ashes."Beyond data analysis, England Women have also engaged in team-building exercises, including cold-water swimming, to foster resilience and clear thinking under pressure."Cricket is a tactical game that requires clear thinking and anxiety management," Lewis said. "By taking players out of their comfort zones, we encourage them to voice opinions, support each other, and connect on a deeper level."The players' honest discussions about their fears and anxieties will enable the coaching staff to support their personal growth and enhance their performance on the field.

Sophia Dunkley's omission from England's T20I and ODI squads for the upcoming series against Pakistan has raised questions about her future with the national team. The 24-year-old batter has struggled for form in recent months, prompting head coach Jon Lewis to urge her to rediscover her rhythm and find her best cricket.Dunkley has not reached double figures in three of her last nine T20I innings and has not passed 32 since scoring a half-century against Australia last July. She has also played just one ODI since the Women's Ashes, scoring 1 against New Zealand in Hamilton last month.Lewis believes that Dunkley has the talent to be one of England's best cricketers, but she needs to find a way to cope with the pressure and expectations that come with playing at the international level."I still have a really strong belief that Sophia's got a big future playing for England," Lewis said. "I think her talent is as incredible. She just needs a little bit of space to get back to her best cricket and work out how to cope with the situation she's being put in."Dunkley's absence from the squad has opened the door for Maia Bouchier, who has impressed with her performances at the top of the order in recent matches. Bouchier scored 91 from 56 balls in the fourth T20I against New Zealand, and Lewis believes that she has the potential to be a "crackerjack cricketer.""Maia has always been incredibly talented," Lewis said. "The bit that I suppose Maia has struggled with in the past is putting regular big scores together. She's starting to understand how to build bigger innings. The work that we've done with her in particular is around controlling emotion and controlling herself in the game and thinking tactically about how she's going to play."England will head to Abu Dhabi to prepare for the T20 World Cup, which will be held in Bangladesh in February and March. Lewis believes that the team has made progress in their ability to play spin bowling, but they still have work to do."We are working very hard, hard at it," Lewis said. "We know it's going to be a big part of that competition and we're talking about it and we're working on it and we're trying to improve our game against spin. I thought in our series against India, and in the T20 series against India in particular, I thought we showed some real signs of improvement there."