Ermmmm where to start?
Well Australia batted first and got 178/2 with Beth Mooney making a chanceless 117*. It was the highest T20I total in Australia, and the second highest individual score in a T20I, beaten only by Meg Lanning's 126 against Ireland. Mooney again looked very classy.
It meant England needed to make 179, which itself would be a record run chase. They did it! Courtesy of some sublime hitting (mainly over the off side) by Danni Wyatt (100) and Heather Knight (51), but also courtesy of some truly appalling catching from Australia. Four simple chances were put down, two skied chances by Alyssa Healy with the gloves on. Unforgivable. Wyatt was dropped on 13 by her and Knight was dropped on 14 and 23.
It has been some few days for Danni Wyatt. She scored her first 50 for England in her 124th game for England in the first T20I, which saw her promoted back to the top of the order for the second and third games. She struck the ball nicely in game two but was caught for 19. Tonight she made her first ever century for England off 56 balls. She and Knight added 139 for the fourth wicket, with England having been 30/3 when Knight walked to the crease. With the guidance of Mark Robinson this could be the turning point in her career, and a very welcome addition to England's batting stocks.
The result means that England won the T20I series 2-1 and the Ashes Series was drawn 8-8. The Ashes therefore remain with Australia, but only just, and this chase will remain with both teams for some time. The Aussies have still not won a T20I series since 2015, and there will be some soul searching after this defeat. Beth Mooney looked distraught after the teams had shaken hands. Her valiant effort with the bat allowed to be usurped by Wyatt's, who won the player of the match - a plaudit that Mooney deserved, even in defeat.
And so we move on to the WBBL, after another weekend of WNCL fixtures, and then into 2018, which will all be about the build-up to the WWT20 in November in the West Indies. It seems that England and Australia will meet again out in India in February, with a tri-series apparently scheduled out there. England then have series against South Africa and New Zealand at home this summer. This will be followed by the extended KSL (twice as many league games now).
As for this blog it is time to sign off. After five years of blogging, over 500 posts and 400,000 page views, the time is right to go back to just sitting quietly on the boundary and enjoying the cricket. The game has come a long way in those five years, but it still has a long way further to travel. In England we need to sort out second tier cricket properly - the KSL T20 is not enough. Players below the contracted elite need to be rewarded. It will all come I am sure, in time, but it is time for someone else to take up the campaign.
Thanks to everyone that has read this blog over the years, and all those who have commented - good or bad - either on the blog itself, on twitter or to me personally. Most of the comments have been positive, certainly from the people who care about the women's game.
It's been fun!!
MD
21/XI/17
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Showing posts with label Ashes 2017. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ashes 2017. Show all posts
Tuesday, 21 November 2017
Monday, 20 November 2017
Second T20 - Talking Points
If only.....
If only England could have batted like that in the first T20...
If only Brunt and Gunn could have bowled like that in the first T20....
If only Beth Mooney could have run herself out in the first T20.....
Ah the vagaries of cricket.
As it was England were very good and the Aussies weren't. Aussie hangover? Maybe. England more relaxed and more focused? Probably.
England's 152/6 was their highest ever score against Australia in a T20 in Australia. Their win by 40 runs was their largest ever margin of victory over the Aussies in this format (with thanks to @hypocaust). It was a comprehensive win.
And yet at the turnaround England's 152 looked to be slightly below par. They had run well, but failed to find as many boundaries as they would have liked. The pitch was quick and true and the outfield like glass. 165 looked like the score they needed to post.
As it was 152 was plenty, but with the Aussies at 45/0 in the fifth over that didn't look to be the case. Healy looked in good touch (as she so often does just before she gets out), even if Mooney wasn't quite as fluent as she had been in the first T20. She then thumped one straight to Jenny Gunn at mid-off and set off for a run. She was well short as the ball clattered into the stumps at the bowler's end. The next four overs turned the game on its head...
Brunt came on for her first over (the seventh of the innings). New bat Elyse Villani played and missed at the first three balls; to the fourth she walked down the wicket, swished wildly to leg and was stumped by Sarah Taylor.
In the next over Healy meekly hit Gunn straight down long-on's throat.
In the next over Ellye Perry contrived to hit a Brunt short ball onto her front foot and then back onto her stumps.
In the next over the much-hyped Ash Gardner hit Danni Hazell for a beauteous 6, and then holed out at deep midwicket, to a shot described on CA's livestream ball by ball commentary as a "slog".
Australia were now 65/5 after 10 overs - GAME OVER.
And so we move to the final game of the tour, and the penultimate entry on this blog. The last will follow the final T20.
The Aussies really want to win the last game so they can say they have won the series 10-6, and the T20 series 2-1. England will be desperate to square the series at 8-8, even though that means they have to leave Australia without the Ashes. I doubt there will be any changes to the England line-up unless there are injuries. As for the Aussies I think Villani may well give way to Alex Blackwell. Villani has had a poor Ashes series with scores of 38, 1, 8, 14, 17, and 1. Blackwell may be the calming influence they need to try and chase down any target England can set in the final match.
You should be able to watch it online here in the UK for free. I think it's going to be tight.
MD
20/XI/17
If only England could have batted like that in the first T20...
If only Brunt and Gunn could have bowled like that in the first T20....
If only Beth Mooney could have run herself out in the first T20.....
Ah the vagaries of cricket.
As it was England were very good and the Aussies weren't. Aussie hangover? Maybe. England more relaxed and more focused? Probably.
England's 152/6 was their highest ever score against Australia in a T20 in Australia. Their win by 40 runs was their largest ever margin of victory over the Aussies in this format (with thanks to @hypocaust). It was a comprehensive win.
And yet at the turnaround England's 152 looked to be slightly below par. They had run well, but failed to find as many boundaries as they would have liked. The pitch was quick and true and the outfield like glass. 165 looked like the score they needed to post.
As it was 152 was plenty, but with the Aussies at 45/0 in the fifth over that didn't look to be the case. Healy looked in good touch (as she so often does just before she gets out), even if Mooney wasn't quite as fluent as she had been in the first T20. She then thumped one straight to Jenny Gunn at mid-off and set off for a run. She was well short as the ball clattered into the stumps at the bowler's end. The next four overs turned the game on its head...
Brunt came on for her first over (the seventh of the innings). New bat Elyse Villani played and missed at the first three balls; to the fourth she walked down the wicket, swished wildly to leg and was stumped by Sarah Taylor.
In the next over Healy meekly hit Gunn straight down long-on's throat.
In the next over Ellye Perry contrived to hit a Brunt short ball onto her front foot and then back onto her stumps.
In the next over the much-hyped Ash Gardner hit Danni Hazell for a beauteous 6, and then holed out at deep midwicket, to a shot described on CA's livestream ball by ball commentary as a "slog".
Australia were now 65/5 after 10 overs - GAME OVER.
And so we move to the final game of the tour, and the penultimate entry on this blog. The last will follow the final T20.
The Aussies really want to win the last game so they can say they have won the series 10-6, and the T20 series 2-1. England will be desperate to square the series at 8-8, even though that means they have to leave Australia without the Ashes. I doubt there will be any changes to the England line-up unless there are injuries. As for the Aussies I think Villani may well give way to Alex Blackwell. Villani has had a poor Ashes series with scores of 38, 1, 8, 14, 17, and 1. Blackwell may be the calming influence they need to try and chase down any target England can set in the final match.
You should be able to watch it online here in the UK for free. I think it's going to be tight.
MD
20/XI/17
Friday, 17 November 2017
First T20 - Talking Points
The Ashes are gone and the first thing to say is that the Beth Mooney's innings deserved to be a game winner and, perhaps, an Ashes winner too. She batted like a woman possessed, striking the ball very cleanly. I have to admit I have always been a fan, having seen her play for Yorkshire in county cricket here in England back in 2015. Her timing and her ability to play in the V were a joy to watch. I only say "perhaps" as I'm not sure of the true merit of T20 cricket as a deciding format for an Ashes Series, or indeed any other multi-format series. T20 cricket is just too hit and miss. But it satisfies the needs of those that seem to need instant gratification and it keeps the television producers and the cricket boards happy, so it ain't gunna change any time soon.
England have really not had the rub of the green with some of the umpiring decisions in this series. Heather Knight's dismissal tonight was the third time she has been on the wrong end of a poor decision. This time by the third umpire! Wicketkeeper Healy's gloves were fractionally in front of the stumps before Knight hit the ball, and therefore the correct call was a no ball. Instead she was given out. England were further hampered in setting any sort of decent total when Sarah Taylor was given out lbw after the ball had struck her thigh pad. It was clearly too high, but there was no review.
The fact that England then made it to 132/9, having been 16/4 in the fifth over, will have pleased coach Mark Robinson. Danni Wyatt's first ever 50 in her 124th game for England, shows a degree of belief in her abilities, which is perhaps hard to fathom. Perhaps finally Robinson is the man to get the best out of her?Personally I'd like to see her open in the next two T20s, rather than Heather Knight, who looks far more comfortable down the order. Wyatt could be England's Alyssa Healy. What have England got to lose? At the moment they do not have the right combination at the top of the order. I know Wyatt has had her chances to open before and blown those chances, but she deserves another go, perhaps with a bit more guidance and support from the sidelines.
As for Katherine Brunt she is not a first ten overs bat. Her technique and temperament does not merit her being that high. It seems the more that is expected of her as a bat, the less she is able to perform. Free her from expectation and she does not try so hard, and then she succeeds. I think she should bat at 7, and be elevated only if quick runs are needed late in the innings. As for her bowling she has taken just four wickets in three ODIs, a Test and now one T20. England will have to decide if she is still the force that she once was, and the opening bowler they need for the WWT20 in the Windies in just 12 months time.
Somehow England also need to find a space for Elwiss in the next two T20s too, and realistically that has to be at the expense of Jenny Gunn. Again looking forward England need to decide if Gunn is part of the squad for that WWT20 next year. It is a moot point.
England will be disappointed, but it was in the 50 over format where they should have racked up some points. They are better than the Aussies in this format. Despite no real warm-up games due to the weather, they should have won the first ODI, and taken a 4-2 lead into the Test, and then a 6-4 lead into the three T20s. It was not to be, but it should not take the gloss off what has been a very rewarding 2017 for England.
The challenge now is to have an equally rewarding 2018!!
MD
17/XI/17
England have really not had the rub of the green with some of the umpiring decisions in this series. Heather Knight's dismissal tonight was the third time she has been on the wrong end of a poor decision. This time by the third umpire! Wicketkeeper Healy's gloves were fractionally in front of the stumps before Knight hit the ball, and therefore the correct call was a no ball. Instead she was given out. England were further hampered in setting any sort of decent total when Sarah Taylor was given out lbw after the ball had struck her thigh pad. It was clearly too high, but there was no review.
The fact that England then made it to 132/9, having been 16/4 in the fifth over, will have pleased coach Mark Robinson. Danni Wyatt's first ever 50 in her 124th game for England, shows a degree of belief in her abilities, which is perhaps hard to fathom. Perhaps finally Robinson is the man to get the best out of her?Personally I'd like to see her open in the next two T20s, rather than Heather Knight, who looks far more comfortable down the order. Wyatt could be England's Alyssa Healy. What have England got to lose? At the moment they do not have the right combination at the top of the order. I know Wyatt has had her chances to open before and blown those chances, but she deserves another go, perhaps with a bit more guidance and support from the sidelines.
As for Katherine Brunt she is not a first ten overs bat. Her technique and temperament does not merit her being that high. It seems the more that is expected of her as a bat, the less she is able to perform. Free her from expectation and she does not try so hard, and then she succeeds. I think she should bat at 7, and be elevated only if quick runs are needed late in the innings. As for her bowling she has taken just four wickets in three ODIs, a Test and now one T20. England will have to decide if she is still the force that she once was, and the opening bowler they need for the WWT20 in the Windies in just 12 months time.
Somehow England also need to find a space for Elwiss in the next two T20s too, and realistically that has to be at the expense of Jenny Gunn. Again looking forward England need to decide if Gunn is part of the squad for that WWT20 next year. It is a moot point.
