Charlotte Edwards, the new England women's cricket coach, is facing a make-or-break moment with the World Cup just around the corner. With no international fixtures on the horizon since their semi-final defeat by South Africa at the Women's World Cup in India, Edwards is putting her team through three training camps over the next few months to identify the players who will take them to victory.
Edwards acknowledges that the Ashes had left a lasting impact on her squad, with many questioning their fitness and professionalism. However, she believes that by working closely with her senior players and others in the pipeline, including the Under-19s, she can create a competitive edge that sets England up for success at the World Cup.
The team's training camps will be an opportunity to assess the performance of players such as Kira Chathli, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Jodi Grewcock and Charis Pavely. Edwards wants to identify those who are ready to step up and fill any gaps that may arise due to injuries or other issues.
One area where England's team has struggled in recent times is the lack of left-handed bowlers. Lydia Greenway retired from international cricket in 2016, and Tash Farrant was brought back into the commentary box to provide a left-hander for bowlers to practice against. Edwards wants to see more players with this skillset.
With captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and others absent due to commitments in other competitions, Edwards will face a difficult decision on who to pick for the World Cup squad. She is keen to avoid making easy selections and instead look for players who are pushing hard for a spot.
Ultimately, Edwards knows that she has a talented crop of players at her disposal, but it's up to her to identify those who have what it takes to lead England to victory. The next few months will be crucial in determining the success of the team as they head into the World Cup tournament.
Edwards acknowledges that the Ashes had left a lasting impact on her squad, with many questioning their fitness and professionalism. However, she believes that by working closely with her senior players and others in the pipeline, including the Under-19s, she can create a competitive edge that sets England up for success at the World Cup.
The team's training camps will be an opportunity to assess the performance of players such as Kira Chathli, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Jodi Grewcock and Charis Pavely. Edwards wants to identify those who are ready to step up and fill any gaps that may arise due to injuries or other issues.
One area where England's team has struggled in recent times is the lack of left-handed bowlers. Lydia Greenway retired from international cricket in 2016, and Tash Farrant was brought back into the commentary box to provide a left-hander for bowlers to practice against. Edwards wants to see more players with this skillset.
With captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and others absent due to commitments in other competitions, Edwards will face a difficult decision on who to pick for the World Cup squad. She is keen to avoid making easy selections and instead look for players who are pushing hard for a spot.
Ultimately, Edwards knows that she has a talented crop of players at her disposal, but it's up to her to identify those who have what it takes to lead England to victory. The next few months will be crucial in determining the success of the team as they head into the World Cup tournament.
! Charlotte Edwards is really putting in the effort to get her team ready, it's clear she wants them to do well and she's not afraid to make tough decisions. I think it's awesome that she's looking at the younger players like the Under-19s for inspiration - maybe they'll be the ones to bring some fresh talent to the squad! 
It's also good to see her wanting more left-handed bowlers, we've seen how important that skillset is in the game. Fingers crossed Nat Sciver-Brunt and the others can make it back just in time for the World Cup - England's got this! 
Anyway, back to Edwards and her squad... I think it's great that she's trying to identify players who can fill gaps in the team, but man, the lack of left-handed bowlers is a real problem. It's not like they're just gonna magically appear out of thin air.
I mean, I know Edwards wants to avoid making easy selections, but come on, some of these players need to step up their game if they wanna make it to the World Cup. It's like, you're either all in or you're out, right?
I hope Edwards can get them sorted out and lead them to victory. Fingers crossed! 
I'm not super optimistic about this team's chances yet... Edwards is doing everything right by putting them through intense training, but history has shown that a single player can make all the difference - think of Lucy Thomas' injury issues 
... still, with some clever selection and a bit of luck, England might just surprise us 
. The lack of left-handed bowlers is a major concern, fingers crossed Tash Farrant's return helps 
. And the pressure on Nat Sciver-Brunt as captain... her selection decisions are gonna be under a microscope 
. This team has so much talent, I just wanna see them gel and smash it at the World Cup 
! The next few months better bring some positive vibes for England's cricket team 
i'm low-key rooting for kira chathli tho 
hope edwards finds those lefty bowlers too, it'd give england a game-changer 
Can you imagine Charlotte Edwards having a 'cricket roulette' – where she picks players randomly and says "you're in, you're out"? That's what it sounds like with these training camps! But seriously, I think she's got a solid plan to turn things around. Those under-19s are gonna be crucial in identifying the next big stars. And let's be real, we need some lefty bowlers ASAP – Tash Farrant's commentary skills can't save us forever, right? 
And what about the injuries? She's gotta be realistic about that too. Can't just rely on the superstars to carry everyone else to victory. 