Women’s T20 World Cup: Sophia Dunkley dropped as Amy Jones set to open for England against Australia

Nat Sciver-Brunt made a low-key return from injury as England scored 157-6 against Australia in a T20 World Cup warm-up match in Cardiff. The England captain managed only three runs from seven balls after being bowled by leg-spinner Alana King with her first delivery, undoing a mistimed pull shot. Sciver-Brunt had missed England’s recent series wins over New Zealand and India because of injury and is currently playing as a specialist batter while she continues her recovery from a calf problem.

England used the match to test a likely batting order for their T20 World Cup opener against Sri Lanka on Friday. Amy Jones was promoted to open, while Sciver-Brunt batted at number three and replaced Sophia Dunkley in the top six. However, England’s top order struggled early, with Jones dismissed for two and Danni Wyatt-Hodge bowled for four, leaving the side in trouble at 19-3.

Alice Capsey then led the recovery with a composed 45, anchoring the innings after the early collapse. Her innings gave England a platform before all-rounders Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson added useful late runs. Kemp made 41 and Gibson contributed 27, helping England reach a competitive total after a shaky start.

Australia’s Alana King once again caused problems for England and finished as the standout bowler with figures of 2-10. She also removed former England captain Heather Knight and continued her strong record against England, having played a key role in the 16-0 Ashes series defeat last year. King’s spell kept pressure on England throughout the innings and highlighted the challenge Australia’s spin attack can present.

Sophia Dunkley’s omission from the side came after a difficult run of form. In England’s previous series against New Zealand and India, she scored 98 runs across six innings, with a highest score of 26. Her position in the batting order now appears uncertain as England consider their final combination for the tournament.

The warm-up in Cardiff offered England a chance to assess balance and selection before the start of the World Cup. Although the batting card had early setbacks, the middle and lower order showed resilience to push the total to 157-6, which should give the team confidence heading into the tournament.

England will face India in their second warm-up match at the same venue on Wednesday, before beginning their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on Friday.