England will be disappointed, but it was in the 50 over format where they should have racked up some points. They are better than the Aussies in this format. Despite no real warm-up games due to the weather, they should have won the first ODI, and taken a 4-2 lead into the Test, and then a 6-4 lead into the three T20s. It was not to be, but it should not take the gloss off what has been a very rewarding 2017 for England.
The challenge now is to have an equally rewarding 2018!!
MD
17/XI/17
Monday, 13 November 2017
T20 Ashes Showdown!!
So it all comes down to the last three T20I games, starting with the first on Friday on the same pitch at North Sydney Oval, under lights. If England lose then the next two games will be academic, but if they win then the battle will continue at the Manuka Oval in Canberra, two days later, and, if needed, two further days after that.
England will choose their starting XI from the same 15 players that have been selected for the whole series. It is doubtful there will be many changes in personnel, but Alex Hartley may get the nod this time ahead of Sophie Ecclestone, and Georgia Elwiss may have muscled her way back into contention, after showing some character with the bat in the Test, if not speed.
We will have a better idea of what is in Mark Robinson's mind when England play the Governor General's XI at Drummoyne Oval on Wednesday evening.
The fact that Nicole Bolton has been given the job of captaining the young GG's XI side may be an indicator that she will not be included in the full Australian side to play on Friday. Indeed Australia are yet to name their T20 squad.
It would be no surprise to see Alyssa Healy back up into the opener's spot, perhaps accompanying Beth Mooney this time. As well as the usual candidates I'd expect to see a couple of young guns named in the squad and perhaps even making the final XI. Heather Graham, Georgia Redmayne, and Molly Strano could all be hearing from coach Mott in the next 24 hours or so. Existing youngsters Ash Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Lauren Cheatle (if recovered from injury - she is named to play in the GG XI game?), and Amanda-Jade Wellington are also likely to feature on Friday, meaning some of the more established faces may have to give way, as Australia look to build their T20 squad for next year's World Cup in the West Indies. Under threat are Elyse Villani, Alex Blackwell, Jess Jonassen and even skipper Rachael Haynes. It is doubtful all would go en masse, as the side needs some experienced campaigners, but I'd expect to see some fresh faces in the squad, and out on the park if Australia win either the first or second game and have the Ashes safely back under lock and key.
England haven't played a T20 game since their series against Pakistan in the summer of 2016. The Aussies last series was against New Zealand in February of this year - a series that they lost 2-1. With everything riding on it it should be a nail-biting affair, with the pressure perhaps more on the Aussies to get over the line, as everyone expects them to do, than on England, who know their chances of winning all three games are pretty low. Of course if England should win the first, and then the second games then the pressure will shift to them in the third, as they get to within touching distance of an unlikely Ashes Series win. It could all be in the mind!
MD
13/XI/17
England will choose their starting XI from the same 15 players that have been selected for the whole series. It is doubtful there will be many changes in personnel, but Alex Hartley may get the nod this time ahead of Sophie Ecclestone, and Georgia Elwiss may have muscled her way back into contention, after showing some character with the bat in the Test, if not speed.
We will have a better idea of what is in Mark Robinson's mind when England play the Governor General's XI at Drummoyne Oval on Wednesday evening.
The fact that Nicole Bolton has been given the job of captaining the young GG's XI side may be an indicator that she will not be included in the full Australian side to play on Friday. Indeed Australia are yet to name their T20 squad.
It would be no surprise to see Alyssa Healy back up into the opener's spot, perhaps accompanying Beth Mooney this time. As well as the usual candidates I'd expect to see a couple of young guns named in the squad and perhaps even making the final XI. Heather Graham, Georgia Redmayne, and Molly Strano could all be hearing from coach Mott in the next 24 hours or so. Existing youngsters Ash Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Lauren Cheatle (if recovered from injury - she is named to play in the GG XI game?), and Amanda-Jade Wellington are also likely to feature on Friday, meaning some of the more established faces may have to give way, as Australia look to build their T20 squad for next year's World Cup in the West Indies. Under threat are Elyse Villani, Alex Blackwell, Jess Jonassen and even skipper Rachael Haynes. It is doubtful all would go en masse, as the side needs some experienced campaigners, but I'd expect to see some fresh faces in the squad, and out on the park if Australia win either the first or second game and have the Ashes safely back under lock and key.
England haven't played a T20 game since their series against Pakistan in the summer of 2016. The Aussies last series was against New Zealand in February of this year - a series that they lost 2-1. With everything riding on it it should be a nail-biting affair, with the pressure perhaps more on the Aussies to get over the line, as everyone expects them to do, than on England, who know their chances of winning all three games are pretty low. Of course if England should win the first, and then the second games then the pressure will shift to them in the third, as they get to within touching distance of an unlikely Ashes Series win. It could all be in the mind!
MD
13/XI/17
Thursday, 9 November 2017
Ashes Test - Day One - Talking Points
Who will be happier after the end of Day One? It has to be the Australians.
Midway through the second session England were 129/1 with Tammy Beaumont (70) and Heather Knight (62) seemingly in control. Within seven overs both were gone and England's innings began to stumble. Beaumont chased a wide leg-spinner from Wellington and edged it to slip, and Knight was harshly given out lbw sweeping at Jonassen.
At 214/4 England were still not in too bad a shape. True they had lost Nat Sciver, also to a somewhat dubious lbw decision, but Sussex pair Georgia Elwiss (27) (in for Gunn) and Sarah Taylor (29), batting at 6, seemed to have the measure of the pitch even if they were not scoring quickly, but then they both got out to Ellyse Perry playing ugly shots. With Brunt wafting a wide one to backward square England closed on 235/7 and had handed the advantage to Australia, who will look to knock them over for less than 250. England will now be pleased if they can get to 300.
It is not a disaster by any stretch of the imagination, but this looks a good batting pitch, even if the outfield is a little slow. 350-400 would have been a decent first innings score.
The positive is that the Aussies have had to field all day and will have to come out again tomorrow afternoon for at least one more stint. If England can take them beyond the first break that will be 8+ hours in the field, which is very sapping, particularly when you are not used to it. England will then need early wickets to get the Aussies on the back foot. If they can get them 20/2 chasing 315, then that will look a tall order.
As for the Aussies they generally bowled decent lines, but Ellyse Perry looked extremely tired as she bowled her last over. She was still good enough to react to Taylor's uppish straight drive and get an arm out to parry it up, so that she could catch it. Just when she seemed to be at a really low ebb.
For all her talk Amanda Wellington has no variation ball that she bowls. If its in her armoury then she is keeping it there....but when for? Last over of the day surely you bowl the googly if you have it? She didn't.
Schutt, McGrath and Jonassen toiled away solidly, with the latter two picking up two wickets each. But England will feel that they got themselves out, rather than they were got out. If he were dead then Geoff Boycott would be spinning in his grave!
All in all a decent day of Test cricket and nicely set up for Day Two.
MD
09/XI/17
Midway through the second session England were 129/1 with Tammy Beaumont (70) and Heather Knight (62) seemingly in control. Within seven overs both were gone and England's innings began to stumble. Beaumont chased a wide leg-spinner from Wellington and edged it to slip, and Knight was harshly given out lbw sweeping at Jonassen.
At 214/4 England were still not in too bad a shape. True they had lost Nat Sciver, also to a somewhat dubious lbw decision, but Sussex pair Georgia Elwiss (27) (in for Gunn) and Sarah Taylor (29), batting at 6, seemed to have the measure of the pitch even if they were not scoring quickly, but then they both got out to Ellyse Perry playing ugly shots. With Brunt wafting a wide one to backward square England closed on 235/7 and had handed the advantage to Australia, who will look to knock them over for less than 250. England will now be pleased if they can get to 300.
It is not a disaster by any stretch of the imagination, but this looks a good batting pitch, even if the outfield is a little slow. 350-400 would have been a decent first innings score.
The positive is that the Aussies have had to field all day and will have to come out again tomorrow afternoon for at least one more stint. If England can take them beyond the first break that will be 8+ hours in the field, which is very sapping, particularly when you are not used to it. England will then need early wickets to get the Aussies on the back foot. If they can get them 20/2 chasing 315, then that will look a tall order.
As for the Aussies they generally bowled decent lines, but Ellyse Perry looked extremely tired as she bowled her last over. She was still good enough to react to Taylor's uppish straight drive and get an arm out to parry it up, so that she could catch it. Just when she seemed to be at a really low ebb.
For all her talk Amanda Wellington has no variation ball that she bowls. If its in her armoury then she is keeping it there....but when for? Last over of the day surely you bowl the googly if you have it? She didn't.
Schutt, McGrath and Jonassen toiled away solidly, with the latter two picking up two wickets each. But England will feel that they got themselves out, rather than they were got out. If he were dead then Geoff Boycott would be spinning in his grave!
All in all a decent day of Test cricket and nicely set up for Day Two.
MD
09/XI/17
Tuesday, 7 November 2017
Ashes Test Preview
The stage is set for the biennial Ashes Test, this time at the North Sydney Oval in Australia, to be played as a day/night game, with a pink ball. Like you didn't know that already?
It all kicks off on Thursday 2.30pm local time, which is 3.30am GMT.
The warm-ups are done and here is our best guess at the probably line-ups
It all kicks off on Thursday 2.30pm local time, which is 3.30am GMT.
The warm-ups are done and here is our best guess at the probably line-ups
Australia
Mooney, Bolton, Blackwell, Perry, Villani, Haynes, Healy, Gardner, Wellington, Schutt, Cheatle
England
Beaumont, Winfield, Knight, Elwiss, Sciver, Taylor, Brunt, Gunn, Marsh, Shrubsole, Ecclestone
The issue for Australia is in the bowling department - should left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen or medium pacer Tahlia McGrath replace Gardner or Cheatle? Whichever they run with, it looks like the Aussies are a bit light on bowling, with only five front-line bowlers. It would be no surprise to see part-timers Villani, Haynes or Bolton twirling their arms over if England can bat long. Beware the rank long-hop England!
For England that may be their major issue - batting long. One of their top six needs to bat, and bat, and bat. Their two imponderables are whether a space should be made for Alex Hartley or Fran Wilson. Two left-arm spinners is a bit of a luxury so the Hartley question comes down to a straight choice between her and Sophie Ecclestone, with Ecclestone likely edging it. Wilson has kept her place in the ODI team, but may be passed over in favour of Georgia Elwiss. Both could play if Jenny Gunn were to be dropped, but that seems unlikely. The XI above is stacked with bowling - eight realistic options. Given that England really need to win and therefore need to take 20 wickets, it is a line-up that will give skipper Heather Knight plenty of options.
So who will win? Well the Aussies are favourites with the bookies on home soil and you would say that Test Match batting will suit Bolton, Blackwell and Haynes. England will need to winkle each one of them out, but England have the better, varied bowling attack, so it should not be impossible.
Stickability is not a quality much evident in England's top six, with the exception perhaps of Beaumont and Knight. The rest need to bat around these two. If England can get on top of the thin Aussie bowling attack then they could go very big. Any score in excess of 350 on the board in the first innings and England will be in the box seat.
So what is the answer then? Who is going to win? Your guess is as good as mine! Which is how it should be. An even contest. I am sure both coaches will be telling their players that now is the time to pull out that top performance. It is time to stand up and be counted. This is an Ashes Test! [Is that strains of Jerusalem I hear in the background?]
Someone is going to put in a key performance, probably with the bat. The question is who will it be?
MD
07/XI/17
Sunday, 5 November 2017
Aus & England warm-ups - Day Three
Both Australia and England will have been happy with the final day of their warm-up games today, both sides ultimately drawing their games, but both gaining some much needed time with both bat and ball in hand.
Australia started the last day on 126/2 with Villani and Haynes at the crease. Villani went on to make 70, and there were runs too for Blackwell (45) and Wellington (33*). Wellington's obvious competency with the bat (she recently hit a ton for South Australia in the WNCL) may well see her picked ahead of Kristen Beams for the Test side. Australia declared on 287/9 leaving ACT needing 270 in a minimum of 44 overs. As it was they made it to 68/3 before Australia decided, with half an hour still to play, that they had had enough practice - to be fair Villani had started to bowl so it was probably a fair call!
