By Steve Beauchampe

After nearly a year's absence, Arran Brindle has returned to the England women's squad.

ARRAN BRINDLE Born: 23.11.1981, Keighley 5 Tests, 131 runs, highest score 85 33 ODIs, 547 runs, highest score 67

Her selection to tour South Africa follows a successful summer captaining her native Lancashire to promotion, and a determination to address flaws in her game which had put others ahead of her.

"It was frustrating. Certain things hadn't worked out and I needed to change my approach, to play more attacking cricket, take on the bowlers and score more freely," she says.

"The national squad only assembles monthly so mostly I'm working on individual programmes with Paul Bryson, my Lancashire coach. But training as a team is so much better, it gives you a boost and makes you keen to tour."

Introduced to the game by her father, Brindle (nee Thompson) played boys cricket from the age of 10, progressing rapidly before joining a girl's team when she was 16.

"I played in the territorials [regional cricket] then England under-17s and under-19s before selection to the senior side in 2000. It all happened quite quickly."

On England's 2002 Indian tour, Brindle shared a world record opening Test partnership of 200 with Caroline Atkins in Lucknow, her own contribution being 85.

The tour co-incided with Brindle's three-year BSc course in PE and Sports Science at Loughborough University, where she came under the tutelage of former England fast bowler Graham Dilley.

Brindle has drawn on Graham Dilley's experience at the top level

"I worked with Graham for two years and though he had commitments to the men's team, he always had the time for me when I needed it."

South Africa presents a fresh challenge for Brindle, although she's an experienced tourist, with trips to Australia and New Zealand also behind her.

Highly receptive to new ideas, she plans to absorb whatever the next month offers.

"Cricket has such depth, it's so multi-layered, with no two games alike.

"As a batsman it's easy to think that it's all over once your innings ends, but you also have to field - which I really enjoy - and that involves so many different facets that you're always alert, thinking ahead."

The England A team, now in India, have already benefitted from Brindle's leadership skills, an aspect of her game traceable to her time as a teenager in boys teams "trying to calm down headstrong young male cricketers".

A similar selflessness characterises Brindle's approach to personal batting targets.

"In limited overs cricket you can't set individual run targets as you may have to sacrifice yourself in a run chase, or adapt your batting to face just a few overs.

"It's part of the enjoyment and the intensity helps explain what initially attracted me to cricket."

Restored to the England squad, Brindle appreciates the significance of touring South Africa right now.

"It's an immensely important trip.

"There's no better way to prepare for the 2005 World Cup, to acclimatise to the temperature, the light, the pace of the wickets, the food, the culture," she says.

It would be a surprise if England make the return trip next year without Brindle on the plane.