There are not many players with 95 international caps who would describe any aspect of their game as an unknown, but Alice Capsey finds herself in exactly that position heading into England's one-day series against Ireland. The 22-year-old all-rounder, widely regarded as one of women's cricket's brightest talents, will pull on the wicketkeeping gloves for the very first time in international cricket this week — a role she has filled just once before at professional level.
A Long Road to the Gloves
Capsey's keeping story actually stretches back further than most people realise. She spent a significant chunk of her junior career standing behind the stumps, so the skillset was always there, albeit lying largely dormant during her rise through the professional ranks. It was during England's pre-season training camp in South Africa earlier this year that coach Charlotte Edwards first floated the idea of Capsey serving as a genuine wicketkeeping option for the senior side. From that point on, the work began in earnest.
Her only outing in professional cricket as a keeper came back in 2020, in a 50-over match for South East Stars — a single data point that makes this week's assignment all the more intriguing. Capsey herself is refreshingly candid about what lies ahead: "Realistically, it is a bit of an unknown," she told BBC Sport. "In games, I have not done it a huge amount. But the work I have done off the pitch, I know I am putting a lot of hard work in. It gives me a lot of confidence."
A Summer of Nerves and Growth
The path to this point has not been entirely smooth. Capsey admits that when she first took on the keeping duties during the earlier part of the summer, anxiety got the better of her. "Especially at the beginning of the summer, I was pretty nervous to do it," she said. "I went into my shell a little bit and was quite internal." She credits the more extroverted members of the squad — spinner Sophie Ecclestone among them — for helping to keep the atmosphere light and the pressure manageable. As the weeks passed and her teammates watched her put in the repetitions at training, the nerves eased considerably. "Everyone has seen me train so much now over the course of the summer it is second nature," she added.
The T20 World Cup this summer also brought Capsey's dual role into sharp focus. She was named as back-up to first-choice keeper Amy Jones throughout the tournament. When captain Nat Sciver-Brunt returned from injury ahead of the semi-final, there was even a brief discussion about whether Capsey might step in behind the stumps, allowing in-form batter Sophia Dunkley to remain in the XI. The idea was ultimately shelved, but it illustrated just how seriously Edwards and her coaching staff are taking Capsey's keeping credentials.
Edwards Backs Her Judgement
Those who know Charlotte Edwards understand she is not a coach who gambles without good reason. Her decision to hand Capsey the gloves for a full ODI series speaks volumes. With limited alternatives available and a player who has demonstrably put the hours in, this feels less like a leap of faith and more like a calculated progression. Capsey even has the keeper's traditional love of the physical side of the role, cheerfully noting the occupational hazards: "The amount of times you take blows on the fingers, or one goes down the leg side and you miss it..."
What to Watch For
From a tactical perspective, having Capsey behind the stumps frees up a specialist batting spot and adds genuine flexibility to England's line-up — something that could influence selection thinking ahead of future tournaments. For those following the outright markets for upcoming women's cricket competitions, England's ability to field Capsey as a credible keeper-batter would give them noticeably more depth, which selectors and odds-compilers alike would be wise to factor in.
Ultimately, this week's series against Ireland represents far more than a routine assignment. For Capsey, it is a defining moment in her already impressive career — a chance to add yet another string to her bow and prove that England's faith in her versatility is entirely justified. If she takes to it naturally, the implications for England's long-term planning could be considerable.
