Key events
Preamble
Good evening, good morning, good afternoon. When the Women’s Ashes schedule was announced there was understandable criticism that it was far too short, with the whole thing squashed into 24 days between 11 January and 2 February. Now it’s in danger of outstaying its welcome. Australia retained the Ashes after 10 of those 24 days, and the rest of the series – containing the last two T20s and the Test in Melbourne – could be one big anti-climax.
Still, this is the Ashes, and there’s always something to play for. Marsellus Wallace can say what he likes about pride but he clearly wasn’t a cricket fan. A number of the England players, and the coach Jon Lewis, are fighting for their futures. Australia’s future looks almost as bright as their coruscating recent past. The present looks pretty good too. The Class of 25 have the chance to achieve something extraordinary: the first whitewash in Women’s Ashes history.
Tonight’s match starts at 7.15pm AEDT, 8.15am GMT.
