Women's Ashes 2025: England's only warm-up match abandoned because of rain in Sydney
2025-01-09
Category: sports

Women's Ashes warm-up fixture, North Sydney Oval Governor General's XI 183-8 (28.2 overs): Voll 57 (42); Ecclestone 3-27England: did not batMatch abandoned Scorecard (external), external
England's only warm-up match in preparation for the women's Ashes was abandoned because of rain in Sydney. After several rain delays, the match was reduced to 35 overs a side before the weather ended the Australian Governor General XI's innings on 183-8 from 28.2 overs. England were then set a revised target of 188 in 28 overs, but play did not resume at the North Sydney Oval. However, captain Heather Knight said at the toss that she was more keen for her bowlers to get overs in their legs. The seamers struggled for consistency as openers Alyssa Healy and Georgia Voll added 91 in 11.2 overs, with 21-year-old Voll impressing with 57 from 42 balls. The pair and Georgia Wareham were the only players in the XI who are also in Australia's Ashes squad, with leg-spinning all-rounder Wareham only making three as England's spinners fought back after the wayward start. Sophie Ecclestone removed both openers on her way to figures of 3-27, and the middle order wobbled to 147-6 before a late flurry of boundaries from Rhys McKenna and Nicole Faltum helped start a recovery until the rain resumed. 
The first one-day international takes place at the same venue on Sunday (starting at 23:30 GMT on Saturday) with a more promising forecast for that match.England are waiting nervously on the fitness of seamer Kate Cross, who was not named in the side as she continues to struggle with a back problem.Cross suffered the injury during December's tour of South Africa, consequently missing the Test match which concluded that series.The points-based Ashes series consists of three ODIs and three T20s, which are worth two points each, and a Test match, which is worth four points.
Unconvincing start for England's seamers 
Without the experienced Cross, captain Knight could be presented with a headache around the formation of her seam attack after a poor display from Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer and Nat Sciver-Brunt. The three bowled 11.2 wicketless overs between them and conceded 98 runs, though Filer did struggle with her run-up and delivery stride on a damp pitch, falling multiple times in her opening spell. All-rounder Danielle Gibson only bowled three overs for a tidy 14 runs, before it was once again left to the spinners to perform the rescuing act. Ecclestone had Healy lbw sweeping for 38, Voll was bowled by a canny quicker delivery and Charli Knott was also bowled for 17. Off-spinner Charlie Dean also added respectable figures of 2-20 from her five overs, while part-timer Alice Capsey bowled three overs and leg-spinner Sarah Glenn only had time for one. The North Sydney Oval is typically a batting-friendly wicket, which leaves Knight and Jon Lewis with a dilemma if Cross cannot play about whether they select their three spinners or keep the faith with the quicks. 