'very Short' List For England Women's Captain, Says Coach Edwards

New England caput coach Charlotte Edwards says location is simply a "very short" database of candidates to switch Heather Knight arsenic captain.

England will sanction a caller skipper for nan bid against West Indies successful May, astir apt all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who served arsenic Knight's vice-captain.

Sciver-Brunt, 32, is presently connected maternity leave, pinch her return to action astir apt connected 6 May erstwhile The Blaze play Essex. England's bid opener against nan Windies is connected 21 May.

Asked astir appointing a captain, Edwards told BBC Sport: "We're very close, it hopefully will beryllium very soon.

"I'm looking guardant to that being announced, and we tin get moving. And obviously, pinch a bid coming up successful May, that's going to beryllium really important."

Knight and erstwhile caput coach Jon Lewis were some sacked pursuing an atrocious wintertime successful which England mislaid each lucifer successful nan Ashes and went retired of nan T20 World Cup successful nan group stage.

Legendary erstwhile England batter Edwards was appointed arsenic Lewis' replacement earlier this month.

Edwards had antecedently stated that nan caller skipper should beryllium an England regular successful each 3 formats, narrowing nan section to Sciver-Brunt and perchance spinner Sophie Ecclestone, who is not thought to beryllium successful contention.

In January, during nan Ashes, Sciver-Brunt said she would "love" nan opportunity to go captain.

Edwards was speaking astatine nan unveiling of a image of her successful nan Long Room astatine Lord's. The coating of nan 45-year-old is conscionable nan 3rd of a female commissioned by nan Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), pursuing chap England internationals Rachael Heyhoe Flint and Claire Taylor.

"Women's cricket has travel a agelong way," said Edwards. "To person a image of myself, up pinch immoderate of nan greats, it's rather overwhelming really. I'm hugely proud and really happy things person moved on. Women are allowed successful this nine and tin acquisition this awesome ground."

Edwards, England's all-time starring runscorer, played much than 300 internationals betwixt 1996 and 2016. In Edwards' 10-year spell arsenic skipper England won nan Ashes 3 times, arsenic good arsenic some nan 50-over and T20 World Cups.

When Edwards first played astatine Lord's, successful a one-day world against South Africa successful 1997, women were still 2 years distant from being allowed rank of nan MCC and admittance to nan Long Room.

"We were allowed successful nan changing room and down nan stairs, past retired by nan committee room," said Edwards.

"It was a spot unusual. At nan clip I didn't really deliberation thing of it. I conscionable thought it was astonishing to beryllium playing astatine Lord's and I was overwhelmed by nan occasion.

"I retrieve stepping connected to nan turf and my legs conscionable went to jelly. It was a awesome occasion, but very different to what things are for illustration now. To deliberation I now person a coating successful nan pavilion is genuinely special."