As the Women’s Ashes moves on from the record-breaking Trent Bridge Test which saw 23,000 odd attendees, the epicenter now shifts to Edgbaston as the T20I series kicks off. The shortest format of the game will see matches being played in The Oval and Lords for the 2nd and 3rd games respectively. The first T20I will again go on to see record viewership with around 20,000 folks expected to witness the game live from the stadium.
Hosts England will step into the playing arena in front of a bumper crowd in Edgbaston and will be expected to pull their best cards off the quiver in order to win at least 5 out of the 6 white ball games and regain the ashes for the first time since 2014. An opportunity stares England in the eye as all the varying factors are in their favor leading into the series.
England Head Coach Jon Lewis urged his side to “go harder” at Australia, after their demeaning 89-run loss in the one-off test. Skipper Knight has said they will play an “aggressive” brand of cricket in the upcoming competition.
Knight said: “We have an array of very talented cricketers to pick from. I think T20 has probably been our strongest format over the last couple of years. We want to be aggressive, take the game on. In T20 cricket you have no other way than to be aggressive. That is our philosophy against any team we play against”.
A pivotal player in the English setup who has been under the shadow of an injury, Nat Sciver-Brunt is set to play in the first game but may not bowl. Her jaw-dropping numbers on the T20I stage continue to haunt opponents. With 2175 runs and 79 wickets, she has a knack of stepping on the accelerator and riding her side to fantastic victories.
“The most important thing is that Nat is there as a batter. We don’t want to push her too far and sacrifice the amazing role she plays with the bat as one of the best players in the world.” Knight said.
This T20I series would be the very first after Katherine Sciver-Brunt’s retirement, and her absence opens a huge void, in turn giving opportunities to the raw talent out there. Uncapped Western Storm all-rounder Danielle Gibson could be a potential replacement for the stalwart Katherine. In addition to which pacer Issy Wong is back in the T20I setup for the 3-match series.
England will look to take advantage of their home turf and crowd and stay on top of the game during the initial phases of the series itself. Their formidable core team is strong for any opposition on any given day, Knight and Co. will look to put their best foot forward as they face a highly confident Aussie side.
(Quotes sourced from Sky Sports)
