Taylor omitted from England Women training camp

Sarah Taylor remains in contention for the Women's World Cup in June and July, according to head coach Mark Robinson, despite her omission from a 24-player training camp in the United Arab Emirates next month.

Taylor, arguably one of the most talented female cricketers in the world, has not featured for England since their defeat to Australia in the World T20 semi-final in Delhi 12 months ago.

She took a break from cricket last year to undergo treatment for anxiety issues, and though she has returned to training with the England squad, the management are keen not to rush her back into the team before she is fully ready.

"Sarah Taylor is going really well at the moment and is back in training," said Robinson. "Her return is a graduated one which is regularly reviewed as she works herself back to hopefully full fitness. There are no timescales in place for her, but her goal is still to give herself the best chance of being able to play in the World Cup."

The squad, which will be led by Heather Knight, includes 17 of England's centrally-contracted players, alongside seven members of the England Women's Senior Academy players.

Their UAE trip will include several inter-squad matches, alongside three 50-over matches between an England XI and their Irish counterparts, at the Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi on April 24, 26 and 28.

"This is an exciting step in the build-up to the World Cup," said Knight. "We've begun to show who we are as a side over the past year and we'll continue to work hard and continue to progress.

"We are looking forward to getting back outside and testing ourselves against Ireland. I'm sure there will be a few of the squad who will be keen to see who comes out on top when we play each other as well."

Robinson, who maintains that England are still a work in progress as they continue to rebuild with a new-look squad, was enthusiastic about the tour, which will be England's first engagement of 2017.

"The trip will give us the opportunity to play some internal games to get us back playing competitive cricket," he said. "With places up for grabs, the players will start the process of building a case for selection this summer.

"Having some of the Academy players with us is exciting as we are always looking for opportunities to increase their learning and exposure.

"Ireland joining us will give us some different opposition and hopefully we can play our part in giving support to one of the Associate countries.

Cricket Ireland Performance Director Richard Holdsworth said: "We are very grateful to the ECB for agreeing to play three matches against an England XI. These matches will not only serve as very useful preparation for our Quadrangular Series in South Africa, but also an excellent development opportunity for our players."