Latest news with #ClareConnor
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ecclestone considered quitting after Ashes criticism
Spinner Sophie Ecclestone says she considered quitting cricket following the criticism of her during England's Ashes defeat last one of the leading bowlers in the world, refused to do an interview during the defeat in Australia which led to questions over England's attitude and ability to handle 26, took a brief break from cricket earlier this year and was left out of England's white-ball series against West Indies at the start of the summer to manage an injury."During the West Indies series, I wasn't actually sure if I was going to come back and play cricket," Ecclestone, who has returned for the ongoing series against India, told Sky Sports."It was a tough time." The issue surrounding Ecclestone, which threatened to overshadow the Ashes, arose after the first T20 in spinner turned down a TV interview with former England spinner Alex Hartley who was in Australia working for the BBC radio team and other television networks. Hartley questioned the fitness levels of some of England's players last England's Ashes fate was confirmed, managing director of England women's cricket Clare Connor described the episode as "an unfortunate incident that won't happen again".Ecclestone first spoke about the subject to the BBC in May, when she said she had "moved on" and "learned from" the speaking prior to England's third one-day international against India in Chester-le-Street, Ecclestone disputed the fact she "refused" to do the interview, instead suggesting she wanted to focus on her warm-up."I feel like that went down a wrong way and a few things were said," she said."I was just concentrating on cricket at that moment but a lot of things were being said which wasn't ideal for me."Ecclestone said the incident "took a lot out of me" and led to people suggesting she is arrogant."That's not me as a person," she said. "It was hard to take at that time."Ecclestone returned to the England fold for the first T20 against India in June and has taken nine wickets in seven matches, including 3-27 on Saturday in the second ODI win at Lord's."I've got a smile on my face again and I feel like I wouldn't have done it without the girls," Ecclestone said."People like [team-mates] Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, and my family and friends, I couldn't have done without them."I definitely wouldn't be here and picking up wickets at Lord's if it wasn't for them."
Telegraph
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
England plan ‘secret' A tour of Australia months after Women's Ashes failure
England have arranged a full A tour of Australia, just two months after a disastrous Women's Ashes campaign, Telegraph Sport understands. It will be a full series, including three T20 matches, three one-day games and a four-day red-ball game, in an almost exact copy of the senior series in January and February. The England and Wales Cricket Board is conducting what Clare Connor promised to be a 'thorough and honest' review into what went wrong during the embarrassing 16-0 whitewash at the start of the year. The ECB has been speaking to players, team staff and those outside the England Women set-up. That is undoubtedly complicated by the fact that head coach Jon Lewis and seven players travelled almost immediately to India to compete in the Women's Premier League. A tours – or Lions tours – are not uncommon in cricket but the timing of this one is unusual, and not just because the matches will coincide with an ECB review. More often than not, Lions tours in the men's game are used to prepare for or run alongside a senior tour to allow for players to be called up in case of injury, or for younger and fringe players to make a case for inclusion in the main squad. For example, this winter the men's Lions played three red-ball multi-day fixtures against two Cricket Australia XIs and one Australia A match, which was given first-class status. The men's squad for the tour was announced in December, and was formulated to allow some on the fringes of the first team and younger players an opportunity to impress in conditions the men's side will face in the Ashes next winter. The women are scheduled to start their tour this month, yet they have not yet officially confirmed any players, venues or tour details, although those who are in the squad have known since the end of 2024. Instead, a 15-player England Women Cricket Pathway squad is heading for Abu Dhabi, including eight involved in the pace-bowling performance group. The announcement came the day those players departed. It is unclear whether the same players who have trained in Abu Dhabi will be then flying to Australia, or whether it will be a combined or different group. The 15-strong squad will return to the UK on March 8, with the first T20 in Australia scheduled for March 26. The ECB has already started to make changes to the women's set-up despite the review not being presented yet to the Performance Cricket Committee, a sub-committee of the governing body's board. It is currently advertising for four England Women's Cricket Pathway lead scouts, looking at batting, pace bowling, spin bowling and wicketkeeping. It suggests the ECB has already identified a weakness of the current England Women's side, which has very little player turnover. The application process for those roles closes on March 16, before the review findings are expected to be published, and before the A squad's tour of Australia.
Reuters
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
MCC announces fund for Aghan women's refugee team
LONDON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's exiled women cricketers will be the first beneficiaries of a new refugee fund started by the Marylebone Cricket Club, the MCC said on Friday. Hundreds of athletes fled Afghanistan after the Taliban reclaimed power in 2021 and effected sweeping restrictions on women in the country. Of the 25 Afghan women contracted by the country's cricket board in 2020, most have settled in Australia and played their first match on Thursday. The MCC's global refugee cricket fund, which aims to initially raise one million pounds ($1.24 million), is intended for displaced communities such as the Afghan players. "Cricket has the power to inspire, unite, and empower, and through this initiative, we aim to bring hope and opportunity to those who need it most," MCC secretary Rob Lynch said in a statement. While Afghanistan has an established men's team and enjoys funding from the International Cricket Council (ICC), the women are unfunded and unsanctioned by the global body despite pleas for support from the players. The Taliban say they respect women's rights in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law and local customs and that they are internal matters that should be addressed locally. The early focus of the refugee fund will be to raise money to provide safe training facilities, educational opportunities, and growth pathways, the MCC, which is responsible for the laws of cricket, said in a statement. The England and Wales Cricket Board has also lent a helping hand. "The cricket community must take action, to support the brave Afghan women, and to give hope that cricket can be a sport for any woman or girl," ECB deputy chief executive Clare Connor said. "We hope the launch of the fund will inspire other cricketing organisations to support this cause, and to unlock cricket's power to unite communities around the globe."
