Aussies toast ODI sweep, eye Test win

Australia captain Meg Lanning says her team will take a moment to soak in their successful start to the women’s Ashes, but they won’t be forgetting there’s still plenty of work to do.

After winning all three ODIs, each worth two points, Australia now hold a 6-0 advantage in the multi-format, points-based series and need just two more points to retain the Ashes.

Next stop for Lanning’s squad is south-west town of Swindon, where they’ll begin preparations for the sole Test of the Ashes series, which starts on July 18.

"We will enjoy this, it’s the end of part one of the series and we’ve played well," Lanning said after Australia wrapped up an emphatic 194-run win in the third Ashes ODI on Sunday.

"I think it’s important to celebrate successes along the way … but we certainly know the job’s not done yet."

As the current Ashes holders, a draw in the one-off Test at Taunton’s County Ground will be enough to retain the trophy, whereas England must win that match and all three T20Is that follow.

But the chance to win the Ashes outright with three matches left to play will be a juicy carrot for the Australians.

Given Test cricket is a format the team play just once every two years, Lanning knows there’s no room for complacency.

"We’re going out there to win the Test match and we feel like we’ve got the weapons at our disposal with ball and bat,” she said.

“It’s just about adapting to the conditions and what England throw at us.

"We’re nicely placed but we’re not going to take the foot off the pedal. We’re going to keep trying to win every game we play and we know England are going to bounce back pretty quick, so we have to be ready for that."

Australia have the flexibility to add a 15th player to their touring party ahead of the Test, with spinners Sophie Molineux and Amanda-Jade Wellington believed to be among the leading contenders, particularly if the conditions in Taunton appear conducive to spin.

Both players are with the Australia A squad currently taking on the England Academy in Leicester, but Lanning said no decision had been made yet on adding players to the squad.

"We’ve got a couple of days now to reassess and look at what we want to go with," she said.

"It’s going to be difficult to see what the conditions are like in Taunton (this far out) but that’s the beauty of having the Aussie A squad over here. We can bring options in if we need to.

"We feel like the squad we picked up front was going to be able to get the job done, but if we feel like there’s an opportunity there, then we’ll look at that."

Australia will meet an England Academy team in a three-game encounter at Marlborough College from July 11, before the four-day Test in Taunton on July 18-21.

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia lead England 6-0

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

England ODI squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Jenny Gunn, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt 

July 2: Australia won by two wickets

July 4: Australia won by four wickets

July 7:  Australia won by 194 runs

July 11-13: England Academy v Australia, Marlborough College, Swindon

July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol

A Test victory is worth four points (two each for a draw), two points are awarded for ODI and T20 wins