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Amy Jones has claimed that January’s Ashes whitewash “hasn’t been a topic of discussion” before Wednesday’s World Cup clash between England and Australia. And if you believe that, you’ll believe anything.
Both teams have qualified for the semi-finals, so you could argue little will be at stake in Indore. You would be wrong. First, given the run of results in this World Cup, these sides are almost certain to finish first and second and therefore avoid a semi-final against each other – which means this game could well be a precursor to the final in Navi Mumbai on 2 November. Cricket is a game played partly in the mind: no one wants to be thumped by their opponents two weeks before they meet them in a global tournament final.
Equally important, this will be the first time the teams have met since Australia humiliated England 16-0 on Ashes points last winter. Since then, England have fired Heather Knight as the captain, catapulted Charlotte Edwards into the role of head coach, and tried desperately to shake off their reputation as a side that drop their catches and wilt under pressure. Arguably, their rabbit-out-of-a-hat victory against India on Sunday went some way to achieving that. A win against Australia would be the icing on the cake. “We know they pose a huge challenge, but we’re really excited for it,” Jones said.
The big news on the eve of the match was that Australia’s captain, Alyssa Healy, was ruled out with a calf injury, sustained during a training session on Saturday. Tahlia McGrath will lead the side in her absence. It is certainly a blow: Healy has just hit back-to-back hundreds, against India and Bangladesh, the first of which enabled Australia to make a record run-chase of 331 look like a cakewalk. On the other hand, she also missed the entire T20 leg of the Ashes, which Australia (if we needed reminding) won 3-0.
Australia have not been infallible in this tournament – they teetered perilously against New Zealand and Pakistan – but those wobbles simply gave them the chance to showcase their enviable batting depth, with centuries from Ash Gardner and Beth Mooney, respectively, saving the day. Phoebe Litchfield hit 84 not out against Bangladesh – more runs in a single innings than Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey have managed between them in the entire tournament. And the most likely candidate to replace Healy is the 22-year-old opening batter Georgia Voll, who has spent the tournament to date sat on the bench twirling a rugby ball, but who would probably have already walked into any other nation’s starting XI.
England, by contrast, are likely to play an unchanged XI after their dramatic four-run win against India. Jones, who scored a face-saving half-century after a run of low scores, said her team’s morale had been boosted after silencing the sell-out Indore crowd. “It definitely gives me confidence,” she said on Tuesday. “I probably felt a few extra nerves in that game. Atmosphere-wise, it was totally different to any game we’ve played so far in the World Cup. It was really cool to walk out there and open the batting in front of that big crowd.”
England will again be relying on their world-class spinning trio of Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith and Charlie Dean to make up for their middle-order fragilities. The Indore pitch is likely to be a haven for batters, but Jones said she felt England’s spinners would still do well. “They’re very threatening, whether it’s turning or not, given the deception that they have and their changes of pace,” Jones said. “I’m sure they’ll play a big role.”
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The left-arm spinner Smith has taken a wicket in every one of England’s completed matches in this tournament and held her nerve to concede only four runs from the 48th over against India. She may just be the missing puzzle piece that England have been looking for – a dependable death bowler. Whether that will prove enough against opponents such as Australia remains to be seen.
