Freya Kemp, Linsey Smith, Bess Heath and Ryana MacDonald-Gay have earned their first Ashes call-ups as England announce their squad ahead of next month’s tour of Australia.
Heather Knight will captain all three England sides as they bid to regain the Ashes for the first time since 2014.
England and Australia will contest three One Day Internationals and three T20s (each worth two points) and a four-day Test-match (worth four points) across the multi-format series.
Hampshire all-rounder Kemp and spinner Smith have been included in England’s T20 squad alongside Durham wicketkeeper-batter Heath, who has also been named in the Test squad.
Fresh from taking two wickets on her Test debut in South Africa, Surrey’s MacDonald-Gay is selected in an Ashes squad for the first time in the Test team.
Lancashire bowler Kate Cross has been named in the ODI and Tests squads despite missing England’s recent Test victory in South Africa after she sustained a back spasm in the third ODI in Potchefstroom.
But there was no room for Tammy Beaumont in England’s IT20 squad, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Maia Bouchier preferred again by selectors after the openers helped England secure a 3-0 T20 sweep in South Africa.
Bowler Mahika Gaur will be with the group continuing her return to bowling following the injury that also made her unavailable for the recent tour.
England fly out to Australia on January 2 and will play a warm-up match against a Governor General’s XI on January 9 ahead of the first ODI against Australia at the North Sydney Oval on January 11.
After two more ODIs in Melbourne and Hobart, England and Australia will play three T20s in Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide before the multi-format series concludes with a maiden four-day, day-night Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Australia head into the series with the Ashes in their possession after retaining them with an eight-all draw in England in 2023, in which the tourists won the Test match at Trent Bridge.
Lewis confident England are ‘in good place’ ahead of Ashes
Bowler Kate Cross has been named in England’s squad despite her recent back injury
England head coach Jon Lewis said: “We have named balanced squads for this Ashes series, with a good mix of youth and experience. Ashes series’ are always special. We want to go there, play our way, and are all excited about the challenges ahead.
“We’ve come off the back of a really successful tour of South Africa, which gave us some really nice preparation. We’re in a really good place. We spent a lot of time reflecting on what happened at the World Cup and we’re in a better place now than when we got on the plane to South Africa.
“It’s a tough, tough challenge. Is it the hardest challenge? Yes, probably, just about. Winning a 50-over World Cup in India is a big challenge as well, so 2025 is a huge year for us. We’ve got two very different challenges that we’re really looking forward to.”
Heather Knight will captain England’s three sides throughout the multi-format series in Australia
England Women ODI squad: Heather Knight (captain; Somerset), Tammy Beaumont (The Blaze), Lauren Bell (Hampshire), Maia Bouchier (Hampshire), Alice Capsey (Surrey), Kate Cross (Lancashire), Charlie Dean (Somerset), Sophia Dunkley (Surrey), Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire), Lauren Filer (Durham), Sarah Glenn (The Blaze), Amy Jones (The Blaze), Nat Sciver-Brunt (The Blaze), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Surrey).
England Women IT20 squad: Heather Knight (captain; Somerset), Lauren Bell (Hampshire), Maia Bouchier (Hampshire), Alice Capsey (Surrey), Charlie Dean (Somerset), Sophia Dunkley (Surrey), Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire), Lauren Filer (Durham), Danielle Gibson (Somerset), Sarah Glenn (The Blaze), Bess Heath (Durham), Amy Jones (The Blaze), Freya Kemp (Hampshire), Linsey Smith (Hampshire), Nat Sciver-Brunt (The Blaze), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Surrey).
England Women Test squad: Heather Knight (captain; Somerset), Tammy Beaumont (The Blaze), Lauren Bell (Hampshire), Maia Bouchier (Hampshire), Kate Cross (Lancashire), Charlie Dean (Somerset), Sophia Dunkley (Surrey), Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire), Lauren Filer (Durham), Bess Heath (Durham), Amy Jones (The Blaze), Ryana MacDonald-Gay (Surrey), Nat Sciver-Brunt (The Blaze), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Surrey).
Australia retained the Ashes in 2023 after a drawn series in England
2025 Women’s Ashes schedule
UK dates and times
CommBank Women’s Ashes ODI Series
- First ODI: North Sydney Oval, Sydney – Saturday, January 11 (11.30pm)
- Second ODI: Junction Oval, Melbourne – Monday, January 13 (11.05pm)
- Third ODI: Bellerive Oval, Hobart – Thursday, January 16 (11.05pm)
CommBank Women’s Ashes IT20 Series
- First IT20: SCG, Sydney – Monday, January 20 (8.40am)
- Second IT20: Manuka Oval, Canberra – Thursday, January 23 (8.40am)
- Third IT20: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide – Saturday, January 25 (8.10am)
CommBank Women’s Ashes Test Match
- One-off Test: MCG, Melbourne – January 30 to February 2 (3.30am)
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