England looking to win Women's Ashes for the first time since 2014 as they take on Australia in Test, one-day international and T20 cricket; Nasser Hussain says Australia "arguably greatest women's sporting side of all time" - watch series live from June 22
Tuesday 13 June 2023 10:31, UK
Nasser Hussain says "big-game player" Nat Sciver-Brunt and belief that they can beat "arguably the greatest women's sporting side of all time" will be pivotal to England's Women's Ashes chances.
England begin a multi-format series against Australia - one Test, three T20 internationals, three one-day internationals - on Thursday June 22 with the five-day fixture at Trent Bridge.
Australia won the previous two Ashes contests 12-4 on points and have not lost a series to England since 2014, while they are the reigning 50-over and T20 World Cup champions, beating England in the final of the longer version in April 2022.
Sciver-Brunt, third in the women's ODI batting rankings and second on the all-rounder list, scored two hundreds against Australia in the most recent 50-over World Cup, both in losing causes.
Sky Sports Cricket expert Hussain said: "Similar to Michael Vaughan's 2005 England men's side, there is no baggage there for the young players in this England women's team.
"Captain Heather Knight's leadership in an Ashes battle is also going to be key but Sciver-Brunt [is England's most-important player].
"They have a few world-class players but she is right at the top of the tree. One of the best in the world. Across all formats she will score runs and take wickets. She stands up on the big stage, in big games she always delivers, and she needs to set the tone.
"England are playing against the greatest women's cricket side of all time, arguably the greatest women's sporting side of all time, albeit without their influential captain Meg Lanning [who has stepped from this series away for medical reasons].
"Australia are still a serious side - Alyssa Healy will lead them, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney. So for me it is about belief. Do England really believe they can beat them?
"The vibes coming out from the likes of Heather and Issy Wong are that they do believe and it will be fun watching."
Hussain's fellow Sky Sports Cricket expert Michael Atherton is a fan of the multi-format series, which sees four points awarded to the winners of the Test - the teams will take two each in the event of a draw - and two points earned with wins in the white-ball fixtures.
The former England captain said: "I have always liked the multi-format nature. I have always thought of ways to try and bring elements of the game together.
"You often feel there is a divisiveness in cricket - fans of T20, fans of Test matches, those who like or dislike The Hundred. What I like about the multi-format series is that it ties everything together and you have players competing cross format with no division."
The Test will be held over five days, with the previous six four-day women's Test matches ending in draws.
England seamer Kate Cross told the Daggers and Lyds Podcast: "What excites me the most is that the five-day Test is probably going to guarantee a result, it is going to bring the Ashes more to life and be a really big part of the series.
"We are not naive. We know we are going in as underdogs but that can sometimes be a really great place to be.
"We will have to play our best cricket to beat them. Australia seem to be able to ride those tough pressure moments and find ways of winning and there will be documentaries about how successful they have been. But we are desperate to win."
Watch the Women's Ashes live and in full on Sky Sports Cricket.
Test match (Trent Bridge) - Thursday June 22 - Monday June 26 (11am start)
First T20 international (Edgbaston) - Saturday July 1 (6.35pm start)
Second T20 international (The Kia Oval) - Wednesday July 5 (6.35pm start)
Third T20 international (Lord's) - Saturday July 8 (6.35pm start)
First one-day international (Unique Stadium, Bristol) - Wednesday, July 12 (1pm start)
Second one-day international (The Ageas Bowl) - Sunday July 16 (11am start)
Third one-day international (Taunton) - Tuesday July 18 (1pm start)
