It’s do or ODI in the Women’s Ashes as England fight back
Few would have argued that, when England lost the only Women’s Ashes Test of the series to Australia, the urn would not likely return Down Under with the tourists.
When Australia won the first of three Twenty20 matches in Birmingham to go 6-0 up in the series, needing just eight points in total to retain the urn, it was looking even more inevitable.
But then England woke up, and won two consecutive T20 matches against the Southern Stars to leave the series poised at 6-4 ahead of three crucial One-Day Internationals (ODIs), which start on Wednesday.
Ashes to win
Three ODIs will decide the Ashes, with England’s women needing to get five out of the six remaining points on offer – two wins and a draw at a minimum – to reclaim the Ashes.
The two sides get underway today at 1pm in Bristol before matches on Sunday in Southampton and next Tuesday in Taunton.
Tammy Beaumont has returned to the side having scored a record 208 in the Test but having sat out of the T20 matches.
Lauren Filer is back, too, while there could be a first Ashes appearance this week for Issy Wong – who lit up the Indian Women’s Premier League earlier this year.
“We’re pleased to welcome Tammy and Lauren back,” said head coach Jon Lewis.
“Tammy showed her quality during the Test match with her double-hundred while Lauren offers us real pace in our bowling alongside Issy.
“We were delighted with our T20 series win and look forward to the next stage of the Ashes with everything to play for.”
The 2-1 T20 defeat was the first series loss for Australia in any series since 2017 and represented a crucial win for England in their bid for a comeback.
Many suggested they clinched defeat out of the jaws of victory during the solitary Test and those individuals are right; it could have been a steady run chase towards an achievable total. Alas, it wasn’t to be and they lost by 89 runs.
But since thrust into a must-win scenario, England have managed to pull results out of the bag, first at the Oval and then at Lord’s last Saturday.
Outgrounds
And now in the outgrounds across the country they must continue to do the same.
Each ODI is worth two points but one win for Australia will be enough to see them retain the Ashes, which doesn’t bode well for today given there’s some light rain planned for later this morning.
Lewis added: “The support the team have received throughout the series so far has been incredible and it is fitting to finish with this deciding ODI campaign as the first sell-out series in England Women’s history.
“We respect Australia and know that this part of the Ashes series will again be a big challenge. However, we take a great deal of confidence and belief from our recent T20 victories and will, as always, be trying to put on a great showing for our fans.”
England have not won the Ashes since 2013-14, when they beat Australia 10-8 Down Under, and they haven’t won the series at home since 2013, when they beat the tourists by 12 points to four.
Since then Australia have won 10-6, drawn 8-8, and won 12-4 and 12-4, making them the dominant force in the series over the last decade.
A drawn Ashes is not enough for England and only a win will do so they’ll need to harness the batting prowess of Beaumont, Heather Knight and others while relying on the bowling ability of the likes of Sarah Glenn, Wong and Danielle Wyatt.
Much like the men’s series, the Ashes is on the wire and losing is not an option.
So today in Bristol England need to go out and do the business, because if they don’t it’ll be another series lost to the Southern Stars of Australia.