Two years
ago, I saw first-hand the Aussies lift the trophy in Cardiff, despite losing
the final Twenty20 fixture. Unlike the blokes, the women’s tour is concentrated
along the East coast, working their way down from Brisbane to Sydney and
Canberra. If nothing else, it has introduced the name Coffs Harbour to my
vocabulary, as the venue for the second and third ODIs. The New South Wales
city will have mixed memories for the tourists, but the second match there did see
England registering their first win of the series, keeping the overall result
alive for another week at least.
Australia
will surely miss injured captain and ace batter Meg Lanning. Stand-in skipper Rachael Haynes was expected
to be a bit of a weak link but went into the competition in great form. Since
2015, England’s leadership has also seen a change. Charlotte Edwards may have
gone but her successor Heather Knight will love the chance to add the Ashes to
the World Cup her team won this summer.
The home side
nicked the Brisbane opener thanks to veteran all-rounder Alex Blackwell’s 67
not out. Four days later, Australia made it two on the trot, but the margin was
far more decisive. Top three, Nicole Bolton, Alyssa Healey and Ellyse Perry
each earned half-centuries but it was Haynes’ unbeaten 89 which boosted England’s
target to 285 off 46 overs. It was never going to be enough. Megan Schutt
trapped both openers inside five overs and, until Kathy Brunt lashed out near
the end, the batting never really got going.
Positions
were reversed three days later, when Sarah Taylor and Taylor produced excellent
performances, each scoring at more than a run a ball. With Tammy Beaumont also
contributing 74, the foundation for a formidable total was laid. Healy and
Beaumont started in determined fashion, notching a century partnership in 21
overs. However, from 159-1, wickets fell regularly and by the time Jenny Gunn
polished off Blackwell and Wellington, the game was already won.
Now for the
single Test match. Sadly, these are very rare in the women’s game. In fact, next
week’s game at Sydney will be the first five-dayer since….the two nations last
met two years ago. Then, at Canterbury, Australia rolled England over by 161
runs with almost two days to spare. Debutant Jess Jonassen was cruelly denied a
maiden century by an LBW on 99, then also top-scored in the second innings. Her
resulting Test average of 76.50 is rather impressive but her subsequent career
has panned out more as a bowler than batter, especially in T20. She may well
have more of a say in these Ashes in the concluding fixtures. Perry took nine
cheap wickets last time around and, with new-ball partner Schutt will
undoubtedly be in the mix again on home soil.
Win, and they
can’t be overhauled. Lose, and the series is wide open. For that reason alone,
I’d love to see England upset the odds at the SCG and keep things interesting.
Somehow, though, I can’t see it happening.
