Cait knocks England selectors for six
IVYBRIDGE STUDENT SELECTED TO TOUR SOUTH AFRICA WITH ENGLAND UNDER 19s
16-year-old Ivybridge Community College student Cait O’Keefe is preparing herself for an extra-special trip to South Africa after being selected for the first ever England Women’s U19 cricket team tour.
Cait, who plays for Plympton and Devon County, received the news earlier this week after the English Cricket Board sent her an official selection letter, congratulating her on her achievement and detailing the 20-day tour.
“It’s amazing news,” said Cait. “When I received the email I was in total shock. I am so excited and can’t wait to join the rest of the team on the tour.”
Cait’s tour of South Africa begins on 6 October at the ECB National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough. She then flies out to South Africa where she plays her first Twenty20 match at the PUK Oval on 11 October. Over the following two weeks the team will then play another seven fixtures including more Twenty20s and One Day matches.
“I really want to play well in South Africa,” added Cait. “It’s my dream to be selected for the England Academy and then one day play for the full England Women’s team. I hope this tour will be my first step towards doing that.”
Cait is studying a Btec Extended Diploma at Ivybridge Community College and was selected for the national team after showing consistently strong performances in England Women’s Development Programme matches and county fixtures.
Clair Connor, Head of England Women’s Cricket, said: “This is the most exciting time in the history of women’s cricket to be selected for a tour such as this. It is the inaugural tour for an England Women’s Under 19 Squad so Cait has an opportunity that girls have never had before.
“The success of the England Women’s team in the Ashes this summer means that there is huge excitement in this country around England Women’s Cricket and the profile of our sport is growing all the time. With a packed international schedule on the horizon, what better time than now to be pulling on an England Under 19 shirt.”
Cait, who is a right-arm medium-pace bowler, joins 14 other crickets who’ve been selected from throughout the country, including three other players from Devon – Amara Carr, Lydia Harris, and Aylish Cranstone.
