Amy Jones feels England’s players will stay relaxed about the Women’s Premier League auction while they focus on their second T20 international against India.
A total of 165 cricketers are set to go under the gavel in Mumbai on Saturday – including wicketkeeper-batter Jones who has set her base price at the second highest point, around £40,000.
England, meanwhile, will take to the field at the Wankhede Stadium looking to build on an impressive 38-run victory in the opening match of a first tour of India in four years, which also includes a one-off Test match.
Jones accepts the squad was distracted somewhat during the 2023 auction in February, which took place at the same time as a T20 World Cup game against Ireland, which England won by four wickets.
However, the 30-year-old Central Sparks player insists the team will be fully focused on the game on Saturday, rather than who might or might not get bought.
“We had a very similar situation last year in the World Cup, which was completely new for us as a group and was obviously the first ever (Women’s Premier League) auction for women’s cricket,” Jones said.
“I don’t know if it was a challenge last year, it was just something new to consider as a group. I think this year it will be a lot simpler, having done it before our attention will be on the game as much as possible.”
Jones added: “I think there has been big learnings from last year which was a completely new experience for everyone.
“We did sit down and try to address things, like issues that might come of it and it was always probably going to be a little bit of a distraction last year.
“A lot depends on expectation on an individual basis. A lot of us are pretty relaxed about it – that it would be great if it happens, if not, then we are playing so much cricket these days.
“I think that mentality is good. We are really focused on the game that we will have tomorrow, so I think it will be fine.”
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England batter Danni Wyatt was one of those to not have any takers in the last WPL auction.
Wyatt marked her record 150th T20 international appearance with an impressive 75 off just 47 balls in the opening tour win.
Jones is confident the Southern Vipers batter can put any thoughts of what might happen in the auction this time around out of her mind and just focus on producing another positive display.
“Danni was very open about last year, about really wanting to be a part of it and being sad that she missed out,” Jones said.
“As you would, you look after your friends and it doesn’t really stray from that to be honest, but I think this year is different and we are all managing expectations.
“It would be a cool thing to be part of obviously, but I don’t think we will have the emotions attached to it as such.”
England earlier confirmed Emma Lamb had withdrawn from the Test squad due to a back problem. She will see a spinal surgeon when back in the UK to determine the next steps of her recovery.
Southern Vipers batter Maia Bouchier has been called into the Test squad as a replacement, while Kirstie Gordon also links up with the group having remained in Mumbai after playing for England A in their IT20 series victory last week.
England could clinch their own series win on Saturday ahead of the third T20 fixture on Sunday.
Jones said: “Just to get the first win is almost like a bit of a relief and you definitely build your confidence going into the other games.”
ECB chief insists no decision made on Mott future
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould has denied reports a decision has already been made on Matthew Mott's future as white-ball coach.
Mott's future has been called into question in the aftermath of England's failure to defend their T20 World Cup crown in the United States and West Indies, losing to India in the semi-finals.
Mott also oversaw England's calamitous 50-over World Cup campaign last year, as they lost six of their nine matches in India and crashed out in the group stage.
Reports earlier this week suggested the decision had already been made to dispense with Mott's services, with Eoin Morgan a contender to succeed him, though the former limited-overs captain has since said he has no interest in the role.
Asked by BBC Test Match Special if Mott's future had already been decided, Gould said: "That's not true. That's certainly not true.
"Matthew Mott is a really good guy and coach. He's got a great track record and it is the same with [captain] Jos [Buttler].
"We are always assessing options - that is what happens in high-performance sport, you are always assessing your options.
"You never want to be drawn into being given the dreaded vote of confidence or anything like that. Competitive sport always brings scrutiny and decisions.
"We'll constantly want to assess our options but we'll always want to do the right thing by the sport, the team and individuals."
West Indies grab three late wickets on day one as third Test against England in the balance
England lost three wickets in a dramatic end to day one of the third Test against West Indies, leaving them in a precarious position after restricting the tourists for 282.
