England Women head to South Africa after Abu Dhabi cancellation

PRETORIA (Web Desk) - A group of 30 England women's players will head to South Africa to begin making their cases for selection ahead of a home T20 World Cup later this year, after plans to travel to Abu Dhabi had to be hastily rearranged because of the ongoing conflict in the region.

The players will be split into two 15-strong squads to play a five-game intra-squad series in Pretoria between March 10 and 27. The squads will be known as Team Brittin and Team Heyhoe-Flint, after former England stars Jan Brittin and Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, who both lifted a World Cup trophy on home soil.

Nat Sciver-Brunt, the England captain, will lead Team Brittin, coached by former Durham batter and England Women assistant coach Jon Lewis, while vice-captain Charlie Dean will take charge of Team Heyhoe-Flint, coached by another assistant, Luke Williams.

England Women's head coach Charlotte Edwards will work with both squads and challenged the players to stake their claims for a place at the World Cup.

"This is a big opportunity for every player involved to put their hand up and demonstrate that they're an invaluable part of our World Cup plans," Edwards said. "It's the same chance for every player, whether they're new to the team or they've played 100 games. We want to use this series as a chance to stretch ourselves and put ourselves under pressure in competitive match situations."

Eight players on the tour are yet to make a senior appearance for England. Among them are Davina Perrin, the 19-year-old opening batter who burst into public consciousness with a 43-ball 101 for Northern Superchargers in the Eliminator at last year's Hundred.

She is joined by left-arm spinner and England Under 19s team-mate Tilly Corteen-Coleman, whose economy rate of 5.75 was the second-best among the top 10 wicket-takers in the Women's Hundred last year, where she claimed 11 at 14.81.

Former Under 19s captain Grace Scrivens will also travel, along with Alexa Stonehouse, Grace Potts and Jodi Grewcock. Ellie Threlkeld, the 27-year-old Lancashire women's captain, has also been picked to make the trip, as has fellow wicketkeeper-batter Rhianna Southby.

Sarah Glenn, the regular England Women's legspinner, will not travel after fracturing a finger during training in February.

It will be England's second training camp in South Africa this year, after skills-based trips to Oman in January then Stellenbosch last month. Edwards believes her plan for this next training block to have a "more competitive element" marks the next step in their preparation for the upcoming international season.

England will host New Zealand and India in white-ball series ahead of the T20 World Cup, which runs from June 12 to July 5. They will then take on India in the first women's Test to be played at Lord's.

Team Heyhoe Flint: Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Charlie Dean (capt), Sophie Ecclestone, Mahika Gaur, Dani Gibson, Jodi Grewcock, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Grace Potts, Grace Scrivens, Alexa Stonehouse, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

Team Brittin: Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley, Lauren Filer, Freya Kemp, Charis Pavely, Davina Perrin, Paige Scholfield, Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Linsey Smith, Rhianna Southby, Ellie Threlkeld, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong