Sciver-Brunt injury gives England World Cup worry

Nat Sciver-Brunt is a huge fitness concern for England before the home T20 World Cup after the captain was ruled out of the series against New Zealand and India with a calf injury.

The influential all-rounder initially missed the three one-day internationals against New Zealand with what England described as a "minor tear" in her left calf.

A further scan on Monday revealed the 33-year-old requires a "longer period of rehabilitation", with the World Cup less than a month away.

Sciver-Brunt will miss the three T20s against world champions New Zealand, starting in Derby on Wednesday, and the three T20s against India that follow.

Off-spinner Charlie Dean will once again lead England in Sciver-Brunt's absence.

England are not thought to be concerned about Sciver-Brunt's availability for the World Cup, rather that the skipper simply needs more time to recover from the injury she sustained playing for the Blaze against Warwickshire at the end of April.

Sciver-Brunt has been with the squad during the one-day series against New Zealand, which was drawn 1-1.

"Nat just needs a little bit more time to be in the best place she can be for the World Cup," said batter Sophia Dunkley, speaking to BBC Sport.

"We're really confident she'll be leading us out there and the flip side is it's a great opportunity for some of the girls to step up and get some game time. Everybody has to be ready to play if needed, anything can happen in a World Cup.

"We look forward to having Nat back with us when she's ready which looks to be really soon."

Even if Sciver-Brunt is fit for the World Cup opener against Sri Lanka on 12 June at Edgbaston, she is likely to be lacking match practice - she has played only twice since the Women's Premier League ended in January.

After the series against India, England have two World Cup warm-up matches - against Australia in Cardiff on 8 June, and against India at the same venue on 10 June.

Opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge will also miss the series against New Zealand, with her wife due to give birth to their first child.

As a result, Hampshire's Maia Bouchier and Warwickshire's Charis Pavely have been added to the squad as cover.

Dean will become the 11th woman to captain England in a T20 international when she leads the side against the White Ferns on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old took charge for the one-day series, before which Dean said she expected Sciver-Brunt to be back for the T20s.

Asked if she was ready to be captain at the World Cup if required, Dean said: "Captaining in the ODIs feels like brilliant timing, to get me that little bit of experience before the World Cup arrives.

"All being well, Nat will be perfectly fine. I have no doubts should anything arise, I feel like these games will grow my confidence even more to do the job at hand."