England look to press home advantage in shortest format after ODI demolition job

The three-match T20I series will take place in Northampton and Derby with Heather Knight's side looking to drive home their supremacy established against West Indies already this summer

The ODI fixtures are done for the time being, but the confidence England have gained from them ahead of an unprecedented summer of cricket will be felt in every sinew of Heather Knight’s side.

So while the mention of T20I cricket and West Indies may bring up the painful memories of Australia’s triumph over them in November, the momentum has only increased since that outing in Antigua.

India and Sri Lanka were on the receiving ends of T20I whitewashes in the spring, and the intent this summer to further that dominance has already been signalled by the 3-0 ODI series win over Stafanie Taylor’s team.

If England needed any further strings to their already well-formed bow, it is that those recently reintroduced into the side have played themselves back into form.

The most prominent of those was of course a return to form for wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor, whose 70 combined flamboyance with tireless running between the wickets to settle any doubts about her spot ahead of The Ashes, although her last display in the format was almost a year ago at Chelmsford against New Zealand.

^{Taylor is back among the runs}

It was a timely boost to a side whose batting prowess has been flourishing for the last year, through the adaptable Tammy Beaumont and her equally domineering partner Amy Jones, while Danni Wyatt has shown a propensity to thrash the ball around whether she gets promoted up the order or is tasked with playing the finisher’s role.

Nat Sciver was rotated for the final at Chelmsford but the T20 series will provide her with the perfect platform to demonstrate what she took away from the Women’s T20 Challenge in India last month as one of three England players alongside Wyatt to take part in a tournament which provided the latest turning point in the women’s game.

WOMEN'S CRICKET HUB

The other was Sophie Ecclestone, a key figure in the England bowling attack who has added bundles of dynamism in an area which was previously causing some concern. The ICC’s Emerging Player of the Year for 2018 after a breakthrough 12 months, the 20-year-old epitomises the white-ball force England have become through her accuracy and economy, which will be welcomed back with open arms after her recovery from a broken hand.

^{Ecclestone is going from strength to strength}

While England’s machine looks well-oiled and finely tuned, West Indies’ has yet to begin whirring in this series.

Depth is something Heather Knight’s team were able to demonstrate in Taylor and Ecclestone’s absence, yet West Indies’ lack of such a squad is glaring with key allrounder Deandra Dottin ruled out of any action with a shoulder injury and her replacement Britney Cooper struggling to fill the hole left by the 27-year-old Barbadian.

No West Indies player managed a half-century in the ODI series, and that does not translate into good omens for the T20I series which could have insult added to injury after captain Stafanie Taylor was unable to bat after injuring her hand in the field and was sent to hospital as a precautionary measure.

Serenity has so far encapsulated England’s summer so far, but with the storm of The Ashes still to come England could flex their muscles and keep a so-far unblemished summer intact before the wealth of talent from Australia arrive on these shores.