Gus Atkinson finished with figures of 4-67, while Chris Woakes took 3-69 for England, as only a fine sixth-wicket stand from Jason Holder and Joshua Da Silva saved West Indies from being bowled out for a much lower total.
But England, chasing a 3-0 series whitewash, let their dominant position slip when taking up the bat for the final 35 minutes, Zak Crawley (18), Ben Duckett (3) and Mark Wood (0) being dispatched as bowler Jayden Seales dropped them to 38-3.
Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and chose to bat, leading his side to a solid start before a spell of three wickets in five overs before lunch put England on top.
Atkinson accounted for Mikyle Louis (26) and Alick Athanaze (2) on either side of Wood sending stumps flying with a full delivery to dismiss Kirk McKenize for 12.
Brathwaite's knock of 61 was brought to a halt shortly after the action resumed, the captain gloving Wood's leg-side ball to Jamie Smith as the tourists slid from 76-0 to 115-5 in 45 balls.
Holder (59) and Da Silva (49) then shared 108 to drag the Windies towards a respectable total, but things looked bleak for them when the latter feathered Woakes' ball through to Smith.
Having gone 30 overs without a wicket, England needed just 14 more to polish off the tail, the highlight being a terrific diving catch from Joe Root to send Gudakesh Motie (8) packing.
England were given just over half an hour with the bat to cap Friday's action, but any hopes of a serene finish were soon dashed.
Holder made two terrific catches off Seales' bowling, the first from Crawley's thick outside edge and the second to dismiss Wood for a duck, either side of Alzarri Joseph's cracking delivery accounting for Duckett.
That spell ensured what had been a good day for the hosts ended on a sour note, with the Windies sure to target quick wickets when the action resumes on Saturday.
Data Debrief: Atkinson and Seales dominate
This series began with all the focus on James Anderson as England's greatest-ever bowler bowed out at Lord's, but Atkinson has taken centre-stage since making his Test debut in the opening match and now has 20 wickets through five innings.
That is eight more than West Indies' Jayden Seales, the next-most prolific bowler in this series, has managed.
Seales was determined to have an impact on day one, though, and his two wickets at the death have set the stage for a far more competitive match than those England won at Lord's and Trent Bridge.
McAllister cannot see Klopp or Guardiola succeeding Southgate
Gary McAllister finds it hard to believe that either Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola will succeed Gareth Southgate as England manager.
Southgate, who led England to back-to-back European Championship finals, ended his eight-year tenure following their defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 showpiece.
The 53-year-old was often accused of a cautious approach despite only Walter Winterbottom (383) and Alf Ramsey (224) overseeing more England goals than his 213, with supporters wanting to see a more attack-minded manager take over.
And two of the names linked with the vacant position have been pioneers of Premier League football in recent years.
Klopp ended his nine-year stay at Liverpool in May to take a break from management, while some expect Guardiola to leave Manchester City at the end of his current deal, which expires next year.
The pair have won 653 games between them and shared 25 major honours during their time in England and could be seen as the ideal candidates to end the Three Lions' 58-year wait for silverware.
However, former Liverpool and Scotland midfielder McAllister believes Klopp and Guardiola are unlikely to become England's next manager.
McAllister, who played 57 times for his nation, believes supporters would prefer an English manager at the helm.
"I think people are linking Jurgen with the England job purely because he has experience working in the English Premier League," McAllister told Stats Perform.
"He's worked with elite players for many years now at Dortmund and at Liverpool. So people are putting two and two together.
"Personally, I don't see it happening and I think I also see that there were links to Pep Guardiola and I don't see Pep managing England either.
"It's hard for me to comment on this because I'm obviously not English, I'm Scottish.
"The people I speak to within the game, there is a feeling that the manager of England should come from St George's Park, which is the headquarters of English football, the FA and all the coaching programmes that they have there.
"Why would you have all this and then put a manager not from England in? I think most of the people in England are looking for an English manager."
The Three Lions' next game is a Nations League clash with the Republic of Ireland in September, with Finland their next opponents three days later.
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