It’s Ashes time again from Thursday, with a few changes. Instead of Pat Cummins, the focus will be on Alyssa Healy, and instead of Ben Stokes, the spotlight will fall on Heather Knight. Instead of “Bazball”, it’s back to good, old, conventional cricket. England Women and Australia Women will lock horns in the one-off Test match of the Women’s Ashes series. The match starts at 3:30pm IST on June 22, at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in Nottingham.
The Australian women’s team has dominated the women’s Ashes for nearly a decade. The last time England women won the Ashes series was in 2013-14. The Women’s Ashes is a multi-format series where England and Australia fight it out in a one-off Test and three T20Is and ODIs each. With record crowds expected, the hosts will hope their 12th person motivates them to be at their absolute best against one of the best sides in present-day sport. Australia’s women’s team has dominated the cricket world like no other. They have won the last three Ashes series and their previous four major ICC tournaments – Three T20 World Cups and the 50-over World Cup. There is no doubt about which team come in as the favourite to win the series. England women, though, cannot be taken lightly as they showed their batting prowess in the warm-up match against Australia A. Tammy Beaumont’s double-hundred stole the limelight, but England women have undoubtedly demonstrated that they can match up to the Aussie challenge.
Issy Wong of Warwickshire and Central Sparks was overlooked for the final playing XI in favour of Lauren Filer, an uncapped pacer who has starred for the Western Storm. Wong had bowled superbly in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) and helped Mumbai Indians, her team, become the inaugural champions. Danni Wyatt, the veteran white-ball batter, will play in her first Test match. In terms of pace, Katherine Sciver-Brunt’s recent retirement leaves a void in England’s bowling line-up, and Filer, Lauren Bell, and Kate Cross, with the help of Nat Sciver-Brunt, the star all-rounder, will be under pressure to fill her shoes.
Emma Lamb, who is anticipated to open the batting for Heather Knight’s team, should support Sophie Ecclestone, who is undoubtedly crucial for the hosts in the spin department.
Australia has a strong team, but Meg Lanning, their captain, is a notable absentee. Lanning, now 31, is not only an inspiring captain, but also a deadly top-order batter. She withdrew from the entire women’s Ashes due to illness after leading her nation to a sixth T20 World Cup victory and winning the Orange Cap in the WPL in India. Australia will miss both her batting and her leadership, on and off the field. Healy, her deputy, who recently captained UP Warriors in the WPL, has the task of balancing leadership with wicket-keeping. In the absence of Lanning, Australia’s experienced brigade of Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, and Ashleigh Gardner will be under pressure to step up with the bat.
Head to Head in Tests
The last three Test matches between England and Australia have ended in a draw, but those were four-day tests. This one will be a five-day affair, so we might see a result. In 52 previous Tests, England have won 9 matches, Australia have been victorious on 12 occasions, and the remaining 31 matches have ended in a draw. In England, out of 26 Tests, England have won 4, and Australia 6, with 16 drawn. England Women and Australia Women have played only once previously at Trent Bridge, and that match ended in a draw.
Women’s Ashes Schedule
Only Test: 22nd – 26th June, Trent Bridge
1st IT20: 1st July, Edgbaston
2nd IT20l 5th July, The Oval
3rd IT20: 8th July, Lord’s
1st ODI: 12th July, Bristol
2nd ODI: 16th July, The Ageas Bowl
3rd ODI: 18th July, Taunton
Four points are available in the Test and two in the limited-overs games.
Probable Playing XIs
England
Tammy Beaumont, Emma Lamb, Heather Knight (C), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophia Dunkley, Danielle Wyatt, Amy Jones (wk), Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell.
Australia
Alyssa Healy (C, wk), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield, Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Darcie Brown.