RUSTY ENGLAND SENT CRASHING
World Cup winners fall to Aussies
ENGLAND were flying high after winning the World Cup in July, but they came crashing back to earth with a thud in the first game of the Women’s Ashes in Australia.
england’s preparations were not ideal as they were denied the chance of a proper warm-up match thanks to rotten weather Down under, leaving them ‘rusty’ in the Brisbane opener, according to captain Heather Knight.
england blew many chances to make an early statement in the 50- over game, gifting Australia the early series advantage.
‘We are so frustrated because we feel it was our game to win. But credit to Australia, they finished the game off,’ Knight said. ‘We were way off our usual standard in the field. Catches going down at key moments wasn’t ideal in such a tight game.’
england crashed from 103 for one in the 23rd over to 228 for nine. World Cup stars Sarah Taylor and natalie Sciver were both out in the 30s, while openers Tammy Beaumont and lauren Winfield made 24 and 48. Someone needed a big score, but no one got going as the wickets kept falling.
Then, a simple caught-and-bowled chance was spurned, letting Australian vice-captain Alex Blackwell go on to win the game. Australia would have been 143 for five if left-arm spinner Alex Hartley had taken the catch, a checked drive that came straight to her. Blackwell then tormented england by batting through to the end for 67 not out, winning with five balls and two wickets to spare.
To make the result certain, big- hitting Ash gardner battered england with a rapid 27, pressuring Katherine Brunt into bowling five wides at a crucial stage.
preparation played its part. Brisbane had turned on a week of endless rain, washing out all of england’s planned practice games and keeping the team indoors. Meanwhile, Australia’s warm-ups were barely affected.
‘I don’t want to blame the lack of warm-up games or anything like that,’ Knight said, trying to be diplomatic and avoid an early incident in a series where the Australians have already started a war of words with wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy vowing to ‘bring the bitch back’.
But the unequal preparation was clearly evident in the performances as Blackwell produced the kind of innings that none of england’s players could equal, and Australia’s bowlers were more consistent throughout.