Women’s cricket has grown in incremental steps for a long time – this series shows making the leap to big grounds is the best tacticThe Women’s Ashes has a long history of close contests, drawn series and match-defining moments that have kept spectators on the edge of their seats. But in 2011, only a handful of people were at Bankstown Oval to witness Alex Blackwell’s bold declaration and Rene Farrell’s decisive hat-trick that swung the match in Australia’s favour and secured their first Ashes win since 2003.What has changed most since then is not the cricket itself, but the number of people paying attention and, crucially, the number of spectators through the gates. Ground upgrades to venues such as the...
The tourists played three specialist slow bowlers to beat England, learning a lesson from their male counterparts in 2005With one ball to come in the 100th over of the match, it was Natalie Sciver-Brunt on her haunches holding the handle of her bat, puffing for air. She needed six to win, four to tie and force a super over. After her final swing of the match, one that didn’t connect cleanly enough to find either variety of boundary, it was the whole ground that was short of air, one long exhale from the England-supporting crowd. Taking back the trophy had still been a chance, then it was gone.As the men’s and women’s Ashes series have unspooled side by side across...
The idea of hosts beating all-conquering tourists five times in a row seemed absurd – but now the series is truly up for grabsAfter Australia won the lone Women’s Ashes Test at Trent Bridge in June, Alyssa Healy would have been keen to celebrate. She had spent her rare Test appearances across years playing out draws on surfaces that offered drudgery between thunderstorms: North Sydney in 2017, Taunton in 2019, hosting India on the Gold Coast in 2021, even the Canberra Ashes Test of 2022 where a close finish relied on Australia manufacturing a target.Now she was unexpectedly captain, filling in for the absent Meg Lanning, and celebrating a bona fide Test win in a match that was given the...
Captain’s half century builds lead on day of ups and downs after Sophie Ecclestone’s relentless bowling checked their progressOn the fourth morning of the Women’s Ashes Test in Nottingham, Australia had the game in their hands. One wicket down, 149 on the board, leading by 159 in the third innings, with their two most reliable hands Beth Mooney and Ellyse Perry together at the crease. Thirty-five overs later they were all out for 257, the last nine down for 108.That session-and-a-bit of was like the breaking of a storm, after three and a half days of bowlers working thanklessly thanks to a batting pitch and a raft of missed chances from both teams. The game’s trajectory had not suggested losing...
Annabel Sutherland had advantages early in life but her first Test century shows she has never stopped learningIn terms of sporting provenance stories, having a national cricket board CEO for a father doesn’t hit the inspirational high notes. James Sutherland spent two decades at the top for Cricket Australia and, like some players, probably held on a few years too long. When he did make way, it at least partially cleared the air for his children, Annabel and Will, to pursue playing careers.No doubt being connected to power in the game opened plenty of doors and gained access to the best development. It gave them a life so entwined with cricket, perhaps attempting to play it was inevitable. The one...