Abby Evans is the new Gloucestershire Women's captain.

The Bristol Phoenix player replaces club-mate Charlie Walker who has stepped down to concentrate on her role as a batsman.

Abby - who opens the batting - has established herself as a key player in the Gloucestershire side over the last few years.

She enjoyed a superb 2016 season, averaging 60.40 - the third highest in women’s county cricket behind international players Fran Wilson and Sara McGlashan. This included a century against Buckinghamshire in a T20 game.

Abby takes over a young team who lost just once last season and are targeting promotion in both the 50 over County Championship and T20 competition.

She said: “It's an honour to have been selected as captain and I am very excited to get started in the role. I look forward to leading this young and very talented team and will enjoy being able to help them to develop and be successful.

“I am a very competitive cricketer and I hold myself to very high standards which I hope to bring to the team as a captain. I also like to play aggressive cricket and want to see the team play without fear. This season our aim is to gain promotion in both the 50 over and T20 competitions and I believe that we are in a very strong position to achieve this.”

Gloucestershire Women’s coach Steve Dent paid tribute to Charlie Walker and said he was delighted that Abby had agreed to take over the role for the 2017season.

He said: “I’d like to thank Charlie for her commitment, leadership and efforts on and off the field over the past few seasons. She’s led the side throughout a period of transition that has seen the coming and going of a lot of players and more recently has led the team during two successful seasons. “I’m delighted that Abby has taken the role and I’ve no doubt that she will lead the team with a clear purpose, play an attacking brand of cricket and be a great role model to the younger players.”

Abby’s first game in charge will be a pre-season friendly against Devon at North Devon CC on April 8. The team – who are sponsored by Montpelier Health Centre - will then face a Western Storm Development squad on April 22 at Chipping Sodbury before opening their County Championship campaign v Wiltshire on April 30 at Gloucester City Winget CC.