In a series that will be remembered for its sheer dominance, Australia crushed England in the multi-format Women’s Ashes, completing an unprecedented 16-0 whitewash. After sweeping the T20Is and ODIs, the Australians wrapped up the one-off Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with an innings-and-122-run victory. England struggled to keep up, as Australia outplayed them in every aspect of the game.
England’s campaign never truly took off. Their batters failed to deliver under pressure, their bowlers struggled to contain Australia’s aggressive approach, and their fielding lacked sharpness. In the Test match, they managed only 170 in the first innings mainly because of Alana King’s 4/45, before Australia piled on 440, courtesy of centuries from Annabel Sutherland (163) and Beth Mooney (106).
In the second innings, England’s batters faltered again, collapsing to 148 all out. Despite a fighting 47 from Tammy Beaumont, and once again it was King (5/53) bowling in partnership with Ash Gardner (4/39), both spun a web around the English side, sealing an emphatic victory.
Captain Heather Knight admitted that England had been completely outplayed, “They played amazingly well. We unfortunately haven’t played better cricket here and we’ve got a lot. I guess I’ll have to search for answers about a lot of things.”
She did, however, find a bright spot in Lauren Bell’s performances, “I think Lauren (Bell) in particular has been a real standout performer from the tour for us. In terms of the skill level that she has and how she has bowled particularly in one-day cricket and test cricket.”
Bell finished the series with nine wickets across formats, but her efforts weren’t enough to prevent Australia’s ruthless dominance.
Australia approached the series with a clear game plan, executing it to near perfection. They showed no signs of complacency and played with an intent to dominate.
Captain Alyssa Healy reflected on the team’s belief in their abilities, “I genuinely think that this side can achieve anything. It’s just whether or not, you know, we back ourselves to do it at any given occasion.”
She acknowledged the disappointment of their T20 World Cup campaign last year but credited the team for redefining their approach.
“We spoke quite heavily about the way we want to play the game, and how we want to approach it. I don’t think at any point we set out to have a whitewash, but I think we just knew that if we stayed on top we could, um, we could win the series and dominate and we did just that.”
That mindset was evident throughout the series, as Australia never let England off the hook.
Australia’s spinners were instrumental in sealing the whitewash, with Alana King producing a career-best performance in the final innings. She ran through England’s batting lineup, finishing with figures of 5/53.
“I love bowling long spells. We don’t get to do it all that often but to relish that opportunity, it’s something that’s pretty high on my list and I’m pretty proud of it,” King said after her match-winning spell.
Her performance ensured Australia wrapped up the Test inside three days, completing the 16-0 clean sweep in emphatic fashion.
Australia’s performance was filled with historic milestones. Alana King’s 23 wickets in the series equaled Ash Gardner’s record haul from the 2023 Ashes, highlighting the strength of Australia’s spin attack.
King and Gardner combined for nine wickets in England’s final innings at the MCG, making it the first time since 1949 that spinners claimed nine or more wickets in a women’s Test in Australia.
Annabel Sutherland became the first woman to score a Test century at the MCG, surpassing the previous highest score of 83* by England’s Betty Snowball in 1935. Meanwhile, Beth Mooney became only the fourth woman – and the first Australian – to register international centuries in all three formats, joining an elite group alongside Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, and Laura Wolvaardt.
With King and Gardner in full control, England’s lower order showed brief resistance before Lauren Filer chipped one to mid-on, handing King her maiden Test five-for.
Beth Mooney’s composed 106 and Annabel Sutherland’s historic 163 had already set the foundation, and with their bowlers delivering a masterclass, Australia ensured England had no way back.
The 16-0 clean sweep will go down as one of the most dominant displays in Ashes history, leaving England with significant questions to answer. Meanwhile, Australia’s triumph reaffirms their position as the best in the world, setting the benchmark for years to come.
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