by English all-rounder Alice Capsey has been ruled out of the rest of the West Indies tour after breaking her collarbone in the series opener.
The 18-year-old Capsey landed awkwardly as he tried to save a cap in England’s 142-run win in the first one-day international in Antigua.
She left the field after receiving medical attention, and the ECB has since confirmed that she was forced to fly home as a result of the nasty injury.
It’s a significant blow for the youngster, who was awarded his first contract at centre-back last month and opened the batting for England on Sunday, scoring 17 of 13 balls. She will now face a tough race to get in shape for the T20 World Cup in South Africa, which starts in February.
“It’s a strange thing to stand as a group on the pitch and feel sorry for your teammate, your friend,” England teammate Nat Sciver said of Capsey’s injury. “We found out this morning [Alice] she’s going home and i’m really torn for her. She’ll shoot again, I’m sure. I don’t know how long the recovery time is, I think she will go see a surgeon when she gets home, but I don’t know for sure. She will be heartbroken to miss this trip.”
However, there were positive things to take away from the match. It was England’s first win under new manager Jon Lewis, whom Sciver called a “very motivating” presence, encouraging the players to “go out on the pitch and think about entertaining and inspiring.”
Skiver has successfully returned
Meanwhile, Sciver marked his return to England in style, scoring 90 from 96 balls (along with Danni Wyatt’s 68 from 60) to propel England to a score of 307-7. It was England stalwart Sciver’s first appearance for the national team since she took leave with mental health issues after the Commonwealth Games in August, and she looked revitalized.
“I didn’t pick up a bat at all, or a ball, except for the dog,” Sciver said of his time away from the sport. “In my spare time I kept myself in good physical condition, which I want to do whether I was training or not. I was able to do some more normal things, feel a little more like a human being after two great years, 18 months. it had built up in me having to walk away from the game… I wasn’t sure how I would feel on the field. When I got there, I was happy and I felt pretty comfortable.”
Sciver, 30, followed the lead of men’s captain Ben Stokes by opting out of playing for England, missing their India series in late summer to focus on his mental health.
