England’s 14-match winning run has been a badge worn with some pride by the players; they have spent the first half of 2019 trampling all over India, Sri Lanka and West Indies. It took a mere 25 minutes to realise how little any of that mattered. With 5.1 overs gone England were reduced to 19 for four – welcome to the Ashes.
Incredibly, despite that start, England came within a hairsbreadth of maintaining their unbeaten run – Australia hobbling to victory by two wickets after England had been bowled out for 177 with three of their overs going unused. At 67 for two after 17 overs, it should have been a walk in the park for an Australia lineup that bats all the way into next week. It was not. Welcome, once again, to the Ashes.
“It was a tight game,” England’s captain, Heather Knight, said afterwards. “You’re not going to win many games when you lose those early wickets, but I’m really proud of the fight the girls showed. It’s a characteristic we’ve shown a hell of a lot over the last two years.”
It was Nat Sciver who gave England their first glimmer, bagging the wicket of Ellyse Perry in her first over courtesy of yet another stunning stumping off a wide by Sarah Taylor. England already owed Sciver a debt: earlier in the day it had been her patient 95-ball 64 which marshalled their recovery, after Megan Schutt and Perry had wreaked havoc with the hooping new ball at the outset.
Sciver’s partner in crime with the bat, Sophie Ecclestone – brimming with confidence after smacking the Australia bowlers around the park on her way to a run-a-ball 27 earlier in the day – then announced herself by demolishing Australia’s middle order, finishing with figures of three for 34.
“Her talent is amazing,” added Knight. “She’s brilliant to have up your sleeve as a captain. She can come on and take a wicket from nowhere. She’s got a real good eye, she strikes the ball cleanly, and she’s been invaluable for us this summer coming in and striking the ball and clearing the ropes.”
Australia had looked on course thanks largely to the imperious Alyssa Healy, who brought up her half-century with a six slammed behind square. It took a diving catch in the deep from Fran Wilson to see her off for 66. Unlike Wilson’s stunner earlier in the summer, this effort is unlikely to go viral. That honour went to the shocker of a decision Wilson received during England’s innings – ruled leg before to Jess Jonassen after the ball had clearly deflected off her glove. The ECB has apparently decided against using DRS in this series for budgetary reasons. It may live to regret it.
As it was, the winning runs came in the 43rd over courtesy of five wides down the leg side from Katherine Brunt, a finale that aptly summed up the nervy contest. “I think it’s going to be one of the closest Ashes series that I’ve been a part of,” said Healy. If the opener is anything to go by, she will not be far off the mark.
