Venue vindication as Ashes crowd records tumble

Support for Australia might have been the very small minority at The Oval on Wednesday night, but Alyssa Healy only wants to see more of the record-breaking crowds that are turning out in droves to see the multi-format Ashes.

A total of 20,328 people piled into The Oval for Wednesday’s second T20I to ride every twist and turn as England claimed a thrilling three-run win over the tourists, breaking the record for highest attendance at a bilateral women’s game in the UK.

That previous record was only set last Saturday, when 19,527 people turned out at Edgbaston for game one – and that bettered a record of 15,187 set when England hosted India at Lord’s last September.

Image Id: C4ACA20E798F4DE383A6FF79BCEA3CC6 Image Caption: Over 20,000 fans packed into The Oval on Wednesday night // Getty

"It was a great game of cricket at one of the most iconic grounds in England, which was a great showcase for women's sport," Australia captain Healy said.

"You see what you can do when you play on a good ground with a good wicket, people want to turn up and watch.

"From a broader game perspective, I thought it was a great show for not just women's cricket but cricket as a whole (and) hopefully we continue to play at these bigger venues."

The overall attendance for the first three games of the seven-match series – which also includes the Test at Trent Bridge, which itself attracted a women’s Test record 23,207 across the five days – stands at 63,062, smashing the 32,000 who attended the entire multi-format Ashes in 2019.

That figure is only set to grow; two of the three one-dayers have already sold out, with no tickets remaining for the matches at the Rose Bowl in Southampton and Taunton’s County Ground.

Less than 120 tickets are left for the first ODI in Bristol.

Before that, Australia will make a long-awaited and much anticipated return to Lord’s on Saturday for the third T20I in what will be their first match at the ‘home of cricket’ since 2013.

"This Ashes series has been an amazing one so far, playing at the biggest grounds in the country," Healy told reporters following Wednesday’s three-run defeat.

"People are wanting to turn up and watch because they know what they're going to get.

"To tick Lord's off will be a really special occasion for the girls who get that opportunity … (and) I am sure that the girls that aren't playing (that match), there will be plenty more opportunities in future Ashes series, they have set the benchmark now which is great."

Healy will no doubt hope that support continues back on home soil this summer, where Australia will host South Africa in an ODI at Adelaide Oval this February in what will be their first one-dayer at the South Australian ground since 2010, alongside T20I matches at Manuka Oval and Blundstone Arena, and a historic first Test between the teams at the WACA Ground.

Meanwhile leg-spinner Sarah Glenn hopes another huge crowd will help lift the hosts at Lord’s on Saturday, with England needing to win all four remaining matches if they are to regain the Ashes.

"It just feels like everyone's out there with you and even if you get hit for a six, they're (backing you) straight after that ball," Glenn said.

"I think the importance of these crowds is just out of this world, it was amazing."

CommBank Ashes Tour of the UK 2023

Australia lead the multi-format series 6-2

Test: Australia won by 89 runs

First T20I: Australia won by four wickets

Second T20I: England won by three runs

Third T20I: July 8 at Lord’s, London, 6.35pm (3.35am July 9 AEST)

First ODI: July 12 at The County Ground, Bristol, 1pm (10pm AEST)

Second ODI: July 16 at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, 11am (7pm AEST)

Third ODI: July 18 at The County Ground, Taunton, 1pm (10pm AEST)

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

England T20 squad:Heather Knight (c), Natalie Sciver-Brunt (vc), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Issy Wong, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danielle Wyatt