Capsey was England's reserve wicketkeeper during the T20 World Cup earlier this summer, and would have taken the big gloves had Amy Jones been unable to do so. Jones is one of five players not selected to face Ireland 'in order to widen and deepen the pool of players for England Women in ODI cricket'. Surrey captain Kira Chathli was also named in the squad as Capsey's backup behind the stumps.
England ODI squad vs Ireland: Charlie Dean (c), Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey (wk), Kira Chatli, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Sophia Dunkley, Lauren Filer, Dani Gibson, Jodi Grewcock, Freya Kemp, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Charis Pavely, Grace Potts, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong
Speculations have followed Jones' position in both England's ODI and T20I sides for some time. She was briefly promoted to open alongside Tammy Beaumont in the first ODI series of Charlotte Edwards' tenure against West Indies last summer, hitting a hundred in each of her first two innings. However, after an inconsistent World Cup in India, she was moved back down at the start of the summer, and scored three and 27 against New Zealand. She averaged 13.57 across seven innings in the T20 World Cup.
England have long struggled to find keepers from the county game who are capable of batting in the top six. Bess Heath is the only other player to have kept wicket for England in ODIs besides Jones since Sarah Taylor retired in 2019. Rhiana Southby was England's backup keeper during the 2025 World Cup, but didn't travel with the squad. Ellie Threkeld was named as Jones' backup during England's recent Test match against India, but sat on the benches for MI London during The Hundred as Chathli's backup.
With few plausible alternatives to Jones, Capsey switched her attentions to honing her keeping skills earlier this year. Capsey was originally picked as a backup keeper when she made her international debut in 2022, but hadn't kept wicket in a professional game until England's T20 World Cup warm-up match against India in June this year. Having struggled to keep a consistent place in England's first XI's as an allrounder before the start of the summer, honing her skills as a keeper added another string to her bow for selection.
Nevertheless, after scoring 81 off 43 balls in an explosive chase against India at the start of the summer, she was selected in every England XI during the T20 World Cup. Now, she will have the chance to show her glovework is sound enough to displace Jones in both formats.
Edwards looks to the future with experimental squadCharlie Dean will captain the three-match series as Nat Sciver-Brunt continues to manage her fitness. Sciver-Brunt missed most of the group stage of the T20 World Cup managing a calf injury, and also sat out the start of The Hundred for Trent Rockets. Dean captained all of England's games in their bilateral series before the T20 World Cup as well as in three group-stage games that Sciver-Brunt missed. With a long lay-off from the end of The Hundred to England's next assignment following the Ireland series in Sri Lanka next year, Sciver-Brunt will have two months to recover before joinings up with Hobart Hurricanes for the WBBL.
England have also rested Lauren Bell, Sophie Ecclestone and Danni Wyatt-Hodge for the Ireland series, leaving room for Grace Potts and Charis Pavely to come in. Pavely, who played two T20Is in England's last series against Ireland in 2024, is yet another left-arm spinner at England's disposal, alongside Tilly Corteen-Coleman, with Linsey Smith also not included.
Seam-bowler Ryana MacDonald-Gay has been included in an England squad for the first time since the 2025 Women's Ashes, having recovered from a lower back injury.
The squad is England's first 50-over squad of the post-Heather Knight era, with a new-look middle order taking shape. Jodi Grewcock has retained her place from England's last ODI squad, while Maia Bouchier has also been selected. Sophia Dunkley is back in after being rested for the New Zealand ODIs at the start of the summer, while Lancashire opener Emma Lamb hasn't been selected.
The series between England and Ireland will begin on September 1 in Leicester, before the series moves on to Derby and finishes in Worcester on September 6.
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