FORMER Taunton School cricketer Jodie Dibble has received a glowing appraisal from England Women’s captain Charlotte Edwards, after she was selected in a 15-strong squad for the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh next month.

Dibble, 19, who plays her county cricket for Devon, is one of five changes to the squad that retained the Women's Ashes in Australia last month – and Ashes-winning captain Edwards said the spin-bowler ‘thoroughly deserves’ her selection.

She said: “Jodie’s had an outstanding trip to Sri Lanka with the academy team and recently started bowling left-arm spin.

“She was the leading wicket taker out there and has thoroughly deserved her call-up into the England team.

“It’s great for a 19-year-old girl to hopefully make her debut in a world tournament.”

Edwards was speaking at Somerset Cricket Museum on Tuesday where she presented a pair of batting gloves worn in the recent Ashes series to museum officials – before holding a coaching session at the Centre of Excellence as part of the national ‘Chance to Shine’ initiative.

The 34-year-old batsman also praised the Ashes performances of Somerset’s Anya Shrubsole, who took 13 wickets in the series Down Under.

She said: “Anya’s been outstanding for us over a few years now and she played a huge part in us being successful in that test match in Perth and I’m hoping there’s more to come from Anya with her being so young as well.”

The ECB last week announced that England are to have their first full-time professional women's cricket team following major investment by the game's governing body.

Edwards said she was ‘honoured’ and excited by the move and hoped to play a big part in the opening years of the professional era.”

Jodie, whose brother Adam – also an Old Tauntonian – plays for Somerset, is one of two uncapped spin bowlers in the squad alongside Warwickshire’s Rebecca Grundy.

ECB Head of England Women’s Cricket, Clare Connor, said: “Both Jodie and Rebecca have developed enormously over the last couple of years and they thoroughly deserve this opportunity.

“As young spinners, there is no better place in the world to ply your trade than the sub-continent and I hope that they enjoy and learn from the experience.”