It’s taken a while, but favorites Australia with a teasing 3-run win in the 2nd One-Day International against England have retained the Women’s Ashes 8-6. The final game of the multi-format Women’s Ashes series, the 3rd ODI will be played at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, on the 18th of July, 2023, and commences at 5:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Series recap
The multi-format Women’s Ashes series commenced on the 22nd of June with a gripping 5-day Test match, ultimately claimed by Australia in the 13th session on the morning of day 5. Australia further solidified their position with a victory in the T20I opener, extending their lead to 6. However, England showcased tremendous resilience, staging a remarkable comeback by winning the remaining two T20I matches, resulting in a 2-1 T20I series win for England.
In the opening ODI, England continued their momentum, securing a victory and handing Australia three consecutive defeats, their first hat-trick of defeats since 2017, in the process, England staged an extraordinary fightback and leveled the series at 6-all. Nevertheless, Australia emerged triumphant in the second ODI, taking an 8-6 lead, to retain the Ashes, which they’ve held on since 2015 and will continue to do so until the next contest in 2025. The series has been one of the greatest in the history of women’s cricket and England will be eager to level the series in what promises to be another thrilling contest.
Squads:
England – Heather Knight (C), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones (WK), Lauren Filer, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt
Australia – Alyssa Healy (C), Tahlia McGrath (VC), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham
Players to watch out:
Amy Jones
The 30-year-old keeper-batter, in 67 ODI appearances, has scored 1632 runs at an average of 26.75 and has achieved a highest score of 94. After a series of cheap dismissals, Jones returned to form, scoring 37 in the 2nd ODI, and would aim to build on that performance to finish strongly.
Lauren Bell
The 22-year-old pacer, in 7 ODIs, has taken 12 wickets at an economy rate of 6.14 and registered the current best bowling figures of 4/33. Bell gained momentum as the series progressed, claiming 3 wickets in the One-Off Test, 4 in the 3 T20Is, and 5 in the 2 ODIs so far.
Beth Mooney
The 29-year-old batter, in 54 ODI outings, with an average of 54.07, has scored 2055 runs and notched up the current best of 133. Beth, as always, has had a successful series, contributing consistently with the bat and recording the highest scores of 85 (Test), 61* (T20I), and 81* in the series.
Megan Schutt
The 30-year-old pacer, in ODIs, has played 81 innings, striking 113 runs, and has been handy in 25 outings with the bat, contributing 103 runs. Schutt has appeared slightly off-color lately, even in this series, with a question mark to her wicket-taker abilities, and with a good outing would want to put such debates to rest.
Pitch:
The wicket at the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton caters to both batters and bowlers. Although it is a batting-friendly surface, the average score at the venue remains in the 210s, indicating assistance for bowlers, particularly pacers, to exploit.
Weather:
Despite cloudy overhead, the chances of rain are very slim, meaning we should have a complete game on our hands. The temperature is forecasted to hover around 19°C with light winds and a humidity level of 68%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, Phoebe Litchfield, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell, Georgia Wareham
Match details:
Date – July 18, 2023
Time – 5:30 PM IST
Venue – The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton
Broadcast – All games of the series will be live-streamed on Sony Liv and telecasted by Sony Sports Network.