Charlie Dean Captains England Women in ODI Series Opener vs New Zealand

England's women face New Zealand in the opening match of a three-game ODI series in Durham on Sunday, marking the start of their international summer. Charlie Dean takes the captain's armband with Nat Sciver-Brunt working to recover from a calf tear in time for the T20 World Cup, which begins June 12 on home soil.

Dean spoke to reporters ahead of the series. "I think it’s 194 days maybe since our last international game," she said. "We’ve had a really productive winter. We’ve not had international series, which hasn’t been fantastic, but we’ve really made the most of the prep that we have had."

The summer holds major events for English women's cricket. As Raf Nicholson wrote, historic occasions arrive in quick succession: England hosts a World Cup after a nine-year wait since their 2017 victory, alongside the first women's Test at Lord's in nearly a century. Both take place from June 12 to July 13.

First comes this T20 World Cup preparation: three ODIs and three T20s against New Zealand, followed by three T20s against India. The 50-over series starts at 11 a.m. in Durham. Wicketkeeper Kira Chathli and allrounder Jodi Grewcock could debut for England. Head coach Charlotte Edwards said she would "look to the future" after last year's 50-over World Cup semifinal loss. England management now focuses on reaching a home final at Lord's on July 5.