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Alex Hartley dropped; Sarah Taylor and Katherine Brunt return for England

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'The hardest thing for England is winning after winning' (1:47)

Charlotte Edwards and Ebony Rainford-Brent explain the challenges that face the England women's team after recent successes (1:47)

Left-arm spinner Alex Hartley, who played an important role in England's World Cup final victory over India last year, has been left out of the one-day squad for the first two matches against South Africa.

Sophie Ecclestone, the 19-year-old left-arm spinner, has been preferred having taken eight wickets in the three-match series against India in April during which Hartley took one wicket in the three games. Hartley claimed 2 for 58 at Lord's last year, including the key wicket of Harmanpreet Kaur, when England beat India by nine runs to lift the World Cup.

England are able to recall the experienced pair of Katherine Brunt and Sarah Taylor who both missed the tour of India. Brunt was recovering from a back injury while Taylor was left out as part of the management of her anxiety condition.

Georgia Elwiss, Laura Marsh and Lauren Winfield also return having missed the trip to India. From the squad that travelled to India, Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, Tash Farrant, Fran Wilson, Bryony Smith and Katie George have been left out.

"It should be a really exciting summer against two of the best teams in the world," Mark Robinson, the head coach, said. "South Africa are an up-and-coming team with some really dangerous players. They pushed us close the last time we met them and we will have to be at our best to beat them.

"It's obviously great to have Katherine and Sarah back, and Lauren and Laura's recent form has earned them recalls."

The South Africa series forms part of the ICC Women's Championship and marks England's first steps on the way to qualification for the 2021 World Cup. After the one-day series there is a triangular T20I tournament also featuring New Zealand before a one-day series against New Zealand in July.

Squad Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Nat Sciver, Sarah Taylor, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt