Sophie Ecclestone welcomes return of franchise cricket with WPL after World Cup heartbreak with England | Cricket News

When England secured victory over Ireland in the Women’s World T20 in Paarl last month, the landscape of cricket was changing.

The inaugural Women’s Premier League draft continued on Monday and saw five franchises cherry-pick the game’s best players in some life-changing contracts – with England vice-captain Nat Sciver-Brunt the second most expensive pick after being snapped up by Mumbai Indians. for around £320,000.

It’s a timely move, but it also raises questions about the future of the international game. A number of countries including South Africa and the West Indies have seen their best players retire, with the chance to play in other franchise tournaments being considered a preferred option and part of their thinking.

Sophie Ecclestone, the world’s number one bowler in T20Is and ODIs, is unsurprisingly another high pick for the UP Warriors and while she is excited about all the WPL will bring to the game, she also insists that international success remains her main ambition, especially after England suffered a painful defeat from South Africa in the T20 World Cup semi-final.

“I’m really excited, I’m always someone who gives himself 24 hours after we lose to come back, so I feel good to be in another country, now in India and I’m really looking forward to joining UP Warriorz,” said Ecclestone Sky Sports.

“Of course it took more than 24 hours (to get over the World Cup defeat) but that’s just my motto to give 24 hours, everything goes on, life goes on and you can’t change what happened in the past, so I’m happy now in India.

“I think it’s huge when England is a big part of what I do, I haven’t won a major trophy with England so it’s on the list to do in the next few years.

“I’ve been around for a few years now and that’s massive on the list and above it. I love playing franchise cricket, it’s amazing for the women’s game and amazing for cricket in general but England is the main priority.”

Draft day was great for teenager Alice Capsey, she blasted a half-century to win Player of the Match against Ireland when she was snapped up by Delhi Capitals for around £75,000.

Capsey and fast bowler Lauren Bell, two of England’s most exciting youngsters, were picked but some of England’s more senior players were not selected – something Capsey admitted was a tough situation to be in.

“It’s difficult, we have a few player meetings before we try and find out what the group wants to know whether they want to know before the game if their name comes up before they give the phone call and whether people like to talk about it,” said Capsey.

“Obviously there are some disappointed players, so it’s very strange to navigate, obviously you’re very happy to be picked up, but also you realize there are some disappointed people.

“It’s a bit strange, no one knows what to say or do and it’s like you’re walking on eggshells, but I think everyone did a good enough job to remember. They can and focus on the first game .

“After the game there are some conversations when you find out who has been picked up, so the dressing room becomes like a small crowd in the corners and you don’t know what to do, so it’s strange and my view is to keep quiet and let everything play in front.”

Capsey’s early introduction to franchise cricket was so successful that, in the first year of The Hundred, he made a scintillating half-century in front of over 13,000 fans at Lords for the Oval Invincibles, who went on to win the competition.

The all-rounder will also be at the crease alongside Marizanne Kapp as the Invicibles retain the title in 2022. The South African Kapp is also part of a star-studded Delhi squad that includes Indian pair Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma along with the all-conquering Australian captain. Meg Lanning, a group of Capsey players want to continue learning.

“Just by watching your net take things, I was with Kappy at Oval Invincibles and I really enjoyed playing with her, being around and seeing how she can become one of the professional players that you have in the women’s game at the moment.

“You learn so much, just talking to cricketers, Meg (Lanning) is the most successful captain in the world so it’s good for her leadership skills, she’s calm, so I’ll be playing with her. It’s really fun.

“Around the training how professional he is with the warm-up, what he does to prepare for the match, just the small routine and the big things that come from the field, how he continues, how he thinks under pressure and Kappy is one of the best in, I have see with Oval Invincibles in The Hundred how many times he got us out of tight situations – he was cool under pressure it’s quite amazing how he thinks so clearly.

Apart from the seven English players in the five franchises, there are also three English coaches leading the team in India – Charlotte Edwards (Mumbai), Jonathan Batty (Delhi) and Jon Lewis (UP Warriorz).

Lewis was only appointed England head coach in November but has been praised for introducing a new aggressive front-line approach to the team, but Ecclestone believes more exposure to the women’s game will help her and therefore the national team.

“He’s obviously a great coach, he loves a bit of golf so it’s been sorted out already to play a bit over here! But he’s excited to get help to understand women’s cricket a bit more which can help us all out and I we’ again all just ready to move.

“I think one of the main priorities here is to try to get to know women’s cricket more, they don’t know much about it, but they would love to know more about it and it will help us get better. The England squad.

“That’s why he’s here and I think he’s ready to take that opportunity, the purple (UP Warriorz kit) doesn’t suit him, but I’m sure it might suit him!”

How can you watch the Women’s Premier League?

Sky Sports agree a deal for refers to the Women’s Premier Leaguewith opening device coverage on Sky Sports Cricket Friday from 1.50pm. Watch the best sports with NOW and on Sky Sports.