The aura round Australia‘s one-time all-conquering team has been diminished after a drawn Ashes series that ended with a massive ODI defeat.
Even skipper Alyssa Healy, filling in for absent Meg Lanning for the entire tour, called it a “bit dirty” to retain the Ashes without winning the series as the absence of the talismanic leader stood out.
For the second match in a row, English run machine Nat Sciver-Brunt blasted a century as she guided her team to 9-285, a target reduced for the Australians by rain to 269 but still one the tourists fell well short of.
All out for 199 in just 35 overs, the 69-run loss was the biggest of any of the ODI series, with Australia’s lone victory coming in a last-ball thriller having additionally misplaced two of the three T20s.
The multi-format sequence ended 8-8, Australia’s four-point haul within the opening Test match proving the distinction after England dominated each the T20s and ODIs, successful 4 of the six video games.
Australia should still maintain the ODI and T20 World Cups, and now the Ashes for a fourth-straight sequence, however Healy needed to concede the panorama of girls’s cricket had modified.
“We know that we got it done, even though it feels a bit dirty. But we got the result, so yippie!” she stated after the ultimate sport at Taunton.
“I have actually never been a believer in the gap. The gap’s not necessarily been. It is no surprise to see the way England have played in this series. They are going to beat any side in the world.
“Sri Lanka are beating New Zealand, Bangladesh are beating India, lots of exciting things happening in the world.”
Australian all-rounder Ash Gardner, named participant of the sequence for her workforce, advised the Aussies “didn’t show fight where we needed to” within the face of a critical assault from England’s batters particularly.
“Of course we came here to win the Ashes, retaining it is great. We were in positions to win but didn’t show fight where we needed to. Plenty of things to work on,” she stated.
“We need to find the fighting spirit which we lacked this series. We need to make sure that we are striding forward and taking the game on.
“We do a lot of training as cricketers, we have to know that we don’t lose skills in one day.”
Even Sciver-Brunt, who was named the participant of the Ashes, stated it felt like a “moral victory” by successful each the T20 and ODI sequence and making a giant dent on their long-time foes.
“Being able to win the T20 and ODI series cemented that belief,” she stated.
“We are most likely not on the prime of the place we wish to be however have made huge strides.“
Source: www.news.com.au
