England call caps super year for Whitchurch cricketer

The 23-year-old batsman has kept her place in the England women's second team for the second year in a row.

It completes a memorable few months for Jones, who can add her place in the international squad to a promotion with Staffordshire to Division One – the Premier League of women's cricket – and a regular place with Whitchurch men's first team, who she helped to safety in the Birmingham League Division Three.

Jones will join a 15-strong England academy party who will meet up for a 'leadership camp' next month at Loughborough University, followed by a tour to Sri Lanka for a tri-series involving the hosts and Australia, starting in March.

"It's been a great year. I've managed to get selected for all the England academy games over the summer which is good considering it's my first year in the squad, and now hopefully I can build on that by getting picked on the tour and scoring some runs," said Jones.

"My aim is to play for the full England squad so I need to keep performing if I'm going to step up to the next level."

Jones, who coaches cricket in schools across north Shropshire for Shropshire Cricket Board and privately at Ellesmere College, was part of a joint England senior and academy squad in April that travelled to Dubai and played Australia, opening the batting and scoring 50 in a 50-over game.

She then faced the full Aussie team in July and August in preparation for the Ashes series, losing in a one-day international then drawing both a two-day match when she scored 29 and another over three days when she hit 22 and 34 not out.

Averaging 80 for Staffs, Jones hit her second 115-run county total of the summer against Worcestershire in the final game.

But although it wasn't enough to save her side from their only defeat of the season, they clinched promotion as runners-up to Somerset to take their place among the elite next year.