Aus scorecard
As for England they resumed Day Three on a slightly more precarious 87/3 and Heather Knight was an early casualty for 35, but Sarah Taylor (85*), Nat Sciver (42), Fran Wilson (45) and Katherine Brunt (43*) took England to 305/7 declared, leaving CA XI a notional 266 to win, with 42 overs to bowl. England took the opportunity to give eight bowlers a go (without using Brunt, Ecclestone, Hartley or Hazell), and they managed to claim seven wickets (three for Knight in three overs at the death, and two for Marsh) as CA XI finished on 182/7. The only worrying trait was the poor economy rate from all but, Shrubsole, Elwiss and Gunn.
Eng scorecard
MD
05/XI/17
Australia started the last day on 126/2 with Villani and Haynes at the crease. Villani went on to make 70, and there were runs too for Blackwell (45) and Wellington (33*). Wellington's obvious competency with the bat (she recently hit a ton for South Australia in the WNCL) may well see her picked ahead of Kristen Beams for the Test side. Australia declared on 287/9 leaving ACT needing 270 in a minimum of 44 overs. As it was they made it to 68/3 before Australia decided, with half an hour still to play, that they had had enough practice - to be fair Villani had started to bowl so it was probably a fair call!
Aus scorecard
As for England they resumed Day Three on a slightly more precarious 87/3 and Heather Knight was an early casualty for 35, but Sarah Taylor (85*), Nat Sciver (42), Fran Wilson (45) and Katherine Brunt (43*) took England to 305/7 declared, leaving CA XI a notional 266 to win, with 42 overs to bowl. England took the opportunity to give eight bowlers a go (without using Brunt, Ecclestone, Hartley or Hazell), and they managed to claim seven wickets (three for Knight in three overs at the death, and two for Marsh) as CA XI finished on 182/7. The only worrying trait was the poor economy rate from all but, Shrubsole, Elwiss and Gunn.
Eng scorecard
MD
05/XI/17
Saturday, 4 November 2017
Aus & England warm-ups - Day Two
Both Australia and England will be reasonably pleased with their second attempts with the bat (perhaps Australia more than England?), but probably not quite so thrilled at their efforts with the ball.
ACT started the day on 71/4, which became 86/5 with the run out of Jess Jonassen, but from there it was hard work for the Aussie bowlers, with Ange Reakes hitting an unbeaten 103 and Marizanne Kapp, coming in at 9, an unbeaten 61, sharing an unbroken stand of 112. ACT declared on 290/7 with a lead of just 18. Only Ellyse Perry picked up more than one wicket (2/45), and there were no wickets again for Amanda-Jade Wellington.
On their second knock the Aussies finished on 126/2 with Alyssa Healy opening and hitting a brisk 27 before she was out. Bolton was the other wicket to fall for a more measured 38 off 73 balls. Villani (48) and Haynes (13) are not out overnight, with Australia leading by 108 runs on 126/2.
scorecard here
As for England they too had a bit of a tough time with the ball eventually bowling out CA XI for 271, with a lead of 40. Naomi Stalenberg was the mainstay of the CA XI innings with 114. Katherine Brunt took 4/37.
England ended the day on 87/3, and with some work to do, with Lauren Winfield (7) and Tammy Beaumont (24) the early wickets to fall. Georgia Elwiss fell as the day drew to a close for 8, which left Heather Knight still there on 34 and England with a slender lead of 47 runs. Nat Sciver was 9* and will hope to bat long tomorrow.
scorecard here
MD
04/XI/17
ACT started the day on 71/4, which became 86/5 with the run out of Jess Jonassen, but from there it was hard work for the Aussie bowlers, with Ange Reakes hitting an unbeaten 103 and Marizanne Kapp, coming in at 9, an unbeaten 61, sharing an unbroken stand of 112. ACT declared on 290/7 with a lead of just 18. Only Ellyse Perry picked up more than one wicket (2/45), and there were no wickets again for Amanda-Jade Wellington.
On their second knock the Aussies finished on 126/2 with Alyssa Healy opening and hitting a brisk 27 before she was out. Bolton was the other wicket to fall for a more measured 38 off 73 balls. Villani (48) and Haynes (13) are not out overnight, with Australia leading by 108 runs on 126/2.
scorecard here
As for England they too had a bit of a tough time with the ball eventually bowling out CA XI for 271, with a lead of 40. Naomi Stalenberg was the mainstay of the CA XI innings with 114. Katherine Brunt took 4/37.
England ended the day on 87/3, and with some work to do, with Lauren Winfield (7) and Tammy Beaumont (24) the early wickets to fall. Georgia Elwiss fell as the day drew to a close for 8, which left Heather Knight still there on 34 and England with a slender lead of 47 runs. Nat Sciver was 9* and will hope to bat long tomorrow.
scorecard here
MD
04/XI/17
Friday, 3 November 2017
Aus & England warm-ups - Day One
Australia and England have had pretty similar days in their first day of the their three day warm-up games for the only Test which starts next Thursday.
Australia are playing ACT (with Marizanne Kapp, Dane van Niekerk, Belinda Vakarewa, Tahlia McGrath and Jess Jonassen in their ranks). Australia batted first and Beth Mooney would appear to have nailed the opener's slot alongside Nicole Bolton, as she racked up an unbeaten 118 in Australia's total of 272/8 declared. Ellyse Perry also hit 58. Chief destroyer for ACT was Kiwi outcast Hayley Jensen who took 5/26 off 13 overs. In response ACT ended the day on 71/4 with wickets for Lauren Cheatle, Megan Schutt and Perry, which looks to be the fast bowling line-up they will take into the Test.
scorecard here
As for England they had a poorer day with the bat scoring only 231 against a young Australia XI, but there were some welcome runs for Lauren Winfield, who scored 82 off 161 balls - some decent time at the crease for her. Beaumont, Sciver, Taylor and Brunt all got into the 20s before they fell. In response Brunt took two early CA XI wickets, and, just before the close of play, Sophie Ecclestone and Laura Marsh picked up a wicket each, to leave CA XI on 82/4. This XI for England looks like it is the one that will start the Test, provided they stay fit - Beaumont, Winfield, Knight, Elwiss, Sciver, Taylor, Brunt, Gunn, Shrubsole, Marsh, Ecclestone.
scorecard here
MD
03/XI/17
Australia are playing ACT (with Marizanne Kapp, Dane van Niekerk, Belinda Vakarewa, Tahlia McGrath and Jess Jonassen in their ranks). Australia batted first and Beth Mooney would appear to have nailed the opener's slot alongside Nicole Bolton, as she racked up an unbeaten 118 in Australia's total of 272/8 declared. Ellyse Perry also hit 58. Chief destroyer for ACT was Kiwi outcast Hayley Jensen who took 5/26 off 13 overs. In response ACT ended the day on 71/4 with wickets for Lauren Cheatle, Megan Schutt and Perry, which looks to be the fast bowling line-up they will take into the Test.
scorecard here
As for England they had a poorer day with the bat scoring only 231 against a young Australia XI, but there were some welcome runs for Lauren Winfield, who scored 82 off 161 balls - some decent time at the crease for her. Beaumont, Sciver, Taylor and Brunt all got into the 20s before they fell. In response Brunt took two early CA XI wickets, and, just before the close of play, Sophie Ecclestone and Laura Marsh picked up a wicket each, to leave CA XI on 82/4. This XI for England looks like it is the one that will start the Test, provided they stay fit - Beaumont, Winfield, Knight, Elwiss, Sciver, Taylor, Brunt, Gunn, Shrubsole, Marsh, Ecclestone.
scorecard here
MD
03/XI/17
Sunday, 29 October 2017
Third Ashes ODI - Talking Points
England have their first Ashes' points and their first ICCWC points on the board, after a 20 run (D/L) victory over Australia in the third ODI.
Using the same pitch as used for the second ODI, it was almost inevitable that whoever won the toss would opt to bat, and would expect to score around 300. Heather Knight called right, and after the early loss of Winfield, and some early gasp-inducing high jinks from Sarah Taylor, a serious score always looked on the cards for England - in fact their final 284/8 might have been a slight disappointment to them.
Winfield's form in 2017 is quite troubling, but to be honest England have no-one sitting in the wings to replace her at the top of the order. Her scores in 2017 have been - 26, 24, 1, 11, 11, 20, 24, 48, 2, and 0. That is 167 runs in 10 innings - an average of 16.7. Her overall career average is 23.42 in 35 innings. I am not convinced that her batting style suits the opener's role, but with whom do you replace her? I have always been a fan of Amy Jones's batting, and the enigma that is Danni Wyatt. Building towards the T20 World Cup perhaps it is time to look at some other options at the top of the order, if not on this tour, then pretty soon.
Sarah Taylor is, well....Sarah Taylor. She is like the naughty child, who sits in the middle of a messy room and smiles innocently at her exasperated parents. Quite why she thought stepping across her stumps to try and ramp the third ball of her innings when England were on 2/1 was a good idea was beyond the rest of us, but it made sense to her. She missed it, but she didn't get out and she went on to dominate a 122 run stand with Tammy Beaumont that put England in a great position at the half-way stage. Her exit to a tame half-tracker leg cutter from Megan Schutt, who seems to find ways to take wickets even when she doesn't deserve to, was another deep sigh moment, but we still love her. The unnecessary and inappropriate send-off from Schutt was less endearing.
As they neared 200 England wobbled losing Beaumont, Sciver and Wilson (another no DRS victim!). In days of yore it would have been the start of an England collapse. But Heather Knight, who played beautifully, steered the lower middle order through the last 12 overs accumulating 83 runs with Brunt, Gunn, Shrubsole and Ecclestone (who scored just 29 of them). It was the difference between England reaching 284 and them reaching 240. It was a winning knock.
But it looked iffy for a while. Fran Wilson will have been mighty relieved that England got over the line, as her drop of Alyssa Healy on 4 cost England another 67 runs and allowed Australia to put on 118 for the first wicket at a decent rate. [follow this link to watch - sorry Fran!]
Healy has relished the chance to open the batting, and England have failed to negate her up-tempo batting style. She might not get the job in the Test Match, but she undoubtedly will in the T20s, so England will need to find a plan for her at the top of the order - perhaps spin is the answer? Her demise brought Perry to the wicket, who had bowled all 10 of her overs on a hot morning, and fielded at deep mid-wicket on both sides of the square, where she did another great job, but will have taken a lot out of herself. She looked tired with the bat and with Nicole Bolton also unable to break the shackles, England started to exert some pressure. Bolton, Perry and Villani all holed out going straight and with Australia needing 104 off 15 overs - the rate was up to almost 7. It never got lower as Sciver, Shrubsole, Hartley and Gunn squeezed the life out of the Aussie innings. Australia continue to ask an awful lot of Perry.
And so the focus changes now to the four day day/night pink ball Test (starts 9th November). The Aussies lead the series 4-2, so if they win the Test then the Ashes will be theirs. England will want to win and take the four points on offer, but they would take a draw, although that would still leave them needing to win all three T20Is!
It should be a great Test. Let's hope the wicket is a bit better and quicker than the last Test between the two sides at Canterbury. I expect both sides to play positive cricket - ie not traditional Test cricket. That is not a game that suits either side. After all they hardly ever play multi-day games. It should be fascinating, but, Aussie or England supporter, prepare to be both entertained and exasperated all in good measure.
MD
29/X/17
Using the same pitch as used for the second ODI, it was almost inevitable that whoever won the toss would opt to bat, and would expect to score around 300. Heather Knight called right, and after the early loss of Winfield, and some early gasp-inducing high jinks from Sarah Taylor, a serious score always looked on the cards for England - in fact their final 284/8 might have been a slight disappointment to them.
Winfield's form in 2017 is quite troubling, but to be honest England have no-one sitting in the wings to replace her at the top of the order. Her scores in 2017 have been - 26, 24, 1, 11, 11, 20, 24, 48, 2, and 0. That is 167 runs in 10 innings - an average of 16.7. Her overall career average is 23.42 in 35 innings. I am not convinced that her batting style suits the opener's role, but with whom do you replace her? I have always been a fan of Amy Jones's batting, and the enigma that is Danni Wyatt. Building towards the T20 World Cup perhaps it is time to look at some other options at the top of the order, if not on this tour, then pretty soon.
