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Aussies women’s cricket team will host the Lionesses in the first T20I of the multi-format Women’s Ashes series at Adelaide Oval on January 20.
After the men’s Ashes ended in a rather one-sided affair, the Women’s Ashes is here with a better promise. The multi-format series will comprise three T20Is, one Test and three ODIs. The Australia and England women will kickstart the Ashes with the first T20 international taking place at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
Led by Meg Lanning, Australia are unarguably the best all-format team in women’s cricket. They recently defeated India in a multi-format series by a points margin of 11-5 after winning two T20Is, two ODIs and drawing the Test. The reigning T20 women’s champions have won five T20Is and lost two since the World Cup final.
England played a multi-format series against India in June-July, where they came out triumphant by a points scoreline of 10-6. They won both ODIs and T20Is series, with the one-off ending in a draw. England Women then took on New Zealand in September, winning the T20I series by 2-1 and the fifty-over series by 4-1.
The last time these two teams met in the women’s Ashes in 2019, Australia had hammered England in England. Lanning’s team swept the hosts in the ODI series by 3-0 and bagged the T20 series by 2-1. The one-off Test had ended in a draw. England will be desperate to start well this time around.
Key players
One of the most valuable assets in T20 cricket, Nat Sciver is a powerful striker with the bat in hand, and her medium-pace bowling is pretty accurate. She boasts of a terrific T20I record, having scored 1688 runs in 86 innings at an average of 25 while striking at 113.
FIVE England players have been named in the ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year 🙌🏴
— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) January 19, 2022
🌟 Tammy Beaumont
🌟 Danni Wyatt
🌟 Nat Sciver
🌟 Amy Jones
🌟 Sophie Ecclestone
Watch them in action in the Women's #Ashes, with the first T20 live from 7.45am on BT Sport 1 HD tomorrow 📺 pic.twitter.com/7t8Aee5UQY
The 29-year-old has 10 fifties to her name in the shorter format. Sciver has also claimed 72 wickets with the ball at an excellent economy of 6.38. Sciver has taken two or more wickets in 18 innings. She has looked in good touch in both departments in the warm-up matches.
Tahlia McGrath has grown into a reliable all-rounder who can change the matches on its head. She was sensational against India in all three formats. In the T20I series, McGrath hammered 44 off 31 and 42* off 33, playing a crucial role in Australia’s two victories.
Tahlia carried that form into the WBBL, where she scored 302 runs in 13 innings at an average of 43 and strike rate of 113. She also snared 11 scalps in the tournament with her right arm medium pace at an economy of 7.04. McGrath remains a key player in this battle.
Alyssa Healy is amongst the best batters in women’s cricket and has the ability to take the game away in a quick span. The destructive opener has scored 2129 runs in international T20s from 105 innings at an average of 24 while striking at 130.
Healy has blasted one hundred and 12 fifties at this level. Healy is struggling with consistency in recent months, but if gets going, she is the player to watch out for.
Sophie Ecclestone is arguably the best T20 spinner in women’s cricket and is known for her impeccable control. She has 67 wickets from 48 T20 internationals at an excellent 5.91 rpo. The left-arm spinner has taken three or more wickets on five occasions.
Ecclestone picked 7 for 14 in the warm-up game against England A Women. A master of defensive bowling, she will be a key factor in this game.
Prediction
The head to head record between these two teams in the shorter format is neck and neck, with England winning 19 games and Australia claiming 18. In the last four years, however, Australia have dominated with six wins to three.
England Women have a very strong unit that can compete against this Australian side. The batting comprises captain Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, Danny Wyatt and Amy Jones. All-rounders Sciver, Sophia Dunkley add immense balance to the side. The bowling department will be handled by Ecclestone, Katherine Brunt and Kate Cross.
Australia Women have a power-packed unit, but Beth Mooney has suffered a broken jaw, and that will hamper their plans. The batting unit remains strong with Lanning, Healy, Ashleigh Gardner and Rachael Haynes.
McGrath has been exceptional with her all-round skill set in recent times. Ellyse Perry, who had question marks over her T20 spot, could get games with Mooney out. In the bowling department, the hosts will miss Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham, but the return of Megan Schutt and Jess Jonassen is a relief.
Overall, the two sides match up well in the T20 format, and even though Australia have had the upper hand in recent times, England can’t be counted out.
