England and Surrey cricketer Natalie Sciver can thank a Stoke D’Abernon Cricket Club coach for setting her on the path to Ashes stardom.

The 22-year-old, this week named in the 14-strong squad to face the Australians this summer, spent two seasons at the Cobham club during two years at Epsom College.

One trial, a professional contract and 44 international appearances later and the former Loughborough University student is preparing to take on the Aussies for a third time and looking to make it a hat-trick of series victories.

Sciver, an all-rounder by trade, helped England to a 3-2 ODI series win in New Zealand during the winter and took 5-27 in her last appearance for Surrey.

Her meteoric rise since making her international debut in 2013 shows no sign of slowing and if it does she is hoping that comes after the famous urn is safely in the England trophy cabinet.

“I was at school when a Stoke coach, who happened to be a coach with Surrey, got me a county trial and it has gone on from there,” she said.

“It has been an upward curve all the way, really. I’m just waiting for a downward spiral to come soon, but that can wait.” The women’s Ashes series, starting on July 21, runs parallel to the men’s event, which started in Cardiff on Wednesday.

And Sciver hopes that fact and the recent success of England’s footballers can further concentrate attention on women’s sport.

“It is great our series is at the same time as the men because that will hopefully bring some attention to us,” she added.

“It is going to be tough, but we go into the Ashes with a series win under our belts.

“What the footballers did was brilliant for women’s sport and, hopefully, we can build on that.

“We are fully professional now and with more money coming in to the game and the Super League starting next year, it is a great time to be playing cricket.”