Sarah Taylor is, well....Sarah Taylor. She is like the naughty child, who sits in the middle of a messy room and smiles innocently at her exasperated parents. Quite why she thought stepping across her stumps to try and ramp the third ball of her innings when England were on 2/1 was a good idea was beyond the rest of us, but it made sense to her. She missed it, but she didn't get out and she went on to dominate a 122 run stand with Tammy Beaumont that put England in a great position at the half-way stage. Her exit to a tame half-tracker leg cutter from Megan Schutt, who seems to find ways to take wickets even when she doesn't deserve to, was another deep sigh moment, but we still love her. The unnecessary and inappropriate send-off from Schutt was less endearing.
As they neared 200 England wobbled losing Beaumont, Sciver and Wilson (another no DRS victim!). In days of yore it would have been the start of an England collapse. But Heather Knight, who played beautifully, steered the lower middle order through the last 12 overs accumulating 83 runs with Brunt, Gunn, Shrubsole and Ecclestone (who scored just 29 of them). It was the difference between England reaching 284 and them reaching 240. It was a winning knock.
But it looked iffy for a while. Fran Wilson will have been mighty relieved that England got over the line, as her drop of Alyssa Healy on 4 cost England another 67 runs and allowed Australia to put on 118 for the first wicket at a decent rate. [follow this link to watch - sorry Fran!]
Healy has relished the chance to open the batting, and England have failed to negate her up-tempo batting style. She might not get the job in the Test Match, but she undoubtedly will in the T20s, so England will need to find a plan for her at the top of the order - perhaps spin is the answer? Her demise brought Perry to the wicket, who had bowled all 10 of her overs on a hot morning, and fielded at deep mid-wicket on both sides of the square, where she did another great job, but will have taken a lot out of herself. She looked tired with the bat and with Nicole Bolton also unable to break the shackles, England started to exert some pressure. Bolton, Perry and Villani all holed out going straight and with Australia needing 104 off 15 overs - the rate was up to almost 7. It never got lower as Sciver, Shrubsole, Hartley and Gunn squeezed the life out of the Aussie innings. Australia continue to ask an awful lot of Perry.
And so the focus changes now to the four day day/night pink ball Test (starts 9th November). The Aussies lead the series 4-2, so if they win the Test then the Ashes will be theirs. England will want to win and take the four points on offer, but they would take a draw, although that would still leave them needing to win all three T20Is!
It should be a great Test. Let's hope the wicket is a bit better and quicker than the last Test between the two sides at Canterbury. I expect both sides to play positive cricket - ie not traditional Test cricket. That is not a game that suits either side. After all they hardly ever play multi-day games. It should be fascinating, but, Aussie or England supporter, prepare to be both entertained and exasperated all in good measure.
MD
29/X/17
Thursday, 26 October 2017
Second Ashes ODI - Talking points
The Aussies are 2-0 up in the ODI series, and already 4-0 up in the Ashes Series overall, after a resounding victory in the second ODI at Coff's Harbour. Set initially 297 to win, England never looked like getting there, and they ended 76 runs short of the D/L score of 285, after four overs were lost to rain early in England's innings.
For Australia there were half-centuries for Bolton, Healy, Perry and Haynes, but it was Rachael Haynes' knock of 89* off 56 balls which took the Aussie total beyond 275, which looked to be the par score on a good track. I hold up my hand and say I misjudged Haynes' abilities. I did not think she had a knock like that in her. She found the boundary 12 times in her innings, including three maximums. True she was badly dropped on the boundary by Tammy Beaumont on 60, but in truth the damage was already done by then. It was a sensational knock.
Things actually started to go wrong for England at the toss - they won it! With thunderstorms scheduled later in the evening it made sense to bowl first so that if targets were adjusted, as the side batting second, you knew what you needed. As it turned out most of the rain fell in the innings break and England suffered with a much slower outfield, and the fact that they are not good chasers. Had they batted first, which they undoubtedly would have done in normal circumstances, then who knows what might have happened. But hindsight is a wonderful thing.
England included 18 year old Sophie Ecclestone for her first Ashes' outing, replacing Marsh, and Australia were without Ash Gardner, who was suffering with concussion, having been hit on the head whilst batting in the first ODI - Beams took her place. Ecclestone bowled her 10 overs and took the wicket of Healy with her "arm ball". Her 1/49 was the most economical spell. In contrast Alex Hartley looked ragged in her first spell, although she improved in her second. Having said that I'd guess that Ecclestone's name is first on the team sheet out of the two of them now.
England never really recovered from being 20/2 with Winfield and Beaumont both lbw to Schutt's induckers playing across the line to full balls. Taylor then gave Tahlia McGrath her first international wicket, nicking behind (only bowling as Perry was mistakenly withdrawn from the attack by the umpires for bowling two balls over waist height - the second was not dangerous, which it needed to be under the ICCWC Playing Conditions); Sciver slapped Jonassen to mid-on before she had even got going; and Knight was adjudged lbw sweeping at Wellington. Replays showed she had edged the ball, but there is no DRS available for this series, despite the cameras and the obvious availability of hotspot technology. England were 91/5 and the game was gone.
Katherine Brunt scored her maiden ODI 50 at a run-a-ball, but the rate kept climbing and England simply ran out of batting.
At 4-0 down they are in a hole. The Aussies only need 4 more points. A win on Sunday is going to be essential, but it will take all of Mark Robinson's and Heather Knight's collective self-belief to get them there. I'd still push Sciver up to 4, and I think Robinson might look at playing Danni Hazell, perhaps instead of Hartley, to try and trouble the lefthanders outside their off-stump. But if the batting line-up can't find some runs, then who bowls is actually going to be irrelevant.
MD
26/X/17
For Australia there were half-centuries for Bolton, Healy, Perry and Haynes, but it was Rachael Haynes' knock of 89* off 56 balls which took the Aussie total beyond 275, which looked to be the par score on a good track. I hold up my hand and say I misjudged Haynes' abilities. I did not think she had a knock like that in her. She found the boundary 12 times in her innings, including three maximums. True she was badly dropped on the boundary by Tammy Beaumont on 60, but in truth the damage was already done by then. It was a sensational knock.
Things actually started to go wrong for England at the toss - they won it! With thunderstorms scheduled later in the evening it made sense to bowl first so that if targets were adjusted, as the side batting second, you knew what you needed. As it turned out most of the rain fell in the innings break and England suffered with a much slower outfield, and the fact that they are not good chasers. Had they batted first, which they undoubtedly would have done in normal circumstances, then who knows what might have happened. But hindsight is a wonderful thing.
England included 18 year old Sophie Ecclestone for her first Ashes' outing, replacing Marsh, and Australia were without Ash Gardner, who was suffering with concussion, having been hit on the head whilst batting in the first ODI - Beams took her place. Ecclestone bowled her 10 overs and took the wicket of Healy with her "arm ball". Her 1/49 was the most economical spell. In contrast Alex Hartley looked ragged in her first spell, although she improved in her second. Having said that I'd guess that Ecclestone's name is first on the team sheet out of the two of them now.
England never really recovered from being 20/2 with Winfield and Beaumont both lbw to Schutt's induckers playing across the line to full balls. Taylor then gave Tahlia McGrath her first international wicket, nicking behind (only bowling as Perry was mistakenly withdrawn from the attack by the umpires for bowling two balls over waist height - the second was not dangerous, which it needed to be under the ICCWC Playing Conditions); Sciver slapped Jonassen to mid-on before she had even got going; and Knight was adjudged lbw sweeping at Wellington. Replays showed she had edged the ball, but there is no DRS available for this series, despite the cameras and the obvious availability of hotspot technology. England were 91/5 and the game was gone.
Katherine Brunt scored her maiden ODI 50 at a run-a-ball, but the rate kept climbing and England simply ran out of batting.
At 4-0 down they are in a hole. The Aussies only need 4 more points. A win on Sunday is going to be essential, but it will take all of Mark Robinson's and Heather Knight's collective self-belief to get them there. I'd still push Sciver up to 4, and I think Robinson might look at playing Danni Hazell, perhaps instead of Hartley, to try and trouble the lefthanders outside their off-stump. But if the batting line-up can't find some runs, then who bowls is actually going to be irrelevant.
MD
26/X/17
Monday, 23 October 2017
First Ashes ODI - talking points
So first blood to the Aussies in the Ashes Series, and the three ICCWC ODIs.
First thing to say is well done to the ground staff at Allan Border Field for getting the game on at all. It had hardly stopped raining in Brisbane for the past week, and with no reserve days now for ICCWC games (a retrograde step in my view) it would have been a shame if there had been no contest.
As for the "sell-out" crowd....well it wasn't. CA had limited initial ticket sales to 2,000 and then conjured up a new temporary stand for another 500 tickets, which you could still get the day before the game. Quite why the limit was 2,500 when the ground clearly holds more is a mystery. No doubt health and safety reasons. The crowds at women's games can get very rowdy!! Still 2,000 is a big improvement on previous crowds in Australia, so perhaps things are heading in the right direction.
And they saw a good game. England were probably 30/40 runs short of a decent total, and the Aussies made a bit of a meal of chasing it down, but got there in the end. England's top order will have been annoyed that none of them went on to make a significant score. Lauren Winfield rode her luck, but looked to have found some touch when she was run out by some poor running with Sarah Taylor, who herself made a decent looking 30-odd (how many times have we said that?). Heather Knight and Nat Sciver looked a bit scratchy, but Fran Wilson was her busy self, before giving her wicket away. From there down though England were poor. Brunt, Gunn and Marsh were almost trying too hard.
For the Aussies leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington came on in the 13th over and immediately found a good line, good dip and plenty of spin. She will be a threat throughout this series, but the fact that she does not seem to have a googly or any other significant variations, means that England really should be able to find a way of coping with her. Better use of the feet and the sweep shot are two areas they might work on. Wellington did not get the wickets she perhaps deserved, but she allowed Ash Gardner to take the glory at the other end, as England looked for release shots.
Gardner had a good day, with her late contribution with the bat (27 off 18 balls), taking all the pressure off player of the match Alex Blackwell, who was the backbone of a rather fragile Aussie batting effort. Who knows what might have happened had Alex Hartley snaffled an easy caught and bowled chance when Blackwell was on 35?
Still the Aussies almost contrived to give England the game, as Tahlia McGrath was inexplicably sent in ahead of Ash Gardner. Her 7 off 26 balls meant the Aussie run rate gradually climbed, and despite her encouraging words after the game, Alex Blackwell must have been quite relieved when she holed out off Brunt. I am not sure that McGrath solves the Aussies' sixth bowler problem, but then I don't think they have a solution - Cheatle (in current form) and Vakarewa are no solution either. It is an area England will hope to expose.
I doubt Australia will change the team for game number two at Coff's Harbour on Thursday, unless the pitch looks like a bunsen*, but for England I think they have to find a spot for Sophie Ecclestone. She could be a straight swap for Marsh or take the place of Jenny Gunn. Either will weaken the England batting line-up, but only slightly. Ecclestone is no worse a bat than Gunn or Marsh, if truth be told.
The only other change I would make would be to move Nat Sciver to 4 and Knight down to 5. Sciver is a game changer and the fact that she rarely gets in before half the overs have been used up seems to be a waste to me. Ultimately I'd like to see her at 3, perhaps shifting Taylor to 5 to give her more freedom later in the innings. But it is not up to me. It is down to Mark Robinson, who has not done too much wrong over the last two years he has been in charge.
Set you alarm clocks for 4.40am on Thursday for Round Two!!
MD
23/X/17
* bunsen burner - cricket rhyming slang for a turner
First thing to say is well done to the ground staff at Allan Border Field for getting the game on at all. It had hardly stopped raining in Brisbane for the past week, and with no reserve days now for ICCWC games (a retrograde step in my view) it would have been a shame if there had been no contest.
As for the "sell-out" crowd....well it wasn't. CA had limited initial ticket sales to 2,000 and then conjured up a new temporary stand for another 500 tickets, which you could still get the day before the game. Quite why the limit was 2,500 when the ground clearly holds more is a mystery. No doubt health and safety reasons. The crowds at women's games can get very rowdy!! Still 2,000 is a big improvement on previous crowds in Australia, so perhaps things are heading in the right direction.
