The Cricketer runs the rule over the South East Stars squad ahead of the 2022 Charlotte Edwards Cup and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy campaigns
Captain: Bryony Smith
Coach: Johann Myburgh
Home ground: The Oval, Beckenham
Team background: South East Stars might be the only regional side to cover just two counties but nevertheless represents a diaspora of six million people south of the River Thames.
The story of this South East Stars side has its origins in Surrey's decision to make a concerted effort to build a new women's county cricket dynasty, based around a group of up-and-coming players, many of whom now form the core of the reigning Charlotte Edwards Cup champions.
Former Surrey wicketkeeper Jonathan Batty led the group in 2020, but he has since won The Hundred with Oval Invincibles and has been appointed by Melbourne Stars as their coach for the next edition of the Women's Big Bash. Johann Myburgh, coming up for his second year in charge, has previously worked with Sunrisers and Sydney Thunder.
He is set to lose a significant lieutenant, however, with Richard Bedbrook moving on to take up a new role within England Women's cricket. His loss will leave a major hole, having worked with Surrey in various capacities for the last 18 years. He became the county's first full-time women's head coach in 2017, having by then helped to establish Surrey Stars in the Kia Super League. He subsequently coached them to the title in 2018. He is due to move on following the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
What happened last season?
A season of major positives for Myburgh's charges, who finished with silverware to show for their efforts.
Four defeats in seven Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy matches highlighted the areas where South East Stars' young group still have work to do, but their effervescence was key in becoming the inaugural winners of the Charlotte Edwards Cup against far more experienced opposition.
Alice Capsey, the breakthrough star of English women's cricket in 2021, was the player of the match on that occasion, typifying their emphasis on youthful talent. Aylish Cranstone, one of the team's older heads – remarkably, a decade older than Capsey at just 27 years of age – played a terrific hand in the final as one of the few left-handed batters on the women's circuit.
In the 50-over format, their lack of consistency was offset by the performances early on of Sophia Dunkley, whose dominance – 196 runs in three innings – earned her the England berth that she has since reaffirmed with her displays on the international stage.
South East Stars won the 2021 Charlotte Edwards Cup [Steve Bardens/Getty Images]
Who are the England stars?
Dunkley is the leading light from an England perspective, though several others are on the fringes: Freya Davies and Tash Farrant were World Cup teammates over the winter, while Alice Davidson-Richards and Bryony Smith have both picked up caps and are on the fringes.
The elephant in the room is Capsey, of course. She was whisked off to Australia with England A over the winter, and it is a matter of when – rather than if – she makes her international bow. It may well come this summer as Lisa Keightley looks to the future, or perhaps following the Commonwealth Games, at which point a changing of the guard in some positions might make sense.
Smith hasn't represented the national side since 2019 but continues to perform creditably in the regional competitions with both bat and ball, and few in the domestic game score more quickly or with greater power. In the Heyhoe Flint Trophy, she averaged 42 as Stars' leading run-scorer, alongside a strike rate of 102.43.
Who are the old heads in the side?
Kirstie White, 34, is the oldest member of Myburgh's group. Susie Rowe, the former England batter who returned to cricket after the regional revamp, is a year older but has now retired from the game.
Grace Gibbs, Cranstone, Davidson-Richards and Smith have all played plenty of cricket, while 24-year-old batter Phoebe Franklin turned out for Birmingham Phoenix in last year's Hundred.
And then, there is Farrant, the former captain, whose example – from coaching at Trent College back into England contention – set the tone for the regional structure's success, providing a reminder that age no longer has to be a factor.
Alice Capsey is among the brightest prospects in English cricket [Steve Bardens/Getty Images]
Who are the young players to watch?
It's impossible to look past Capsey as the firmest prospect on South East Stars' books, but she's not alone.
Chloe Brewer is just 19 and is a batting allrounder of considerable promise, while Alexa Stonehouse is an exciting left-hander who could feature for England at next year's inaugural Under-19 World Cup.
Seamer Eva Gray was part of the Oval Invincibles side that won The Hundred, as was Rhianna Southby, the impressive 21-year-old wicketkeeper.
Watch out, too, for Kalea Moore, the off-spinning allrounder who featured in The Hundred for Northern Superchargers and is still just 19.
Squad (2022): Bryony Smith, Tash Farrant, Freya Davies, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Aylish Cranstone, Alice Davidson-Richards, Dani Gregory, Alexa Stonehouse, Chloe Brewer, Claudie Cooper, Emma Jones, Eva Gray, Grace Gibbs, Kalea Moore, Kira Chathli, Kirstie White, Phoebe Franklin, Rhianna Southby, Ryana Macdonald-Gay
Fixtures
Charlotte Edwards Cup: May 14 – Sunrisers (a), May 18 – Central Sparks (h), May 21 – Western Storm (h), May 29 – Central Sparks (a), June 1 – Western Storm (a), June 5 – Sunrisers (h)
Heyhoe Flint Trophy: July 2 – Sunrisers (h), July 9 – Southern Vipers (a), July 16 – Thunder (a), July 23 – Western Storm (a), Sept 9 – Northern Diamonds (h), Sept 11 – Central Sparks (h), Sept 17 – Lightning (a)
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