Australia v England: T20 preview

Australia are set to resist the temptation of playing four spinners and instead pick a balanced XI for the first Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series T20 international in Sydney tomorrow.

Australia captain Rachael Haynes told reporters today the hosts’ side will be announced at the toss, with spin expected to play a key role given the nature of the pitch.

The wicket that will be used at North Sydney Oval on Friday is the same one that hosted the four-day pink-ball Test last week, a benign pitch that offered little assistance in pace or seam movement for the bowlers.

It means a clutter of spinners from both sides could feature in the match, but Haynes says it’s unlikely all four of Ashleigh Gardner, Jess Jonassen, Amanda-Jade Wellington and Molly Strano will take the field for Australia.

“(Spinners) have done pretty well for us over the course of the series,” Haynes said.

“But with the wicket too – we played the Test match on it – having a look at it today it looks very much it on day one of the Test match in terms of it being quite dry.

“I think it will be a flat wicket but potentially not the pace in it we see at other venues.

“I don't think that we will take four spinners in to be honest, we'll pick a balanced team and that team will be based on the conditions.

“We've shown throughout this series that that's what we're going to do, we're going to pick a balanced team and the team who we think is best on that day to win the match.”

While Australia might not select a quartet of tweakers, England are very much entertaining the idea ahead of the must-win match.

Only a clean sweep of the T20I series will be enough for England to reclaim the Women’s Ashes and they might be without World Cup final hero Anya Shrubsole, who missed last night’s Governor-General’s XI clash with a hamstring niggle.

It means a likely return for one, or potentially both, of Danielle Hazell and Dannielle Wyatt, two spinners who have not yet played in an Ashes contest on tour.

“Danni (Hazell) has been up there with the best T20 bowlers in the world for a long time now,” England coach Mark Robinson said.

“She is very clear, she keeps it simple and she nails what she does.

“I know they have both been desperate to get out there and contribute this tour and they want to make an impact and do well and T20 is their preferred format where they are bankers.

“So, I'm really excited for them both and hopefully they can make an impact.”

Despite needing just one win to secure the two points they need to retain the Women’s Ashes, Australia are determined to finish the campaign with success, according to their skipper.

“We want to win the (T20I) series,” Haynes said.

“That’s definitely our mentality going in to it. We’re not just thinking it’s one game away.

“From our point of view we want to win all three T20s, we want to finish really strongly.

“There’s no doubt there’s a lot on the line, there’s a lot on the line for both teams.

“England have to win three matches so from our point of view we want to win this series.”

As for the tourists, England captain Heather Knight says they are keeping it simple.

“Every game we play we try and win and we are not looking any further ahead than tomorrow, that is really important for us,” she said.

“We have got to concentrate on it almost like a knock-out game and we have got to take confidence from the fact that we have performed really well in knock-out games over the last year.

“So, it is simple: go out there, be positive, and try to win the game.”

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Australia lead England 4-2

Australia T20 squad: Sarah Aley, Alex Blackwell, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (c), Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.

England squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Nat Sciver, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt.

Schedule

First ODI Australia won by two wickets

Second ODI Australia won by 75 runs (DLS method)

Third ODI England won by 20 runs (DLS method)

Day-Night Test Match drawn

First T20 North Sydney Oval, November 17

North Sydney Charity Partner: McGrath Foundation

Second T20 Manuka Oval, November 19

Third T20 Manuka Oval, November 21

Canberra Charity Partner: Lord's Taverners ACT