The 25th edition of one of the biggest rivalries in sport, “The Ashes” is set to get underway on 22nd June 2023. The Ashes series involves two teams, England and Australia. It was initially played in just one format, i.e. the Test format. Since 2013, it was switched to a multi-format series, including a points system. The 2023 edition is going to be the 6th time it will be contested as a multi-format series under the new points system.
This time around, it is going to be a historical series, in fact, it will be the first time ever that a women’s Test match will go on for 5 days instead of 4, adding to the spice around this series. The ticket sales for the first Ashes test hit an all-time high, highlighting the growing interest in the women’s game for the spectators of both these nations.
Let’s have a look at the top 5 Aussie players to watch out for in the upcoming Ashes.
1. Darcie Brown:
The 20-year-old young pacer from South Australia is one of the most exciting talents coming up the ranks for Australia. The right-arm pacer can rattle any batter with her pace and the bounce she can generate. She could pose a threat to the opposition batters in English conditions, assisting swing and seam movement. She had an impressive outing in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year, she picked up seven wickets with an impressive economy of 5 runs an over in the 6 games she played.
2. Kim Garth:
The 27-year-old Allrounder recently made a shift to Australia after making her international debut for Ireland, back in the year 2010. She played her last game for Ireland back in the year 2019, after playing over 100 matches for them. She made her ODI debut for Australia in December 2022. She had an impressive WPL season picking up 11 wickets and making some handy contributions with the bat for the Gujarat Giants, after coming in as a replacement for Deandra Dottin. Her all-round abilities could come in very handy in a high-voltage series like the Ashes.
3. Tahlia McGrath:
The Australian vice-captain for the series will have a crucial role to play and take up the responsibility in the batting department if they are to retain the Ashes. She had an impressive outing in the WPL, playing for the UP Warriorz. She was the top run scorer with 302 runs and an average of over 50 for the Warriorz.
4. Ellyse Perry:
She has been one of the star performers over the years for Australia in the Ashes. She has scored 1552 runs and picked up 68 wickets in the Ashes. She was the heart of RCB’s batting line-up in the inaugural WPL season, being one of the top run scorers, also picking up a few wickets. She is a vital cog in the Aussie batting line up and the kind of experience she brings with her could be the game-changer for her side especially in the absence of the regular skipper Meg Lanning.
5. Beth Mooney:
She will be making a comeback from a calf injury that she suffered during the Inaugural match of the WPL playing for the Gujarat Giants. Being a senior member of the side, all eyes will be on the wicket-keeper batter to lead from the front as far as the batting unit is concerned.
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