The Women’s Ashes is well-poised after the two teams Australia and England having put up a strong fight in the recently concluded Test. Though the Test ended in a draw, it was an enthralling contest between the bat and ball. Australia lead the points table with six points to England’s four. With another six points at stake, the two teams will look to give their best in the final leg of the Women’s Ashes which is the three-match ODI series. The first ODI will be played on February 3 at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.
Match Preview
Head to Head
Australia and England have played 78 WODIs against each other since 1973. While Australia has won 52, England has won 22. Three matches did not produce any result, while one ended in a tie.
Squads
Australia: Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (VC), Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Meg Lanning (C), Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Stella Campbell, Beth Mooney
England: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Natasha Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Ellen Jones, Natalie Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Lauren Winfield Hill, Danielle Wyatt, Charlotte Dean, Lauren Bell
Players to watch out for
Meg Lanning:
The Australian captain is the leading run getter in the present ODI side with 3984 runs in 88 innings. She has 14 centuries which is the highest in the world of women’s ODI cricket. The right handed top order bat will be the backbone of Australia’s batting.
Tahlia McGrath:
The all-rounder has looked in good touch with both bat and ball in the ongoing Women’s Ashes. Australia will want her to contribute in the similar fashion going into the three match ODI series. She is a solid middle order bat and a genuine right arm seamer. She has the uncanny ability to take wickets at crucial junctures.
Natalie Sciver:
The English all-rounder has the experience of playing 77 ODIs. She has 2176 runs in 68 innings at an average of 38.85, including three centuries. With the ball, she has accounted for 54 wickets in 68 innings so far. England will want its all-rounder to contribute with both bat and ball.
Heather Knight:
The captain of the England team will look to lead from the front. She scored more than 200 runs in the recently concluded Test and was the player of the match. She is one of the most prolific batters for England. She has mustered 3223 runs in 112 ODI innings at an average of 38.36.
Pitch
Eight WODIs have been played at this venue so far. Teams batting first have won six matches, while teams batting second have won two. Both the teams have 100 percent success rate at this venue. Australia have won six out of six matches, while England have won the solitary match that they have played here. The highest total at this venue has been 281 and the lowest was 104. With cloudy conditions, it is possible that the seam bowlers will get more out of the wicket.
Weather
It will be a day night game. The weather is expected to be partly cloudy in the first half, with showers expected in the latter half of the match. There is approximately 50 percent chance of rain after 6pm (local). The average temperature will be around 20 degrees Celsius in the afternoon (local) and drop to around 16 degrees Celsius as the day progresses.
Fantasy playing XI
Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning, Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, Tahlia McGrath, Natalie Sciver, Ashleigh Gardner, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Sophie Ecclestone
Match details
Date: February 3, 2022
Time: 8.40am IST
Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra
Live streaming: Sony LIV
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.
