Sarah Collyer, 17, has been retained by the England women’s cricket side for the three-match Ashes Test series against Australia next month. Collyer played in all five one-day internationals against the world champions, making her senior debut in the first, at Scarborough. She has been England U-17 captain for two years and is also a member of the England U-21 team.

Karen Smithies, captain since leading the side to World Cup victory in 1993, remains skipper with Barbara Daniels, National Manager for Women’s Cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board, her vice-captain.

There are two changes from the squad which lost 5-0 to Australia in the ODI series earlier this month with seam bowler Sue Redfern regaining her place instead of Katharine Winks while Claire Taylor from Thames Valley, who made her senior debut as 12th man in the second ODI at Derby, is not available.

Charlotte Edwards and Jan Brittin, England’s openers who were both injured during the one-day series, should be fit for the first Test, at Guildford from August 5th-8th. Edwards made three brilliant centuries at the County Championships in Cambridge, which finish today. The Test series continues at Harrogate from August 11-14 and Worcester from August 21-24.

The Ashes trophy will be presented to the winners after close of play at Worcester. The victors will be able to keep the award, a mounted wooden ball in which the ashes of a bat, signed by England and Australia and ceremonially burnt at Lord’s, have been placed.

Test Team:

Date-stamped : 29 Jul1998 - 19:05