Women’s Ashes 2019: England Women v Australia Women, 1st T20I: Preview, prediction, likely XIs

England have a chance to claw back against Australia in the multi-format women’s Ashes in the three remaining T20Is, the first of which will be played in Chelmsford on Friday, 26 July.

So far in their tour, Australia have lorded over the hosts. The English sides are yet to taste victory – even accounting for tour matches – and Australia may well have been able to push their lead to unassailable levels had they been ambitious in their drawn one-off Tests.

That they played for the draw didn’t go down well with everyone, irrespective of the fact that it helped them retain the urn. As it stands, Australia have eight points to England’s two. They needed one more victory to get out of England’s reach, but that’s easier said than done as England are, Australia captain Meg Lanning noted, a tough T20I side.

Australia lead the T20I rankings, but England are close on their heels at second place, and despite beating them in the final of the Women’s World T20 2018 in November last year, Australia remain wary of them.

England have won all seven of the T20Is they have played this year, against India away, Sri Lanka away, and West Indies at home. Australia, meanwhile, are yet to play a T20I this year.

It could be that, for the first time this series, England have an advantage.  

Head to head

Australia and England have clashed in 32 T20Is over the years. England edge them in the head-to-heads, with 17 wins to Australia’s 14.

However, in the last three matches between these two sides, Australia have tasted victory, including in the final of the World T20.

Key players

Mady Villiers (England): The Essex all-rounder is the new face in the England line-up, but Australia will be well aware of her skills. She scored an unbeaten half-century for England’s Academy in the warm-up match before the Test. She may yet turn this.

Ellyse Perry (Australia): The Australia all-rounder has been unstoppable form this series. She took 11 wickets in the ODIs, to go with a half-century, and in the one-off Test, she scored 116 and 76* and returned 1/44. Such has been consistency and excellence, it seems only natural that her form extends to the T20Is. England will be wary.

Likely XIs

England: Amy Jones, Danielle Wyatt, Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver, Heather Knight (c), Katherine Brunt, Sarah Taylor (wk), Anya Shrubsole, Sophie Ecclestone, Mady Villiers, Laura Marsh

Australia: Alyssa Healy (wk), Nicole Bolton, Meg Lanning (c), Rachel Haynes, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt

Prediction

England to finally get one back against the Aussies.