And they saw a good game. England were probably 30/40 runs short of a decent total, and the Aussies made a bit of a meal of chasing it down, but got there in the end. England's top order will have been annoyed that none of them went on to make a significant score. Lauren Winfield rode her luck, but looked to have found some touch when she was run out by some poor running with Sarah Taylor, who herself made a decent looking 30-odd (how many times have we said that?). Heather Knight and Nat Sciver looked a bit scratchy, but Fran Wilson was her busy self, before giving her wicket away. From there down though England were poor. Brunt, Gunn and Marsh were almost trying too hard.
For the Aussies leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington came on in the 13th over and immediately found a good line, good dip and plenty of spin. She will be a threat throughout this series, but the fact that she does not seem to have a googly or any other significant variations, means that England really should be able to find a way of coping with her. Better use of the feet and the sweep shot are two areas they might work on. Wellington did not get the wickets she perhaps deserved, but she allowed Ash Gardner to take the glory at the other end, as England looked for release shots.
Gardner had a good day, with her late contribution with the bat (27 off 18 balls), taking all the pressure off player of the match Alex Blackwell, who was the backbone of a rather fragile Aussie batting effort. Who knows what might have happened had Alex Hartley snaffled an easy caught and bowled chance when Blackwell was on 35?
Hartley had worked hard to create the chance, and the ball to get rid of Perry was a beauty, but her fielding off her own bowling is a concern.DROPPED! Hartley puts down Blackwell on 35. How costly will it be?!— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) October 22, 2017
Australia need 85 off 104 balls: https://t.co/DDAQik9aT9 #WomensAshes pic.twitter.com/ZzAJs1VgeF
Still the Aussies almost contrived to give England the game, as Tahlia McGrath was inexplicably sent in ahead of Ash Gardner. Her 7 off 26 balls meant the Aussie run rate gradually climbed, and despite her encouraging words after the game, Alex Blackwell must have been quite relieved when she holed out off Brunt. I am not sure that McGrath solves the Aussies' sixth bowler problem, but then I don't think they have a solution - Cheatle (in current form) and Vakarewa are no solution either. It is an area England will hope to expose.
I doubt Australia will change the team for game number two at Coff's Harbour on Thursday, unless the pitch looks like a bunsen*, but for England I think they have to find a spot for Sophie Ecclestone. She could be a straight swap for Marsh or take the place of Jenny Gunn. Either will weaken the England batting line-up, but only slightly. Ecclestone is no worse a bat than Gunn or Marsh, if truth be told.
The only other change I would make would be to move Nat Sciver to 4 and Knight down to 5. Sciver is a game changer and the fact that she rarely gets in before half the overs have been used up seems to be a waste to me. Ultimately I'd like to see her at 3, perhaps shifting Taylor to 5 to give her more freedom later in the innings. But it is not up to me. It is down to Mark Robinson, who has not done too much wrong over the last two years he has been in charge.
Set you alarm clocks for 4.40am on Thursday for Round Two!!
MD
23/X/17
* bunsen burner - cricket rhyming slang for a turner
Friday, 20 October 2017
Aussies under pressure
Saturday night here in the UK (well Sunday morning technically - 12:15am to be precise) sees the start of the 22nd Ashes Series between England and Australia. So far it is the Aussies who hold the advantage with eight series wins under their belts. England have six, and there have been seven drawn series.
Of course the Women's Ashes used to be just a Test Match series, but in 2013 it was decided that it should become a multi-format series with one Test, three ODIs and three T20s. Frankly the series being decided by just one Test Match, as they had been in 2008, 2009 and 2011 had become a bit of a nonsense.
There have now been three multi-format Ashes series with England claiming the first two (when the Test was worth a whopping 6 points!) and the Aussies the last one, in England in 2015, when the Test win was reduced to just four points. It is still the crux of the series, but, with each limited over game worth two points (so there are 12 more points on offer), it is not the be all and end all.
I'm not a big fan of previews and forecasts. They are just one person's view, and we all have our favourites and our not-so favourites. As outsiders we don't know all the details on players in form, players with injuries, players in a "good place", nor even who the starting XIs are going to be for the first match, let alone the Test and the T20 series.
From my perspective it looks like the Aussies are the team under pressure. They no longer hold a World title - they lost to the West Indies in the 2016 WWT20 Final and to India in the 2017 WWC semi-final. They are not used to losing and they seem to be a team in a bit of a muddle at the moment, not helped by the loss of their talismanic captain Meg Lanning, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.
Even without her their batting line-up still looks pretty decent - Bolton, Mooney, Perry, Villani, Blackwell, Healy, Gardner. Perry is now the rock in the Aussie batting - since the end of the 2013 Ashes series she has scored 22 50s in her last 32 innings. She has turned herself into one of the best ODI batsmen in the world (currently third in the ODI batting rankings). But without Lanning there is significantly more pressure on her to perform with the bat. We will come on to her performance with the ball shortly, but first we need to look at Rachael Haynes.
Haynes has been parachuted back into the squad after nearly four years in the wilderness specifically to captain in Meg Lanning's absence. Had Lanning been fit she would not be in Australia's starting XI, and, most likely, not even in the squad. It is an interesting decision. If the Aussies win the series then it will have been the right one, but should they lose then questions will be asked. It means there is a great deal riding on this series for Aussie coach Matthew Mott. Haynes will probably slip into the batting order at four or five, but she has a very poor record against England. She ended her previous international career against them with two ducks and averages just 11.28 in nine ODIs against England with a top score of 26, back in 2009. Seven years on the pressure will be on her to perform with the bat, as well as on the field as captain.
And so finally to the Aussie bowling attack. The same bowling attack that was taken to the cleaners by Chamari Attapatu (178*) and Harmanpreet Kaur (171*) in the WWC 2017. The bowling additions to the Aussie squad at the World Cup are seamers Lauren Cheatle and Tahlia MacGrath, both very young, inexperienced and only just back from injury. If one of them is going to play, then who do the Aussies drop? More pressure then on Perry to lead the bowling attack, as well as the batting. It is a lot to ask of one player.
England too will have their demons, but mentally they are in good shape, particularly after unexpectedly being crowned 50 over World Champions. Their coach, Mark Robinson, always said that that tournament was just the first step in the journey of his young, re-fashioned team, post the 2015 Ashes defeat and a disappointing WWT20 in 2016. Its a step that they took with some swagger. This Ashes series is another step on that journey.
80% of cricket is played in the mind. England may just be coming into this series with sufficient confidence in their own abilities, and the abilities of their team-mates, to take the Ashes back to England.
MD
20/X/17
Of course the Women's Ashes used to be just a Test Match series, but in 2013 it was decided that it should become a multi-format series with one Test, three ODIs and three T20s. Frankly the series being decided by just one Test Match, as they had been in 2008, 2009 and 2011 had become a bit of a nonsense.
There have now been three multi-format Ashes series with England claiming the first two (when the Test was worth a whopping 6 points!) and the Aussies the last one, in England in 2015, when the Test win was reduced to just four points. It is still the crux of the series, but, with each limited over game worth two points (so there are 12 more points on offer), it is not the be all and end all.
I'm not a big fan of previews and forecasts. They are just one person's view, and we all have our favourites and our not-so favourites. As outsiders we don't know all the details on players in form, players with injuries, players in a "good place", nor even who the starting XIs are going to be for the first match, let alone the Test and the T20 series.
From my perspective it looks like the Aussies are the team under pressure. They no longer hold a World title - they lost to the West Indies in the 2016 WWT20 Final and to India in the 2017 WWC semi-final. They are not used to losing and they seem to be a team in a bit of a muddle at the moment, not helped by the loss of their talismanic captain Meg Lanning, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.
Even without her their batting line-up still looks pretty decent - Bolton, Mooney, Perry, Villani, Blackwell, Healy, Gardner. Perry is now the rock in the Aussie batting - since the end of the 2013 Ashes series she has scored 22 50s in her last 32 innings. She has turned herself into one of the best ODI batsmen in the world (currently third in the ODI batting rankings). But without Lanning there is significantly more pressure on her to perform with the bat. We will come on to her performance with the ball shortly, but first we need to look at Rachael Haynes.
Haynes has been parachuted back into the squad after nearly four years in the wilderness specifically to captain in Meg Lanning's absence. Had Lanning been fit she would not be in Australia's starting XI, and, most likely, not even in the squad. It is an interesting decision. If the Aussies win the series then it will have been the right one, but should they lose then questions will be asked. It means there is a great deal riding on this series for Aussie coach Matthew Mott. Haynes will probably slip into the batting order at four or five, but she has a very poor record against England. She ended her previous international career against them with two ducks and averages just 11.28 in nine ODIs against England with a top score of 26, back in 2009. Seven years on the pressure will be on her to perform with the bat, as well as on the field as captain.
And so finally to the Aussie bowling attack. The same bowling attack that was taken to the cleaners by Chamari Attapatu (178*) and Harmanpreet Kaur (171*) in the WWC 2017. The bowling additions to the Aussie squad at the World Cup are seamers Lauren Cheatle and Tahlia MacGrath, both very young, inexperienced and only just back from injury. If one of them is going to play, then who do the Aussies drop? More pressure then on Perry to lead the bowling attack, as well as the batting. It is a lot to ask of one player.
England too will have their demons, but mentally they are in good shape, particularly after unexpectedly being crowned 50 over World Champions. Their coach, Mark Robinson, always said that that tournament was just the first step in the journey of his young, re-fashioned team, post the 2015 Ashes defeat and a disappointing WWT20 in 2016. Its a step that they took with some swagger. This Ashes series is another step on that journey.
80% of cricket is played in the mind. England may just be coming into this series with sufficient confidence in their own abilities, and the abilities of their team-mates, to take the Ashes back to England.
MD
20/X/17
Tuesday, 10 October 2017
No surprises in Aussie Ashes' Squads
There were no real surprises in the Ashes ODI and Test squads named by Australia earlier today. With so few players at elite level, even in Australia, there is very little room for a surprise inclusion.
A 14 player squad was named for the three match ODI series :-
Rachel Haynes, Alex Blackwell, Kristen Beams, Nicole Bolton, Lauren Cheatle, Ash Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani and Amanda-Jade Wellington.
Both Cheatle and McGrath are coming back from injuries, and only played one of the two WNCL games for their respective states last weekend. Both are pace bowlers, but their preparation for an Ashes series looks underdone. Their selection is as the expense of Sarah Aley and Belinda Vakarewa from the WWC squad, and as back-ups to Perry and Schutt.
The same 14 names are included in the 15 player Ashes Test squad. The only addition is the reinstatement of Vakarewa, who also only played one game out of two in the WNCL at the weekend.
Cricket Australia have also named their team (CAXI) to play in two warm-up games against England prior to the first ODI. It is effectively the Australia Academy team. Whereas England chose to load their Academy warm-up team against Australia before the 2015 Ashes series with contracted players (seven of them), Australia have not been so obliging. There are no contracted players in the CAXI thirteen, who are :-
A 14 player squad was named for the three match ODI series :-
Rachel Haynes, Alex Blackwell, Kristen Beams, Nicole Bolton, Lauren Cheatle, Ash Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani and Amanda-Jade Wellington.
Both Cheatle and McGrath are coming back from injuries, and only played one of the two WNCL games for their respective states last weekend. Both are pace bowlers, but their preparation for an Ashes series looks underdone. Their selection is as the expense of Sarah Aley and Belinda Vakarewa from the WWC squad, and as back-ups to Perry and Schutt.
The same 14 names are included in the 15 player Ashes Test squad. The only addition is the reinstatement of Vakarewa, who also only played one game out of two in the WNCL at the weekend.
