England collapse lets in Aussies
Australia have got a great bowling attack, but we train hard to combat that so we’ll be all right. “There has been a bit of chat and you can’t avoid it, but playing Test cricket and playing in the Ashes has been an ambition of mine for years.” Should Roy get the nod for the red-ball game, there will be plenty he has learned from his white-ball experience that can help, not least how to cope when things do not go his way.
He will have to be given the freedom to succeed or fail on his own terms, just as he was when he first played under Eoin Morgan, smashing his first ball straight to point to be out for a duck.
Just look at him now. “What I learnt from that is don’t over-analyse cricket,” he said. “I over-analysed my first game by thinking about Trent Boult and how he hoops the ball in and I had to watch that front pad. “Instead he gave me a juicy halfvolley that didn’t swing at all. “I’ve played a lot of white-ball games for England so if I get a chance then that should hold me in good stead. “Everyone knows what I’m about so if I get caught at fourth slip, driving at a ball that maybe a traditional Test cricketer wouldn’t drive at, then people hopefully won’t be too outraged.
“That first day was a disaster for me and now I’ve got a World Cup semifinal to look forward to. Unbelievable.” HEATHER KNIGHT pulled no punches after England produced a woeful batting performance to put Australia within sight of retaining the Women’s Ashes.
The tourists cruised to a 194-run win yesterday to complete a clean sweep of one-day international wins.
Only three England players made double figures in their paltry total of 75, with Ellyse Perry’s seven-wicket haul doing the damage at Canterbury.
The loss means Australia boast a 6-0 lead in the multi-format series and England will now need to win the Test, which is worth four points, and all three T20 matches to regain the urn.
Skipper Knight said: “It’s not good enough. It’s very tough to take – a lot of us are hurting in that dressing room. Australia came at us hard and we didn’t have an answer for it.
“We need to be very honest with ourselves and work out what has gone wrong. I’m not sure what it is at the moment but we can’t hide behind it.
“We haven’t played well but enough credit to Australia, they were too good for us.”
England’s third lowest ODI score of all-time saw them slump to another heavy loss on a forgettable afternoon.
Chasing 270 for victory, it was all over once England were reduced to 21-6 inside the first 10 overs.
They were in danger of recording their lowest-ever total before Laura Marsh’s 21, allied to Fran Wilson’s 17 and Anya Shrubsole’s 11, meant they avoided that ignominy.
But that was little consolation as they were bundled out with still 103 balls remaining. Australia will now be confident of securing an Ashes whitewash over England.
Australia captain Meg Lanning said: “Ellyse Perry showed the way and it’s nice to get the job done.”