England Women’s Cricket: Charlotte Edwards challenges the next generation to step up as the World Cup approaches

While her senior players were away before Christmas in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in Australia, Edwards was in the UK. She has worked with others from her recent teams but also with the players next in line and the Under-19s.

Instead of matches, England has organized three training camps over the coming months, the first of which will be held this week in Amman.

Another event in South Africa follows before the country’s top 30 players travel to the UAE for an intra-squad series.

“We will pit the best against the best and get a very clear signal of where the next group of players will be,” says Edwards.

Wicket keeper Keira Chathley, 18-year-old spinner Tilly Curtin-Coleman, both from Surrey, Essex batsman Jodi Grewcock, Hampshire keeper Rhianna Southby and Warwickshire all-rounder Charice Bavley are all in Oman in a hint of who might be next in line.

They will be joined by Maya Boshier, Alice Kapsi, Lauren Weiler, Danielle Gibson, Freya Kemp, M Arlott, Essie Wong, Mahika Gore and Emma Lamb, who have all previously capped.

Other high-profile absences can be easily explained.

Captain Nat Shaver-Brent, Lauren Bell, Sophie Ecclestone, Dani White-Hodge and Lynsey Smith are in the India Women’s Premier League while others such as Amy Jones, Tammy Beaumont, former captain Knight and Sophia Dunkley are on leave after the WBBL, as is 18-year-old Davina Perrin.

But deciding when to look to the next generation can be the hardest part for any head coach in the sport, especially when a World Cup is looming on the horizon.

Edwards will be the coach to make that decision with the current group that has led women’s football for a generation.

“We are now trying to create that competitive advantage for our players so that everything is not done and dusted off for team members,” she says.

“I spoke to the players the other day about it. I said that everyone in this room is competing to play in the World Cup. It doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 35.”

Opportunities may naturally come sooner to others because of gaps that need to be filled.

Edwards name checks the need for a “bowling all-rounder” – a boost for the likes of 20-year-old Kemp, who spent three years suffering from stress fractures in the back, and Gibson, who missed the World Cup with the same problem.

The lack of left-handers has been an issue since Lydia Greenaway retired in 2016 – so much so that former bowler Tash Farrant was loaned out from the India commentary box to provide a left-handed bowler to train on.

Kemp, the highly-rated Gryocock, and Pavelli, 21, have an advantage there.

“I don’t want easy choices,” Edwards says. “I want it to be difficult.

“I want people to knock on the door and say, ‘You have to choose me,’ and I hope we get to the end of Abu Dhabi.”