Ella McCaughan selected for England Women's Academy

Sussex batter Ella McCaughan has been selected for this year’s England Women’s Academy (EWA).

The 16-year-old from Seaford is one of just twelve players chosen for the 2018/19 programme, which brings together players identified as having the potential to represent England at the highest level for a series of camps at the ECB’s National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough.

Ella’s Sussex teammate, the left-arm spinner Linsey Smith was part of last winter’s Academy and has gone on to make a full international debut in the ongoing ICC Women’s World T20 in the Caribbean.

A member of the Sussex Girls Academy based at the Sir Rod Aldridge Cricket Centre at the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, Ella made her debut for the senior Sussex Women’s side this summer aged just 15.

She appeared in four matches of the Royal London Women’s One-Day Cup that saw Sussex promoted back to Division One and made five appearances during the Vitality Women’s Twenty20 Cup in which the side narrowly missed out on being crowned champions.

Reacting to her selection for the EWA, Ella said: “I was really shocked when I found out that I’d been selected for the England Academy; I couldn’t quite believe it!

“Now it has sunk in I am excited and am really looking forward to going to Loughborough and working with the Academy coaching staff.”

Sussex Girls Academy and Elite Player Pathway (EPP) head coach and Sussex Women’s assistant coach, Ian Cox added: “I’m delighted by Ella’s selection onto the EWA. She is a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication, whilst also embracing the team ethic and continuing to thoroughly enjoy her cricket and all that goes with it.

“Ella will continue working with us here at the Sussex Girls Academy and we will work closely with England to ensure she has the best opportunities to develop and move further up the pathway.”