England have announced a 14-player squad for the 1st Women’s Ashes ODI against Australia.
The squad contains no surprises, and is identical to the squad selected for the first two matches of the West Indies ODI series, save for the omission of Alex Hartley, who was “let go” during that series.
Heather Knight, who was due to miss the washed-out T20 at Derby last Tuesday as a precautionary measure, having twanged her hamstring in the game at Northampton, is included and is expected to lead the team out as usual.
With the England Academy playing games against Australia A during the week, England have the option to bring in other players later in the series, which might provide an opening for Bryony Smith, who impressed in her ODI debut versus the Windies and also hit a half century in the warm-ups against Australia last week.
The multi-format series begins next week with a pair of day-night ODIs at Leicester on Tuesday 2nd and Thursday 4th July, followed by the final ODI at Canterbury on Sunday 7th July. The teams then have 10 days preparation before the only Test, which begins in Taunton on Thursday 18th July.
Full Squad
Heather Knight (Berkshire)
Tammy Beaumont (Kent)
Katherine Brunt (Yorkshire)
Kate Cross (Lancashire)
Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire)
Jenny Gunn (Nottinghamshire)
Amy Jones (Warwickshire)
Laura Marsh (Kent)
Nat Sciver (Surrey)
Anya Shrubsole (Berkshire)
Sarah Taylor (Sussex)
Fran Wilson (Kent)
Lauren Winfield (Yorkshire)
Danni Wyatt (Sussex)
CRICKETher 
Fran Wilson also got 91 in the second game of the “academy” warm-ups. Freya Davies, Smith, Gordon and Elwiss performed quite well too. Australia won both pretty comfortably I suppose, although it could have gone better for them. They have marmalised academy sides before. The middle order impressed more than the top order in the first game, they all got runs in the second, but it’s mostly their bowling that I feel will trouble England in the ODIs.
I feel that the best chance for England will be getting some points on the board early. It’s not going to be so simple to get 4 points from the T20s any longer, as we have done recently, with the Aussies having progressed in this department and not really any worse in the others either.
Again I don’t feel we can realistically win the Test unless Lanning and Perry don’t turn up, but we must try for staying in the game and taking it as deep as possible to eke out a draw. It will be interesting playing on a more turning wicket this time around, but I think Australia will win it.
The way they’re playing at the moment, actually regaining the Ashes is going to be a very tough challenge for England which I feel is a bridge too far this time. The performances are very important for England though, we need to keep the series competitive because it will become stale quick (for me anyway) if the trophy doesn’t move around occasionally.
Typical Healy to come out and say they’re going to win every match. Aussie arrogance, and I don’t think that’s the challenge they should be setting themselves either. For the top sides the way they win is important, and Australia too often take the “boring” route by stifling the opposition. I’d like to see them scoring 300s and 350+ because it hardly ever happens, but is quite common for England against a lot of other sides.
LikeLike
OK so she said not losing a game, sorry my mistake. It is effectively the same thing though, except admitting that England might draw the Test. Unless she thinks some matches might be ties?!
LikeLike
Except she didn’t really say that. It was a newspaper headline that didn’t actually reflect an answer she gave when asked if Aus could win every match.
LikeLike
Didn’t see any newspapers, I was just quoting what it said on Cricinfo, so that must have been wrong!
LikeLike