Cricket Australia have also named their team (CAXI) to play in two warm-up games against England prior to the first ODI. It is effectively the Australia Academy team. Whereas England chose to load their Academy warm-up team against Australia before the 2015 Ashes series with contracted players (seven of them), Australia have not been so obliging. There are no contracted players in the CAXI thirteen, who are :-
Hayleigh Brennan, Nicola Carey, Piepa
Cleary, Heather Graham, Alana King, Katie Mack, Sophie Molineux, Georgia
Redmayne, Naomi Stalenberg, Molly Strano (c), Rachel Trenaman, Belinda
Vakarewa, Tayla Vlaeminck.
MD
10/X/17
10/X/17
Sunday, 8 October 2017
Aussie international form
The first seven games of the WNCL have been played and New South Wales, ACT and Western Fury have all won both their games. These three look like the strongest outfits in the competition.
Queensland, Vic Spirit and Tasmania have all lost theirs, and Tasmania and Vic Spirit in particular look to be struggling. South Australia picked up one win against Tasmania having lost their opening fixture to Western Fury.
Here is how the Aussie contracted players and some of the hopefuls got on this weekend. Some decent form with the bat, but the form of the pace bowlers in particular must still be a great concern. The Aussie Ashes squad is due to be announced next week.
IN FORM
Nicole Bolton (WA)
125* & 6-0-47-0 (v SA);
3-0-12-1 & 93* (v TAS)
Not sure she could have made a better start, but maybe leave the bowling to others? SA and TAS not the strongest two teams in the WNCL this year. November fixtures (NSW & ACT) will be tougher, but the Ashes will be done by then.
Elyse Villani (WA)
139 (v SA);
10 (v TAS)
Good runs for Villani too against South Australia, but missed out against Tasmania, which kind of sums her up - inconsistent.
Rachael Haynes (NSW)
103 (v QLD);
83 (v VIC)
Won't have done her confidence any harm at all, but an opening attacks of Johnson & Hill for QLD and Vlaeminck & Brennan for VIC are not desperately intimidating.
Amanda Jade Wellington (SA)
5-0-50-1 & 116 (v WA);
8-1-43-2 & 0* (v TAS)
Poor day with the ball against WA, but made up for it with her maiden WNCL 100, albeit in a losing cause. Picked up a couple of late wickets v a poor TAS side.
FAIR to MIDDLING
Molly Strano (VIC)
10-1-39-3 & 36* (v ACT);
10-1-39-3 & 5 (v NSW)
Identical figures with the ball on both days against two decent sides. Got Haynes, Perry and Stalenberg v NSW, so decent wickets. Batted very slowly against ACT (36 off 64 balls), which made no sense chasing only 203. VIC lost by 30 runs?
Beth Mooney (QLD)
73 (v NSW);
1 (v ACT)
Nice start against NSW, but then out to her eight ball v ACT to Sam Bates caught behind. Nervy times for her in first ODI.
Ellyse Perry (NSW)
9-1-37-3 & 17 (v QLD);
30 & 7-0-23-1 (v VIC)
Steady stuff from Perry, but Aussies will need more from her. Perhaps she was saving herself for England?
Alex Blackwell (NSW)
6 (v QLD);
77 (v VIC)
Got some runs under her belt v VIC which will have been pleasing, including three 6s (two off Sophie Molineux).
Alyssa Healy (NSW)
5 (v QLD);
68 (v VIC)
As with Blackwell, she put a score on the board against VIC, opening the batting. Probably would have liked to go on and make it a big one though.
Kristen Beams (VIC)
10-0-32-0 & 17* (v ACT);
10-0-52-5 & 1* (v NSW)
Rescued her weekend with four late wickets v NSW as they tried to accelerate from 273/2, but will be looking over her shoulder at Wellington's performance with ball AND bat. Skippered her team to two disappointing defeats.
Sophie Molineux (VIC)
10-2-33-1 & 50 (v ACT);
10-0-64-0 & 62 (v NSW)
Decent time opening the batting for VIC against both ACT and NSW, but not much to write home about with the ball. Could be pushing for Ashes squad selection and could even oust Jonassen as the left arm spin option?
NOT SO HOT
Jess Jonassen (QLD)
15 & 8.1-0-42-0 (v NSW);
10-1-40-2 & 8 (v ACT)
Jonassen's batting seems to have nosedived over the last year or so. She was once regarded as decent middle order but now seems to be struggling. Picked up Dane van Niekerk v ACT, but she already had 61 by then and ACT over 200. Under pressure from Molineux.
Ash Gardner (SA)
9-1-44-0 & 34 (v WA);
10-1-24-1 & 7* v (TAS)
Has moved to SA for this season. Struggled with the ball against a decent WA batting line up, but did better against a weak TAS team. Batting - jury is still out!
Megan Schutt (SA)
10-1-76-0 & 5 (v WA);
7-1-17-1 (v TAS)
Has not looked the swing bowler she used to be, but the Aussies will almost certainly have to play her. Could be a key Ashes' battle.
STRUGGLING
Belinda Vakarewa (NSW)
9-0-38-1 (v QLD);
did not play v VIC
Aussies have put a lot of resources into Vakarewa, but are yet to see the reward. Not selected for NSW's second game of the weekend. Not ideal as far as Australia are concerned.
Lauren Cheatle (NSW)
did not play v QLD;
7-0-31-0 (v VIC)
Did not play in NSW's first game and came up wicketless in the second. Not sure if she is ready to be thrown back onto the international stage, but the Aussies may have no other choice.
Sarah Aley (NSW)
4-0-28-0 (v QLD);
7-0-40-0 (v VIC)
Struggled. Cannot really be in the selectors' minds for the Ashes series.
MD
08/X/17
Queensland, Vic Spirit and Tasmania have all lost theirs, and Tasmania and Vic Spirit in particular look to be struggling. South Australia picked up one win against Tasmania having lost their opening fixture to Western Fury.
Here is how the Aussie contracted players and some of the hopefuls got on this weekend. Some decent form with the bat, but the form of the pace bowlers in particular must still be a great concern. The Aussie Ashes squad is due to be announced next week.
IN FORM
Nicole Bolton (WA)
125* & 6-0-47-0 (v SA);
3-0-12-1 & 93* (v TAS)
Not sure she could have made a better start, but maybe leave the bowling to others? SA and TAS not the strongest two teams in the WNCL this year. November fixtures (NSW & ACT) will be tougher, but the Ashes will be done by then.
Elyse Villani (WA)
139 (v SA);
10 (v TAS)
Good runs for Villani too against South Australia, but missed out against Tasmania, which kind of sums her up - inconsistent.
Rachael Haynes (NSW)
103 (v QLD);
83 (v VIC)
Won't have done her confidence any harm at all, but an opening attacks of Johnson & Hill for QLD and Vlaeminck & Brennan for VIC are not desperately intimidating.
Amanda Jade Wellington (SA)
5-0-50-1 & 116 (v WA);
8-1-43-2 & 0* (v TAS)
Poor day with the ball against WA, but made up for it with her maiden WNCL 100, albeit in a losing cause. Picked up a couple of late wickets v a poor TAS side.
FAIR to MIDDLING
Molly Strano (VIC)
10-1-39-3 & 36* (v ACT);
10-1-39-3 & 5 (v NSW)
Identical figures with the ball on both days against two decent sides. Got Haynes, Perry and Stalenberg v NSW, so decent wickets. Batted very slowly against ACT (36 off 64 balls), which made no sense chasing only 203. VIC lost by 30 runs?
Beth Mooney (QLD)
73 (v NSW);
1 (v ACT)
Nice start against NSW, but then out to her eight ball v ACT to Sam Bates caught behind. Nervy times for her in first ODI.
Ellyse Perry (NSW)
9-1-37-3 & 17 (v QLD);
30 & 7-0-23-1 (v VIC)
Steady stuff from Perry, but Aussies will need more from her. Perhaps she was saving herself for England?
Alex Blackwell (NSW)
6 (v QLD);
77 (v VIC)
Got some runs under her belt v VIC which will have been pleasing, including three 6s (two off Sophie Molineux).
Alyssa Healy (NSW)
5 (v QLD);
68 (v VIC)
As with Blackwell, she put a score on the board against VIC, opening the batting. Probably would have liked to go on and make it a big one though.
Kristen Beams (VIC)
10-0-32-0 & 17* (v ACT);
10-0-52-5 & 1* (v NSW)
Rescued her weekend with four late wickets v NSW as they tried to accelerate from 273/2, but will be looking over her shoulder at Wellington's performance with ball AND bat. Skippered her team to two disappointing defeats.
Sophie Molineux (VIC)
10-2-33-1 & 50 (v ACT);
10-0-64-0 & 62 (v NSW)
Decent time opening the batting for VIC against both ACT and NSW, but not much to write home about with the ball. Could be pushing for Ashes squad selection and could even oust Jonassen as the left arm spin option?
NOT SO HOT
Jess Jonassen (QLD)
15 & 8.1-0-42-0 (v NSW);
10-1-40-2 & 8 (v ACT)
Jonassen's batting seems to have nosedived over the last year or so. She was once regarded as decent middle order but now seems to be struggling. Picked up Dane van Niekerk v ACT, but she already had 61 by then and ACT over 200. Under pressure from Molineux.
Ash Gardner (SA)
9-1-44-0 & 34 (v WA);
10-1-24-1 & 7* v (TAS)
Has moved to SA for this season. Struggled with the ball against a decent WA batting line up, but did better against a weak TAS team. Batting - jury is still out!
Megan Schutt (SA)
10-1-76-0 & 5 (v WA);
7-1-17-1 (v TAS)
Has not looked the swing bowler she used to be, but the Aussies will almost certainly have to play her. Could be a key Ashes' battle.
STRUGGLING
Belinda Vakarewa (NSW)
9-0-38-1 (v QLD);
did not play v VIC
Aussies have put a lot of resources into Vakarewa, but are yet to see the reward. Not selected for NSW's second game of the weekend. Not ideal as far as Australia are concerned.
Lauren Cheatle (NSW)
did not play v QLD;
7-0-31-0 (v VIC)
Did not play in NSW's first game and came up wicketless in the second. Not sure if she is ready to be thrown back onto the international stage, but the Aussies may have no other choice.
Sarah Aley (NSW)
4-0-28-0 (v QLD);
7-0-40-0 (v VIC)
Struggled. Cannot really be in the selectors' minds for the Ashes series.
MD
08/X/17
Wednesday, 4 October 2017
Who will win the Ashes?
The 15 woman England squad fly out to Australia at the end of this week, and play their first warm-up game in just 12 days time.
The Ashes Series starts for real with the first of three ODIs at Allan Border Field in Queensland on 22nd October. It will end on 21st November with the last of the three T20Is. In between will be the lone four day day/night Test Match. There are two points for each of the ODIs and T20s, and four points for the Test Match. With Australia currently holding the Ashes this means that England must get at least 9 points to win the Ashes back. If the teams are tied on eight points each at the end of the series then the Ashes will remain with Australia.
Effectively then if England were to lose the Test Match they would have to win five of the six ODIs and T20Is. If they were to win the Test then they would only need to win three more games. The Test could, of course, be drawn, in which case each team would get two points each. England would then need to win four of the other games.
England are, of course, the current holders of the 50 over World Cup, which they picked up in July, defeating India in the final. Australia had already lost to India in the semi-final stage of the competition. England also beat Australia (albeit only by three runs) in the league stage of the same competition. The advantage you would say therefore was with England then. Add to this the fact that Meg Lanning, the premier batsmen in women's cricket at the moment, will miss the entire series for Australia as she recovers from shoulder surgery, and England have to be favourites, you'd think.
But, with so much riding on the four points from the first ever day/night, pink ball Test Match; new ODI regulations to be used for the first time in women's cricket (two white balls); and with the series being played in Australia, both sides look pretty even to me.
Here are some of the key areas for both sides as they head into the series.
* Some of the England batsmen found some decent form in the WWC. Nat Sciver (2), Tammy Beaumont, Sarah Taylor and Heather Knight all hit centuries during the tournament, with Beaumont being the leading run scorer and named Player of the Tournament. Only Nicole Bolton and the missing Lanning scored centuries for Australia.
* However Ellyse Perry was the third highest run scorer in the tournament with 404 runs - her scores were 5*, 39*, 71, 66, 70, 60*, 55, and 38. It was no surprise really as she has been the most consistent batsman in the world for the last four years. Amazingly she is yet to hit her first century, despite averaging over 50. If there is one criticism that can be made of her, it is that she frequently bats too slowly. Her strike rate during the WWC was 77.5. While she may be the Aussie Rock she puts pressure on others to score more quickly.
