England cricket: How can Nat Sciver-Brunt replicate Ben Stokes’ successful method and get the group again on observe?

It is no secret the England males’s Take a look at aspect have dramatically modified for the higher underneath Ben Stokes’ captaincy.

When the choice was first introduced, eyebrows have been raised about whether or not Stokes, an important all-rounder for England, would be capable to proceed his success on the sphere underneath the stress of captaincy, and specifically, regenerate a downbeat aspect.

However, alongside all-format head coach Brendon McCullum, they devised a successful method: Bazball.

When Joe Root, who was Stokes’ predecessor, stepped down from the function, he mentioned the “toll” it had taken on him, and it was no shock, as England had received simply one in every of their final 17 Take a look at matches underneath his reign. Stokes has since overtaken Mike Brearley with a file of 19 Take a look at wins underneath his and McCullum’s management.

They took a defeated group and remodeled it right into a assured and ultra-positive aspect. Whereas the most important Bazball Take a look at awaits – the Ashes in Australia this winter – the change to date has been commendable.

And it is clear they will not be stopping anytime quickly as Stokes bins the booze and England proceed to nurture prodigies like Shoaib Bashir and Sam Prepare dinner.

England Girls’s lately appointed captain Nat Sciver-Brunt faces an analogous dilemma.

She has been tasked with reviving an England aspect that suffered a humiliating 16-0 defeat to Australia within the Ashes earlier this 12 months.

Partnered with Charlotte Edwards, England’s new head coach, their first problem can be to win their T20 sequence in opposition to the West Indies at house, dwell on Sky Sports activities Cricket from Could 21, adopted by a white-ball multi-format sequence in opposition to India.

Par for the boys, beneath par for the ladies

Throughout England Males’s 3-0 ODI defeat to India earlier this 12 months underneath former white-ball captain Jos Buttler, it was understood that Joe Root was the one participant to partake in a nets session forward of the third ODI, with different members of the squad reportedly favouring a spherical of golf.

Bowler Mark Wooden advised the Sky Sports activities Cricket Podcast final month he felt “uncomfortable” at current criticism over their coaching strategies from former professionals, notably levelled throughout the aforementioned tour when England have been crushed 7-1 throughout each codecs.

And, chatting with Sky Sports activities’ Nasser Hussain, Take a look at skipper Stokes stated: “If you hear feedback saying we do not prepare laborious sufficient, we’re extra bothered about golf, we do not work laborious sufficient, it is simply full and utter [rubbish].

“You’re not going to be able to be an international sportsman for a long period of time if you don’t have a work ethic and everyone that walks into the Test team, the white-ball team, their work ethic is incredible.

“They’re skilled athletes, it is their job.”

Similarly, during the England Women’s chastening Ashes tour, their fitness levels were brought into question, with spinner Sophie Ecclestone refusing an interview with pundit and World Cup winner Alex Hartley, who said England’s players were “letting themselves down” with their health after an early exit within the T20 World Cup.

Each Edwards and Sciver-Brunt have made it clear they’re hoping to quash the health issues which have plagued England, responding in an analogous option to Stokes.

“We work on fitness as much as we do our strengths and skills. To know that we are working on it should hopefully be enough to squash those criticisms. We are a hard-working side,” Sciver-Brunt advised Sky Sports activities.

“I want to empower everyone to be the best version of themselves. I want us all to work really hard for each other and the team, and also make smarter decisions and learn from different experiences.

“It’s actually good to study and to maneuver ahead.”

The all-rounder-captain concern

While there were whispers of Charlie Dean or Sophie Ecclestone taking the reins, Sciver-Brunt was always a frontrunner for the job.

The 32-year-old was England’s best player and a three-format regular, with Edwards calling it a “simple selection”.

Nonetheless, issues stay in regards to the added accountability to an necessary participant. Will or not it’s make or break?

For some, like former England white-ball captain Jos Buttler, the stress of captaincy and efficiency grew to become an excessive amount of. The 34-year-old resigned from his put up after a disappointing run within the 2023 50-over World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the Champions Trophy.

Stokes has a confirmed observe file that balancing all-rounder duties with captaincy calls for shouldn’t be not possible, which ought to present Sciver-Brunt with confidence.

Sciver-Brunt is thought for her capability to ship underneath stress. Her 148 not out in opposition to Australia within the 2022 World Cup last is only one instance of that. However with all eyes on her, she might want to proceed placing on these performances because the skipper.

It is a massive 12 months for each Stokes and Sciver-Brunt’s aspect, with the Ashes awaiting the boys’s group in winter and the World Cup in India for the ladies’s aspect, and Sciver-Brunt has already made her expectations clear in wanting England to be “World Cup ready” by autumn.

“I think any side will say they want to win a World Cup, yeah. Anyone you ask within the England side or squad, of course we want to be winning world tournaments,” Sciver-Brunt stated.

“With two coming up in the next 12 months or so, we have got some great opportunities to show what we can do on the world stage.

“I need to create a caring and hard-working atmosphere which can be barely completely different to what we simply had however not too dissimilar.”

With pressure mounting and expectations clear, the upcoming international window will be a testing time for all those involved.

Can Sciver-Brunt discover England’s winning formula?

England Women’s summer fixtures

All times UK and Ireland; all games live on Sky Sports

T20 international series vs West Indies (May)

• First T20: Wednesday May 21 (6.30pm) – Canterbury
• Second T20: Friday May 23 (6.35pm) – Hove
• Third T20: Monday May 26 (2.30pm) – Chelmsford

One-day international series vs West Indies (May-June)

• First ODI: Friday May 30 (1pm) – Derby
• Second ODI: Wednesday June 4 (1pm) – Leicester
• Third ODI: Saturday June 7 (11am) – Taunton

T20 international series vs India (June-July)

• First T20: Saturday June 28 (2.30pm) – Trent Bridge
• Second T20: Tuesday July 1 (6.30pm) – Bristol
• Third T20: Friday July 4 (6.35pm) – The Kia Oval
• Fourth T20: Wednesday July 9 (6.30pm) – Emirates Old Trafford
• Fifth T20: Saturday July 12 (6.35pm) – Edgbaston

One-day international series vs India (July)

• First ODI: Wednesday July 16 (1pm) – Southampton
• Second ODI: Saturday July 19 (11am) – Lord’s
• Third ODI: Tuesday July 22 (1pm) – Chester-le-Street

Watch every England Women’s cricket match this summer live on Sky Sports, starting with the T20 series against West Indies from May 21. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.