Sri Lanka calling for England's Beth MacGregor

MacGregor is the first Essex player to join the full England women's squad

By Chris Osborne

Beth MacGregor is used to doing things ahead of schedule.

The Essex cricketer was swinging a bat at the age of eight, playing for the county's under-11 girls at nine, their full team at 14 and then a year later was in the England academy set-up.

Now, at 17, she has been included in the full England squad for November's tour of Sri Lanka after being given the news via a phone call from head coach Mark Lane.

"I was out shopping at the time," she explained.

"It took a while for it to sink in, I was like 'I'm actually going to Sri Lanka with England', it's a bit weird.

"I knew that I may be in contention, but I didn't necessarily think I'd get picked because there's a lot of good players around at the moment."

Injuries and other commitments have given the left-arm medium pacer her chance, with Katherine Brunt, Holly Colvin and Sarah Taylor all unable to make the trip to the sub-continent.

I'd like to have made an impact and not just be another player, to have actually shown that I'm good enough to be part of the team

Beth MacGregor

Similar circumstances saw her called up during New Zealand's summer tour but the Leytonstone-born seamer was not handed her international debut.

Now, she will be looking to make her bow in one of the two one-day internationals or three Twenty20 games in Sri Lanka.

"You have to be ready, otherwise there's not much point in going out there," said MacGregor.

"I'm in the squad so I'm in contention and if I'm not ready there's not much point in me going, so I'd say I'm ready."

Although selected primarily as a bowler, MacGregor's position at number five in the Essex order suggests that she is more than capable with the bat.

"One of the knocks I'm more proud of is the 108 not out I got this year for Essex against Worcestershire," she said.

Left-hander MacGregor bats at number five for Essex

"I went in and we were 20-3 and quickly we were 30-5 and I managed to get us up to 226."

Similar heroics are required when it comes to balancing sport with school.

MacGregor is currently studying for her A-Levels at Chigwell School and depends on a bit of understanding when it comes to her education.

"They're very supportive and I've got lots of teachers helping me out," she continued.

"I'm missing November exams and things like that but the teachers have been very good and sorted me out so I can do a lot of the work before I go.

"At the moment I'm still only 17 and there's a lot of ifs and buts. First and foremost I want to get my education and I would be interested in going to university.

"At the moment I've got to make sure I get the right education and that I've got something to fall back on just in case."

But those big decisions are a long way off, with MacGregor currently focussed on her goals for the tour of Sri Lanka.

"Getting my first cap would be very good," she said.

"And within that I'd like to have made an impact and not just be another player, to have actually shown that I'm good enough to be part of the team."