England wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones addressed the media ahead of her team’s much-anticipated clash with Australia in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup. Both teams remain unbeaten in the tournament, setting the stage for a classic rivalry showdown.
Reflecting on the lingering memories of the 2025 Ashes, that England lost 0-16, Jones said it hasn’t been a major topic of discussion within the team.
“No, it hasn’t been a topic of discussion. I think it’s quite easy to look past it, only because a lot of time has passed, and a lot of changes have happened since then. It’s got a really different feel about it. Tournament cricket’s a bit different on the whole, and they’ve obviously had a great tournament so far. We know they pose a huge challenge, but we’re really excited for it.”
Jones, who recently returned to the top of the batting order, spoke about her renewed role and how she’s embraced the challenge. “I’ve loved opening again. It was a bit of a surprise when Lottie (Charlotte Edwards, head coach) first mentioned it to me after a few years of not doing it for England. It’s something I really enjoy.
“Over the summer, it went well quite quickly, and I had some good partnerships with Tammy (Beaumont). I’ve just been riding the wave of ups and downs as you do in cricket. I really enjoyed the last game, the first one went well, then it was a bit rocky, so I was pleased to get a start in the last game. Hopefully, if I can get in like that, I can go bigger next time.”
England comes into this clash after a narrow 4-run win over India and Jones pointed out areas for improvement.
“I think the game went really well for us, but we would have liked a few more runs after that platform. Heather was brilliant and scored very quickly, that was a crucial innings. Maybe a few more runs at the back end would have been nice, but there were loads of positives. The fielding innings were brilliant under pressure; we held our catches; bowlers stayed calm and took the game deep. We were very happy to get over the line.”
When asked about the lower middle order’s form, with Sophia Dunkley and Emma Lamb in particular struggling for runs, Jones said there hadn’t been any major concerns.
“No communication around that, everything’s quite individual. It’s not been long since they scored big runs, even in the warm-up games. Everyone feels like they’re in good touch, and it’s only a matter of time before they fire. We’re very lucky with the depth we’ve got and have a really strong batting order.”
Jones also spoke highly of left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, who has impressed in the powerplay. “I think Linsey’s been brilliant. You all know what she can do, she’s shown it for a long time for England in T20s and in the domestic game. For her to get this opportunity in 50-over cricket is brilliant. It was a big goal of hers to break into the team, and she’s taken on a different role opening the bowling with great success.”
Australia’s Alyssa Healy has been ruled out of the upcoming clash due to a calf injury, but Jones doesn’t believe it changes much.
“She’s a massive player for Australia. But we’ve seen the depth they have, so I don’t think it changes too much. Whoever comes in will be a very good player.”
Jones said her half-century against India has boosted her confidence ahead of the semifinal-like clash.
“It definitely gives me confidence. I probably felt a few extra nerves in that game because of the atmosphere; it was totally different to any other game in this World Cup. It was really cool to walk out there and open the batting in front of that big crowd. It was nice for me and Tammy to get a decent partnership, and I’ll take a lot of confidence into the next game.”
Asked about the pitch conditions, Jones observed that surfaces have been more batting-friendly. “It seems to have been more of a high-scoring wicket here, which is exciting. Opening the batting, that’s a nice prospect. Australia are always threatening, whether it’s turning or not, they have great deception and changes of pace. It should be a pretty good game.”
The England batter admitted that matches against Australia always carry extra motivation. “Every time you come up against Australia, it’s a huge game. There’s a rivalry there, and they’ve had the better of us a lot recently, so the whole team will definitely be up for it.”
Jones also touched upon how England have evolved under the new coaching setup.
“When a new coach comes in, conversations are different. There’s been a real emphasis on taking a bit more responsibility, particularly within the batting order. You can talk about it all you like, but until you see live examples. We’ve definitely seen that from a lot of our players, and it’s given us confidence to stick to that approach.”
With both sides unbeaten, England versus Australia promises to be one of the defining contests of the tournament, a rivalry steeped in history but refreshed by new energy and evolving line-ups.
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