Australian Women’s Team lead the three match T20I series by 1-0 ahead of the second match to be played on this Sunday. In the 1st match, Australian women scored a mammoth total of 226 riding on the back of some extraordinary hitting by their captain Meg Lanning who scored an unbeaten 133 of 63 balls which included 17 fours and 7 sixes. Beth Mooney scored 54 runs before getting out to Sophie Ecclestone. In reply to Australia’s total England women’s team was found short by 93 runs. England women’s team had a bad day on the field firstly facing the assault by Lanning and later on loosing wickets at regular interval in the chase. Lauren Winfield was the highest scorer for England scoring 33 runs, the target was never in their arc as the England’s Women’s team had lost their first 4 wickets for just 22 runs on the board. Ellyse Perry for Australia was pick of the bowlers picking up 2 wickets and just giving 11 runs for her 3 overs.
The second of the three T20I’s will be played on
Date and Day-July 28, 2019, Sunday.
Venue-County Ground, Hove (Sussex).
Sarah Taylor the English wicket keeper has been withdrawn from the squad owing to mental health issues. Fran Wilson has been called up as replacement.
England Women T20I squad
Danielle Wyatt, Heather Knight(C), Laura Marsh, Katherine Brunt, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Natalie Sciver, Mady Villiers, Tammy Beaumont, Amy Ellen Jones, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Anya Shrubsole.
Australia Women T20I squad
Meg Lanning (C), Rachael Haynes (VC), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (WK), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux.
Probable England Women playing XI: –
Danielle Wyatt, Heather Knight(C), Laura Marsh, Katherine Brunt, Natalie Sciver, Tammy Beaumont, Amy Ellen Jones, Lauren Winfield (WK), Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Anya Shrubsole.
Probable Australia Women playing XI: –
Meg Lanning (C), Rachael Haynes (VC), Sophie Molineux, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (WK), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Georgia Wareham.
Players to watch out for (fantasy players)
Ellyse Perry
The Australian allrounder picked up vital wickets upfront in the first T20I, and was economical in the match while denting the England chase. She wasn’t needed with the bat but is a proven match winner with bat in hand too.
Meg Lanning
The Australian captain devasted the England Women’s bowling by going bonkers against them and scoring a jaw dropping 133 of just 63 balls. If she ends up doing any of that again in the series the series would be out of England’s reach. She just gave us a reminder of her hitting powers with that innings she played at Chelmsford.
Danielle Wyatt
If England are to challenge the Australian team, they have to put their best foot forward which means they have to outplay the Australian’s in each department. Danielle Wyatt has the ability to play that kind of an innings, which her team is in desperate need of and would be counting on her to perform.
Megan Schutt
The right arm medium pacer from Australia has been a consistent performer in this format of the game. The number one ranked bowler in this format just goes by her business of picking up regular wickets and keeping the run flow in check.
Prediction: –
The Australian Women’s team is on a roll and are most likely to take the Ashes urn home if they go on to win this match, it would take some great team effort from England to beat the Australian team. The tide is highly in favor of Australia but you can’t just count the England Women’s team out yet. We will have to wait and see whether the England women fight to take the series into the final match of the series or will it be another walk in the park for the Australian women’s team.
Written by
Milind Shelke
Loves all things female cricket