Fresh off a dominant multi-format tour of South Africa—clean sweeping the Twenty20 International (T20I) series 3-0, winning the One Day International (ODI) series 2-1, and securing a thumping 286-run win in the One-Off Test—England has announced its squad for the highly anticipated Women’s Ashes 2025.
The Women’s Ashes in Australia kicks off on January 11 with the first of three ODIs, followed by a three-match T20I series. The multi-format series concludes with a historic four-day pink-ball Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), starting January 30, commemorating the 90th anniversary of the inaugural women’s Test series.
During their South Africa tour, Paige Scholfield sustained an ankle injury during training, while keeper-batter Bess Heath suffered a thumb injury, also in training, ruling both out of the series. Seren Smale and Ryana MacDonald-Gay were subsequently called up as replacements. Later in the tour, ace seamer Kate Cross was sidelined from the One-Off Test due to back spasms.
In some welcome news, Heath and Cross are set for a return, while the highly promising keeper-batter Smale misses out on a spot. Nonetheless, pacer MacDonald-Gay retains her place in the squad. Additionally, fit-again Danielle Gibson, who was unavailable for the South Africa tour, bolsters England’s prospects for what promises to be a fiercely competitive Women’s Ashes series.
Emerging all-rounder Freya Kemp, spinner Linsey Smith, and keeper-batter Bess Heath have been included in the Women’s Ashes squads for the first time. Additionally, left-arm pacer Mahika Gaur will regroup with the group as she continues her recovery and gradual return to bowling after the injury that sidelined her from the recent South Africa tour.
Notably, Alice Capsey, initially left out of the South Africa touring contingent and later recalled as injury cover, has secured a place across all formats. During the South Africa tour, Capsey featured only in the 3-match ODI series, scoring 8 runs in her only batting outing and returning figures of 2/59 in her lone bowling outing. The selectors have also shown faith in Sophia Dunkley despite a quiet South Africa tour, where she managed scores of 4, 0, 24*, and 4 across the three T20Is and one ODI.
The returns of Heath, Cross, Gibson, and Kemp further bolster an experienced England squad. The lineup features seasoned campaigners like Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amy Jones, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge in the batting department, alongside a formidable bowling unit comprising Lauren Bell, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, and Sarah Glenn.
England’s squads for Women’s Ashes:
England women ODI squad
Heather Knight (C), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
England women T20I squad
Heather Knight (C), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Linsey Smith, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
England women Test squad
Heather Knight (C), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
Women’s Ashes 2025 Fixtures:
1st ODI – 11 January: North Sydney Oval, Sydney
2nd ODI – 13 January: Junction Oval, Melbourne
3rd ODI – 16 January: Bellerive Oval, Hobart
1st T20I – 20 January: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
2nd T20I – 23 January: Manuka Oval, Canberra
3rd T20I – 25 January: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Test Match – 30 January – 2 February: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
The 2023 Women’s Ashes in England was a thrilling spectacle; commencing with a memorable one-off Test where Ashleigh Gardner’s stunning 8-wicket haul in the second innings turned the game in Australia’s favor, securing an 89-run victory and 4 crucial points. Australia extended their lead to 6 points by winning the opening T20I, but England mounted a remarkable comeback, claiming back-to-back T20I wins to win the series.
England continued their momentum with a win in the opening ODI, leveling the series at 6 points each. However, Australia’s narrow victory in the second ODI ensured they retained the Ashes. Despite this, England clinched the ODI series with a win in the decider, leaving the Ashes series level at 8 points apiece after trailing 0-6 earlier in the series.
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