* England opener Lauren Winfield has had a hard time of it of late. She missed the opening two games of the WWC and then only scored 117 runs in the seven games she played. Her top score was just 26. Unfortunately she did not fair much better in the KSL. Playing for the Yorkshire Diamonds she scored 135 runs in five innings at an average of 27, including one score of 58. England could do with her finding some form with the bat.
* The Aussies have their own opener problems, with Beth Mooney also struggling to recapture the form that she had when she burst into the Aussie team in New Zealand in 2016. In eight knocks at the WWC she scored a respectable, if unspectacular, 232 runs at an average of 29 and a strike rate of 71. She subsequently pulled out of the KSL citing an ongoing shoulder injury problem. It will be interesting to see how she gets on for Queensland in the opening matches of the WNCL (the Aussie domestic 50 over tournament), which starts this weekend.
* The fast bowling stocks for both sides look rather depleted. England have chosen frontline duo Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole, but have no other genuine new ball bowlers in the squad. No doubt Nat Sciver and Jenny Gunn will be called upon to bolster the England seam attack. As for the Aussies they resorted to bowling Elyse Villani at the WWC, a player who hardly bowls for Western Fury, her state team. It was not an experiment that you would think they will want to repeat. They have Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt as their frontline seamers, who may well be joined by left-armer Lauren Cheatle, coming back from injury. Their back ups are veteran Sarah Aley and youngster Belinda Vakerewa, neither of who they seem too inclined to play. It is an ongoing area of concern for the Aussies.
* Both squads do however have a surfeit of spinners - England have off-spinning stalwarts Dani Hazell and Laura Marsh, plus skipper Heather Knight, and left-armers Alex Hartley and newbie Sophie Ecclestone. Hartley has been the star of the show for England recently taking 27 wickets in her 17 ODIs to date. I think she will keep her place in the ODI format, but may lose it to Ecclestone in the T20Is and even in the Test Match.
For the Aussies they have left-armer Jess Jonassen, who has been their go-to bowler for some time now, leggie Kristen Beams, and newbie off-spinning all-rounder Ash Gardner, who they rate highly. They also have 20 year old leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington on the bench as back-up for the 32 year old Beams. Also on the reserve list is off-spinner Molly Strano, who has been pretty successful in both the WNCL and WBBL with Victoria and the Melbourne Renegades.
* With Meg Lanning sidelined the Aussies have parachuted in 30 year old Rachel Haynes to skipper them, and presumably bat at three or four. When Lanning is available she does not make the team, and only made it back into the squad at the beginning of 2017 (after three and a half years out) due to a number of injuries. It looks an odd decision, and one the Aussies may well come to rue as the series goes on. Her batting style is slow and steady and she may be a burden with the bat. I can see her working her way lower and lower down the order and not batting in the T20Is at all.
* England on the other hand will be led by Heather Knight. It will be her first Ashes as captain, but she has already skippered England through a nail-biting World Cup semi-final and final, and she has just skippered the unfancied Western Storm to a KSL triumph. She is a strong and popular leader of a very united team.
England will feel that they have never had a better chance of taking the Ashes in Australia, provided they can get over their metaphorical World Cup "hangover". Key players for England will be Nat Sciver and Sophie Ecclestone. For the Aussies the pressure is once again all on Ellyse Perry, both with bat and ball. It might just be too much for her.
MD
04/X/17
The Ashes Series starts for real with the first of three ODIs at Allan Border Field in Queensland on 22nd October. It will end on 21st November with the last of the three T20Is. In between will be the lone four day day/night Test Match. There are two points for each of the ODIs and T20s, and four points for the Test Match. With Australia currently holding the Ashes this means that England must get at least 9 points to win the Ashes back. If the teams are tied on eight points each at the end of the series then the Ashes will remain with Australia.
Effectively then if England were to lose the Test Match they would have to win five of the six ODIs and T20Is. If they were to win the Test then they would only need to win three more games. The Test could, of course, be drawn, in which case each team would get two points each. England would then need to win four of the other games.
England are, of course, the current holders of the 50 over World Cup, which they picked up in July, defeating India in the final. Australia had already lost to India in the semi-final stage of the competition. England also beat Australia (albeit only by three runs) in the league stage of the same competition. The advantage you would say therefore was with England then. Add to this the fact that Meg Lanning, the premier batsmen in women's cricket at the moment, will miss the entire series for Australia as she recovers from shoulder surgery, and England have to be favourites, you'd think.
But, with so much riding on the four points from the first ever day/night, pink ball Test Match; new ODI regulations to be used for the first time in women's cricket (two white balls); and with the series being played in Australia, both sides look pretty even to me.
Here are some of the key areas for both sides as they head into the series.
* Some of the England batsmen found some decent form in the WWC. Nat Sciver (2), Tammy Beaumont, Sarah Taylor and Heather Knight all hit centuries during the tournament, with Beaumont being the leading run scorer and named Player of the Tournament. Only Nicole Bolton and the missing Lanning scored centuries for Australia.
* However Ellyse Perry was the third highest run scorer in the tournament with 404 runs - her scores were 5*, 39*, 71, 66, 70, 60*, 55, and 38. It was no surprise really as she has been the most consistent batsman in the world for the last four years. Amazingly she is yet to hit her first century, despite averaging over 50. If there is one criticism that can be made of her, it is that she frequently bats too slowly. Her strike rate during the WWC was 77.5. While she may be the Aussie Rock she puts pressure on others to score more quickly.
* England opener Lauren Winfield has had a hard time of it of late. She missed the opening two games of the WWC and then only scored 117 runs in the seven games she played. Her top score was just 26. Unfortunately she did not fair much better in the KSL. Playing for the Yorkshire Diamonds she scored 135 runs in five innings at an average of 27, including one score of 58. England could do with her finding some form with the bat.
* The Aussies have their own opener problems, with Beth Mooney also struggling to recapture the form that she had when she burst into the Aussie team in New Zealand in 2016. In eight knocks at the WWC she scored a respectable, if unspectacular, 232 runs at an average of 29 and a strike rate of 71. She subsequently pulled out of the KSL citing an ongoing shoulder injury problem. It will be interesting to see how she gets on for Queensland in the opening matches of the WNCL (the Aussie domestic 50 over tournament), which starts this weekend.
* The fast bowling stocks for both sides look rather depleted. England have chosen frontline duo Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole, but have no other genuine new ball bowlers in the squad. No doubt Nat Sciver and Jenny Gunn will be called upon to bolster the England seam attack. As for the Aussies they resorted to bowling Elyse Villani at the WWC, a player who hardly bowls for Western Fury, her state team. It was not an experiment that you would think they will want to repeat. They have Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt as their frontline seamers, who may well be joined by left-armer Lauren Cheatle, coming back from injury. Their back ups are veteran Sarah Aley and youngster Belinda Vakerewa, neither of who they seem too inclined to play. It is an ongoing area of concern for the Aussies.
* Both squads do however have a surfeit of spinners - England have off-spinning stalwarts Dani Hazell and Laura Marsh, plus skipper Heather Knight, and left-armers Alex Hartley and newbie Sophie Ecclestone. Hartley has been the star of the show for England recently taking 27 wickets in her 17 ODIs to date. I think she will keep her place in the ODI format, but may lose it to Ecclestone in the T20Is and even in the Test Match.
For the Aussies they have left-armer Jess Jonassen, who has been their go-to bowler for some time now, leggie Kristen Beams, and newbie off-spinning all-rounder Ash Gardner, who they rate highly. They also have 20 year old leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington on the bench as back-up for the 32 year old Beams. Also on the reserve list is off-spinner Molly Strano, who has been pretty successful in both the WNCL and WBBL with Victoria and the Melbourne Renegades.
* With Meg Lanning sidelined the Aussies have parachuted in 30 year old Rachel Haynes to skipper them, and presumably bat at three or four. When Lanning is available she does not make the team, and only made it back into the squad at the beginning of 2017 (after three and a half years out) due to a number of injuries. It looks an odd decision, and one the Aussies may well come to rue as the series goes on. Her batting style is slow and steady and she may be a burden with the bat. I can see her working her way lower and lower down the order and not batting in the T20Is at all.
* England on the other hand will be led by Heather Knight. It will be her first Ashes as captain, but she has already skippered England through a nail-biting World Cup semi-final and final, and she has just skippered the unfancied Western Storm to a KSL triumph. She is a strong and popular leader of a very united team.
England will feel that they have never had a better chance of taking the Ashes in Australia, provided they can get over their metaphorical World Cup "hangover". Key players for England will be Nat Sciver and Sophie Ecclestone. For the Aussies the pressure is once again all on Ellyse Perry, both with bat and ball. It might just be too much for her.
MD
04/X/17
Tuesday, 26 September 2017
England's Ashes Squad
England Women announced their squad for the
Ashes tour of Australia today with Lancashire’s left-arm spinner Sophie
Ecclestone named as part of the 15.
The ICC Women’s World Cup champions depart
for Brisbane on October 7, where they’ll attempt to regain the Ashes across a
multi-format series that takes in three one-day internationals, a Test match
and three T20 internationals. In 2015 in England, Australia ran out 10-6
winners after winning two ODIs, the one-off Test match and one T20I.
The inclusion of Ecclestone is the only
change from the squad that triumphed in front of a sell-out crowd at Lord’s on
July 23. Beth Langston misses out. It will be the first time that Heather Knight has led her side into an
Ashes series.
Heather Knight (captain, Berkshire)
Tammy Beaumont (Kent)
Katherine Brunt (Yorkshire)
Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire)
Georgia Elwiss (Sussex)
Jenny Gunn (Warwickshire)
Alex Hartley (Lancashire)
Danielle Hazell (Yorkshire)
Laura Marsh (Kent)
Anya Shrubsole (Somerset)
Nat Sciver (Surrey)
Sarah Taylor (wicketkeeper, Sussex)
Fran Wilson (Middlesex)
Lauren Winfield (Yorkshire)
Danni Wyatt (Sussex)
Coach Mark Robinson said: "It's a
hugely exciting tour and one we are really looking forward to. Australia on
their home soil will be a further test of the progress we have made.
“We said before the World Cup that the
final at Lord's was never going to be our destination, it was just part of the
journey, and that journey continues with this tour.
“Sophie Ecclestone has finished school now
and has had a great summer domestically. Her selection will provide another
option to our attack.”
Captain Heather Knight said: “Ashes tours
don’t come around too often so it’s always a special opportunity. Australia
are going to be very strong opponents on their home soil so we’ll have to be at
our best, across all three formats.
“Winning the World Cup was a dream come
true but it doesn’t get much bigger than the Ashes. We weren’t able to win in
2015 so I know that the whole group will be intent on regaining the trophy this
time round.”
MD
26/IX/17
26/IX/17
Friday, 22 September 2017
Ecclestone key to England's Ashes campaign
Uncontracted 18 year old left arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone will undoubtedly be one of the first names on the England squad list to tour Australia next month.
The squad, which is due to be announced next Tuesday, has just come through a three day, day/night, pink
ball trial match, in which 21 England players combined with five teenage lads from the Essex performance squad. Sixteen of the eighteen contracted players were on show - Kate Cross and Amy Jones have already headed off to Australia where they are due to play for the Perth-based Western Fury in the WNCL. The other five players invited to play were Sophie Ecclestone (yet to be contracted although she has already played for England), fast bowler Freya Davies, keepers Ellie Threlkeld and Rhianna Southby, and left arm seamer Katie George.
In the Sapphires' first innings they managed to score 190 all out in 64.1 overs. Tammy Beaumont top scored with a stylish 76, and, having opened, she was the last wicket to fall. Heather Knight looked in good touch for her 35, and Danni Wyatt added a gutsy 27 off 62 balls. At one stage she had just 2 runs off 32 balls. Unfortunately there were no runs for Lauren Winfield (0), Sarah Taylor (0) or Fran Wilson (2).
