Alice Capsey to Keep Wicket for England in Ireland ODI Series

Alice Capsey will take the wicketkeeping gloves for England in the three-match one-day international series against Ireland, adding another responsibility to her established roles as a batter and bowler. BBC Sport reported that the 22-year-old will stand behind the stumps while regular keeper Amy Jones is rested for the series.

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The assignment represents Capsey's first wicketkeeping role for England and only her second official outing as a keeper in senior professional cricket. Her previous professional appearance behind the stumps came in a 50-over match for South East Stars in 2020, although she kept wicket regularly during her junior career and developed through the Surrey academy in that role.

England began exploring Capsey as a wicketkeeping option during a pre-season camp in South Africa earlier in 2026. She was subsequently listed as Jones's backup for the T20 World Cup but was not required to keep during the tournament. That preparation has continued through the summer, with Capsey fitting wicketkeeping practice around her batting, bowling and outfield work.

Capsey also kept in a behind-closed-doors warm-up against India before the T20 World Cup. According to BBC Sport, she completed a catch while standing up to seamer Dani Gibson, made a stumping from Linsey Smith's bowling and did not concede a bye. She has since trained standing up to the stumps against fast bowler Issy Wong, providing further preparation for the Ireland series.

The move gives England a temporary replacement for the 33-year-old Jones and could also broaden the team's selection options if Capsey handles the role successfully. Jones remains England's regular wicketkeeper, but using Capsey behind the stumps would allow the selectors to adjust the balance of the batting order without removing one of their established batters.

Capsey enters the series with 95 England appearances across formats but no previous international match as wicketkeeper. She acknowledged to BBC Sport that the role remains relatively unfamiliar at senior level, while pointing to her extensive junior experience and the work completed in training. The Ireland series carries ICC points, giving her trial behind the stumps competitive significance as well as potential longer-term value for England.