The Women’s Ashes, a zenith of women’s cricket, has been an action-packed contest between England and Australia since its inception in 1934. This series has witnessed intense rivalry, with Australia having an upper hand.
After England spiritedly managed an impressive draw in the 2023 series, they are facing a tough reality this year. Australia has been dominating, leading the series with a staggering 10-0 margin. England’s struggles to reclaim the Ashes have sparked several debates and controversies, particularly about their fitness levels.

Australia seized every opportunity to make the most of England’s errors throughout the series. They had even the narrowest of margins on their side, the recent T20 match where Australia won by 6 runs (DLS Method) to quote one. For England, the struggles have been persistent. Dropped catches, fielding lapses and batting depth are some of the questions that need to be addressed.
While former England spinner and current commentator, Alex Hartley feels that team’s fitness levels, a lack of athleticism, has contributed to their struggles, England’s head coach Jon Lewis thinks otherwise.
According to him, ‘discipline’ and ‘skill level’ are to be attributed for England’s loss and not fitness. Speaking ahead of Saturday’s third and final T20I in Adelaide, Lewis said, “I would say Australia are a much more athletic team than us, more agile, they look faster at times, they look more powerful.
“Is that the reason that we’re not winning cricket matches here? No. I think their discipline and their skill level has been higher.”
Reflecting on the 2023 Ashes, Jon Lewis remarked, “If you look at the Ashes in 2023, I think we poked the bear a little bit. Australia have gone away and reset. The scoreline is bigger, but I don’t think the gap is.”
Back then, England showcased a remarkable comeback. They bounced back from 6-0 and leveled the series at 8-8 by winning critical moments under immense pressure. But this year they haven’t been able to turn the tide on their side and they now face a 10-0 deficit with a 10-6 defeat being their best possible outcome. On this, Lewis says, “We are clearly disappointed we haven’t got the results, but I think we’ve been more competitive than the scoreline suggests.”
Coach Lewis, also acknowledged the immense challenge of the 2025 Ashes, admitting that competing and securing victories against the dominant Australian side was always going to be a challenge. He complimented Australia for being an ‘exceptional team’ and having an incredible winning record especially on the home soil. Highlighting England’s ongoing development as a group, he recognized the differences in the experience of the two teams.
England’s performance had also raised questions about the team’s leadership, particularly Jon Lewis. Former England captain Nasser Hussain publicly expressed his concerns and said, “Are you improving under (captain Heather) Knight and Jon Lewis? That’s the question that needs to be asked”.
“I love this job, I am committed to making them a better team,” Jon Lewis said when asked about his future as a coach.
(Quotes sourced from Sky Sports)

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