Anya Shrubsole has her focus on the new County Championship season after being named player of the series in New Zealand

http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/sport/somerset_county_cricket_club/9637989.Cricketer_Anya_Shrubsole_keen_for_Somerset_challenge/

After being named player of the series in New Zealand, Anya Shrubsole has turned her focus to Somerset CCC and the challenge which awaits them.

Somerset were promoted into division one last season and the 20 year old isn’t daunted by the thought of playing in the top league believing  they will hold their own against the country’s elite.

She said: “I believe we will be very competitive this year with a number of teams of equal ability.

“There is quite a big jump in standard to the top sides in division one such as Kent and Sussex, but the rest are definitely within our reach.

“The squad is looking forward to the new challenge. We had a disappointing second half of the season last year and it is something we are looking to put right.

“We have trained really hard. With people living across the country it’s sometimes hard to get everyone together, but we have managed to do it.”

Somerset finished third in division two last season behind Essex and Surrey and were promoted due to the change in layout of the County Championship.  Divisions one to three have increased from six to nine teams and the division five sections have been scrapped.

The England seamer believes the new format will have a huge impact on the cricket played on the day.

“Playing each side only once you don’t get a chance to rectify any mistakes, so it is vitally important to hit the ground running from day one,” Shrubsole continued. “It may have an impact on who wins and gets relegated, but we won’t be able to judge until we have played the new format.”

Somerset start their campaign at home against Surrey who also being newly promoted face the same challenge as themselves. The last three games of the season are also at home and Shrubsole sees this as a great opportunity to start and finish the year in the best way possible.

She explained: “It’s massively important to get a good start. To get a win in the first game can fill you with confidence and set you up for the season.

“It’s always good to play at home especially with the new format, so to have the last three games at home may play into our hands. Having said that we are capable of winning anywhere, so it’s important that we approach each game with that mindset.”

Even though it’s a new challenge she feels they will be well prepared and there won’t be too many shocks for her or her teammates.

“We know quite a lot about the other counties, having played against them in recent years so there won’t be too many surprises. We know pretty much what players we are going to be playing against so we can plan effectively,” She said.

“Sussex and Kent are the two strongest teams in the division so I would expect one of them to win the league. If I had to say one, it would be Kent.”

Shrubsole knows Kent and England’s captain Charlotte Edwards well, having made her international debut back in August 2008. The Somerset seamer has just returned from international duty in New Zealand where she was named player of the series on a tour which England won 7-0.

In the third twenty20 fixture she achieved figures of 5-11 off 4 overs, the third best figures in women’s international stats and also took four wickets in three games in the 50 over version.  The 20 year old is hoping to take this form and confidence into the county arena.

She continued: “It went very well for both the team and myself. It was very pleasing to be named player of the series but it was most pleasing to be able to contribute well to a very good tour.

“It gives me a lot of confidence going into the summer. Hopefully I can continue my performances for England in New Zealand, for Somerset and help contribute to a successful season.”

Georgia Elwiss believes Sussex can go one further this season and win the County Championship

Georgia Elwiss is excited about the prospect of the coming season and what it might hold for Sussex.

The 20 year old seamer has just returned back from England duty in New Zealand and believes Sussex have a strong case in this year’s County Championship and could go one better than last season.

Elwiss said: “The squad has trained really well and the girls have been working very hard over the winter. We finished the season really well last year and the girls have taken this momentum into training.

“We have some got a number of great youngsters coming through; the likes of Izzie Noakes, Sophie Parnell and Georgia Adams will be looking to cement their places in the squad this year.”

Last year Sussex finished second 1.64 points behind Kent last year in the County Championship Division One, and were runners up behind the same team in the twent20 competition and Elwiss believes the pressure is on Kent once again.

The England international continued: “It was disappointing to finish second last year and Kent will be favourites again for the County Championship; they have an incredibly strong side, but be sure we will fight them all the way.

“The twenty20 is a different matter, it’s a lot more of an open competition, so I can’t pick a favourite, both leagues will be very closely contested this year.”

The players that Elwiss is referring to are her England teammates, Charlotte Edwards, Laura Marsh, Lydia Greenway and Tammy Beaumont, but Sussex can fight fire with fire. They had three players on the tour to New Zealand while Holly Colvin was unable to go because of university commitments.

Elwiss explained: “Sarah (Taylor) and Arran (Brindle) had fantastic tours. We also have Holy Colvin who was unable to tour and Caroline Atkins who is captaining the England academy side to South Africa later this month.”

Even with the strong squads around them the England seamer is only focused on Sussex.

She said: “We try to focus on ourselves over the winter. There had been some talk about some overseas players signing for other counties but I’m not too bothered about that.”

In the first two matches of the season, Sussex play two of the promoted sides Essex and Surrey but Elwiss is adamant they have to get off to a good start and can’t be complacent.

“Surrey and Essex are both very good teams. We have come up against Essex in the Twenty20 recently so we know a little about them. Surrey and Somerset have payers we have played against for years,” the 20 year old said.

“It doesn’t matter what order we play the games in, we have to win every one, we have to hit the ground running.

“The new division means we play each other only once, which means the cricket on the day is crucial. I think it will play into our hands and hopefully we can stamp our authority on the division from the first game.”

The county championship has been restructured this year. The division five section has been scrapped meaning the top three divisions have increased from six to nine teams and Elwiss believes it will be “a very exciting league.”

Elwiss is confident coming back from New Zealand after remaining unbeaten with England winning the tour 7-0.

“Our tour to New Zealand was amazing. We set ourselves the challenge of winning all eight games and only the rain prevented us from doing that,” she stated.

“Obviously you want to play every game you can for England but that’s part and parcel of being a world class side. There is huge competition for places and you have to fight to get your place.”

After international duty Elwiss has one message to the rest of division one: “Sussex are looking strong.”