The chief tormentor of the Sapphires was Sophie Ecclestone. She continued her county and KSL form in this fixture, and could be the key to England regaining the Ashes. She took 5/34 off 16.1 accurate overs. She spun the occasional ball, but it was her changes of pace and her darting arm-ball which brought her the wickets - four bowled and one lbw. The other wicket takers were Sciver 2/23, Hazell 2/38 and Shrubsole 1/27.
Having bowled the Sapphires out at the end of the second session of play, it meant that the Emeralds started to bat at just after 7pm as dusk fell. They made an unmitigated hash of it, losing their top five batsmen for just 25 runs, which included three of the Essex lads, plus Nat Sciver (8) and Georgia Elwiss (0). Two more of the Essex lads staged a brief recovery, but at 46/7 things were looking ominous for the Emeralds. But Anya Shrubsole (42) and Dani Hazell (19), dug in and saw the Emeralds to 67/7 at the close of the first day.
In the sunshine of Wednesday afternoon, and with the pink ball now already 26 overs old, batting seemed much more fun, and Hazell will have been disappointed to have ended her knock dangling her bat outside the off stump to Katherine Brunt and edging through to the keeper. The pair had added 47 for the eighth wicket. Shrubsole and Tash Farrant (16*) then added another 29 before Shrubsole was bowled by Gunn and the innings ended shortly after with the Emeralds 56 behind. Jenny Gunn took 5/15 from 10.5 overs, Beth Langston 3/24 and Brunt 2/34.
The Sapphires' second dig started badly with Tammy Beaumont nicking off to Shrubsole for a duck, Farrant bowling Winfield for 4, and Heather Knight lbw to Shrubsole for 16, leaving them on 25/3. It was down to Fran Wilson (64) and Danni Wyatt (35) to rebuild the innings and this they did, although Wilson, dropped on 2, looked like a batsman striving for form for the first hour of her two and a half hours at the crease. But she battled on through and the pair took the Sapphires' score to 96 before Elwiss bowled Wyatt and had Brunt lbw in the same over, as the dark set in again. But as the sky went black, Wilson seemed to light up. Suddenly her timing was back as she dispatched Elwiss over the square leg boundary for a slog/swept 6 and crashed Hazell to cow corner for 4. She lost Gunn for 11 bowled by Elwiss, and then fell herself bowled by Nat Sciver. 153/7 was taken on to 189 with the last pair of Hartley and George at the crease. Having blocked out five balls of the last over from Davies, George inexplicably decided to chance a suicidal run to square leg off the last ball of the day and only succeeded in running out her partner. The Emeralds would come back on Day Three needing 246 to win. The wicket takers were Elwiss 3/28, Shrubsole 2/18, Farrant 2/30, Hazell 1/20 and Sciver 1/36.
The first session of Day Three was attritional, some might even have said dull. The new pink ball did nothing for any of the Sapphires' seamers, but the Essex openers were content to block everything. Fortunately number three, Robin Das, injected some pace into proceedings just before the first break, and the Emeralds were nicely placed on 84/1 from the first 35 overs of the day. After the break Das fell, but this brought Sciver (28*) to the crease, and she looked very much at home. She and Joe MacGregor took the score to 128/3, by which time the rain clouds were beginning to gather in the distance. Georgia Elwiss (5*) had just hit her first boundary off her 20th ball faced, when the umpires decided that the light rain had turned into something heavier. It turned out to be the last ball of the match, with the game abandoned shortly after 6.30pm, with the Emeralds finishing on 143/3 and the match drawn. The wicket takers were Brunt 1/26, Gunn 1/13 and Hartley 1/22.
Positives from the game were the batting of Beaumont, Wilson, Sciver, Knight (although it would have been nice to see her go on to a bigger score), and Wyatt. On the bowling front Ecclestone stood out of the spinners, and there were consistent spells from the main seamers. Disappointments were the the lack of runs for Winfield and Taylor (who did not bat in the second innings).
So who will make the squad for the Ashes? in my view there are 10 certainties :-
Heather Knight
Anya Shrubsole
Tammy Beaumont
Katherine Brunt
Sophie Ecclestone
Jenny Gunn
Beth Langston
Nat Sciver
Fran Wilson
Lauren Winfield
If Sarah Taylor is fit you can add her to this list. If not then you can add Amy Jones.
I think the other four places are up for grabs, but I think they will probably go to
Alex Hartley
Dani Hazell
Laura Marsh
Danni Wyatt
We should find out for sure on Tuesday morning.
MD
22/IX/17
The squad, which is due to be announced next Tuesday, has just come through a three day, day/night, pink
ball trial match, in which 21 England players combined with five teenage lads from the Essex performance squad. Sixteen of the eighteen contracted players were on show - Kate Cross and Amy Jones have already headed off to Australia where they are due to play for the Perth-based Western Fury in the WNCL. The other five players invited to play were Sophie Ecclestone (yet to be contracted although she has already played for England), fast bowler Freya Davies, keepers Ellie Threlkeld and Rhianna Southby, and left arm seamer Katie George.
 |
| Sophie Ecclestone © Don Miles |
The chief tormentor of the Sapphires was Sophie Ecclestone. She continued her county and KSL form in this fixture, and could be the key to England regaining the Ashes. She took 5/34 off 16.1 accurate overs. She spun the occasional ball, but it was her changes of pace and her darting arm-ball which brought her the wickets - four bowled and one lbw. The other wicket takers were Sciver 2/23, Hazell 2/38 and Shrubsole 1/27.
Having bowled the Sapphires out at the end of the second session of play, it meant that the Emeralds started to bat at just after 7pm as dusk fell. They made an unmitigated hash of it, losing their top five batsmen for just 25 runs, which included three of the Essex lads, plus Nat Sciver (8) and Georgia Elwiss (0). Two more of the Essex lads staged a brief recovery, but at 46/7 things were looking ominous for the Emeralds. But Anya Shrubsole (42) and Dani Hazell (19), dug in and saw the Emeralds to 67/7 at the close of the first day.
In the sunshine of Wednesday afternoon, and with the pink ball now already 26 overs old, batting seemed much more fun, and Hazell will have been disappointed to have ended her knock dangling her bat outside the off stump to Katherine Brunt and edging through to the keeper. The pair had added 47 for the eighth wicket. Shrubsole and Tash Farrant (16*) then added another 29 before Shrubsole was bowled by Gunn and the innings ended shortly after with the Emeralds 56 behind. Jenny Gunn took 5/15 from 10.5 overs, Beth Langston 3/24 and Brunt 2/34.
The Sapphires' second dig started badly with Tammy Beaumont nicking off to Shrubsole for a duck, Farrant bowling Winfield for 4, and Heather Knight lbw to Shrubsole for 16, leaving them on 25/3. It was down to Fran Wilson (64) and Danni Wyatt (35) to rebuild the innings and this they did, although Wilson, dropped on 2, looked like a batsman striving for form for the first hour of her two and a half hours at the crease. But she battled on through and the pair took the Sapphires' score to 96 before Elwiss bowled Wyatt and had Brunt lbw in the same over, as the dark set in again. But as the sky went black, Wilson seemed to light up. Suddenly her timing was back as she dispatched Elwiss over the square leg boundary for a slog/swept 6 and crashed Hazell to cow corner for 4. She lost Gunn for 11 bowled by Elwiss, and then fell herself bowled by Nat Sciver. 153/7 was taken on to 189 with the last pair of Hartley and George at the crease. Having blocked out five balls of the last over from Davies, George inexplicably decided to chance a suicidal run to square leg off the last ball of the day and only succeeded in running out her partner. The Emeralds would come back on Day Three needing 246 to win. The wicket takers were Elwiss 3/28, Shrubsole 2/18, Farrant 2/30, Hazell 1/20 and Sciver 1/36.
The first session of Day Three was attritional, some might even have said dull. The new pink ball did nothing for any of the Sapphires' seamers, but the Essex openers were content to block everything. Fortunately number three, Robin Das, injected some pace into proceedings just before the first break, and the Emeralds were nicely placed on 84/1 from the first 35 overs of the day. After the break Das fell, but this brought Sciver (28*) to the crease, and she looked very much at home. She and Joe MacGregor took the score to 128/3, by which time the rain clouds were beginning to gather in the distance. Georgia Elwiss (5*) had just hit her first boundary off her 20th ball faced, when the umpires decided that the light rain had turned into something heavier. It turned out to be the last ball of the match, with the game abandoned shortly after 6.30pm, with the Emeralds finishing on 143/3 and the match drawn. The wicket takers were Brunt 1/26, Gunn 1/13 and Hartley 1/22.
Positives from the game were the batting of Beaumont, Wilson, Sciver, Knight (although it would have been nice to see her go on to a bigger score), and Wyatt. On the bowling front Ecclestone stood out of the spinners, and there were consistent spells from the main seamers. Disappointments were the the lack of runs for Winfield and Taylor (who did not bat in the second innings).
So who will make the squad for the Ashes? in my view there are 10 certainties :-
Heather Knight
Anya Shrubsole
Tammy Beaumont
Katherine Brunt
Sophie Ecclestone
Jenny Gunn
Beth Langston
Nat Sciver
Fran Wilson
Lauren Winfield
If Sarah Taylor is fit you can add her to this list. If not then you can add Amy Jones.
I think the other four places are up for grabs, but I think they will probably go to
Alex Hartley
Dani Hazell
Laura Marsh
Danni Wyatt
We should find out for sure on Tuesday morning.
MD
22/IX/17
Monday, 11 September 2017
Aussie Ashes' squad takes shape
Australia's 13 contracted players (minus the injured Meg Lanning) have started a week long Ashes training camp at the Bupa National Cricket Centre, together with Sarah Aley, Ashleigh Gardner, Molly Strano and Belinda Vakarewa, making up what looks like the Aussies' Ashes training squad.
Training camp attendees :-
Kristen Beams
Alex Blackwell
Nicole Bolton
Lauren Cheatle
Rachel Haynes
Alyssa Healy
Jess Jonassen
Beth Mooney
Ellyse Perry
Megan Schutt
Elyse Villani
Amanda-Jade Wellington
Sarah Aley
Ash Gardner
Molly Strano
Belinda Vakarewa
It is difficult to see any other players being drafted into the Aussie squad for the Ashes series, particularly given that there is only one weekend of WNCL fixtures before the Ashes series starts on 22nd October with the first ODI. In fact both teams have warm-up games on 16th and 18th October prior to the first ODI.
Full Ashes fixture list
16th October - 50 over warm-up games for England and Australia
18th October - 50 over warm-up games for England and Australia
22nd October - 1st ODI at Allan Border Field
26th October - 2nd ODI at Coffs International Stadium
29th October - 3rd ODI at Coffs International Stadium
3rd - 5th November 3 day warm-up games for England and Australia
9th - 12th November - Only Test Match at North Sydney Oval
17th November - 1st T20 at North Sydney Oval
19th November - 2nd T20 at the Manuka Oval
21st November - 3rd T20 at the Manuka Oval
MD
11/VIII/17
Training camp attendees :-
Kristen Beams
Alex Blackwell
Nicole Bolton
Lauren Cheatle
Rachel Haynes
Alyssa Healy
Jess Jonassen
Beth Mooney
Ellyse Perry
Megan Schutt
Elyse Villani
Amanda-Jade Wellington
Sarah Aley
Ash Gardner
Molly Strano
Belinda Vakarewa
It is difficult to see any other players being drafted into the Aussie squad for the Ashes series, particularly given that there is only one weekend of WNCL fixtures before the Ashes series starts on 22nd October with the first ODI. In fact both teams have warm-up games on 16th and 18th October prior to the first ODI.
Full Ashes fixture list
16th October - 50 over warm-up games for England and Australia
18th October - 50 over warm-up games for England and Australia
22nd October - 1st ODI at Allan Border Field
26th October - 2nd ODI at Coffs International Stadium
29th October - 3rd ODI at Coffs International Stadium
3rd - 5th November 3 day warm-up games for England and Australia
9th - 12th November - Only Test Match at North Sydney Oval
17th November - 1st T20 at North Sydney Oval
19th November - 2nd T20 at the Manuka Oval
21st November - 3rd T20 at the Manuka Oval
MD
11/VIII/17
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