Lisa Keightley: England face step into unknown without duo in South Africa Test

Lisa Keightley admitted England face a step into the unknown without Anya Shrubsole and Katherine Brunt in next week’s LV= Insurance women’s Test against South Africa.

While Shrubsole brought her international career to an end a couple of months ago, Brunt announced her Test retirement last weekend after a bout of Covid ended any lingering hopes of featuring at Taunton.

The 36-year-old had been leaning towards focusing on the white-ball formats – even if she revealed it was a “heart-breaking choice” – as playing in this summer’s Commonwealth Games was her utmost priority.

England will therefore embark upon a new era without their two long-time opening bowlers and have drafted in a quintet of players uncapped at Test level for a four-day match which starts on June 27.

Head coach Keightley looked at the positives of being without Shrubsole and Brunt, who is expected to be with the 13-strong group as she looks to build her fitness for England’s white-ball programme.

“It’s over 10 years of those two having the ball and doing what they do,” said Keightley. “Generally they’re very consistent and you know what you’re going to get.

“We don’t know what we’re going to get but that brings excitement, new opportunities.

“It’s an end of an era and we need to create a new one and see which players are going to stick their hand up and lead the way with the ball. Our hand’s been forced and we’ll wait and see how it goes.”

Emma Lamb was part of the England side that reached the 50-over World Cup final earlier this year and is expected to make her Test debut, opening alongside Tammy Beaumont against the Proteas, which marks the start of a multi-format series, with three one-day internationals and three Twenty20s to follow.

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