Teenage all-rounder Freya Kemp will be absent from England's upcoming ODI series against South Africa. This decision comes as a precautionary measure to manage her workload ahead of the highly anticipated Ashes tour against Australia next month.
Initially selected for the Test, T20I, and ODI segments of the South Africa tour, the 19-year-old Kemp will return home after featuring in the T20I series. During this series, she claimed two wickets across three matches, including a memorable clean bowled dismissal of South Africa's Anneke Bosch for 18 runs in the series opener in East London.
England dominated the T20I series, securing a comprehensive 3-0 victory. The upcoming ODI series against South Africa holds significant weight as part of the ICC Women's Championship. England currently occupies second place, and a successful outcome will be crucial for them to secure the top spot in the standings.
Kemp's absence allows her time to recover from a prolonged back injury sustained earlier this year. The Ashes series in Australia is expected to be her next international appearance following this recovery period.
The first ODI match of the series will take place in Kimberley on Wednesday, followed by the second ODI in Durban on December 8th and the final game in Potchefstroom on December 11th.
Kemp has already made a name for herself in international cricket, playing five ODIs for England, where she has scored 111 runs and taken six wickets. In T20Is, she boasts impressive figures of 18 wickets and 129 runs in 22 matches. She even holds one fifty each in both formats, showcasing her versatility as an all-rounder.
The recent ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings reveal notable improvements for England's leading white-ball cricketers following their impressive performance against South Africa. Heather Knight's team bounced back strongly from their early exit at the recent ICC Women's T20 World Cup by winning the first match of their three-game T20I series against South Africa in East London.
All-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt played a pivotal role, scoring 59 runs and earning the Player of the Match award. This performance propelled her two places to 14th in the T20I batter rankings. Her partnership with Amy Jones, who contributed a crucial 31 runs, proved instrumental in securing the victory. Jones's performance also saw her climb one place to 29th in the T20I batter rankings.
Despite these advancements, Australia's Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath remain at the top of the T20I batter rankings. Laura Wolvaardt of South Africa holds third place following her 22-run innings at Buffalo Park.
England's Sophie Ecclestone continues to dominate the T20I bowling rankings, extending her lead after a tight spell of 1/18 against South Africa. Charlie Dean also made significant progress, climbing four places to 15th after taking two wickets in the same match.
Nadine de Klerk of South Africa achieved notable success despite her team's four-wicket loss. She improved four spots to 37th in the T20I bowling rankings and moved up two places to 11th in the T20I all-rounder rankings. West Indies captain Hayley Matthews continues to lead the all-rounder rankings.
These ranking changes demonstrate the fierce competition and the outstanding efforts of players striving for excellence on the international stage.
