Beaumont hungry for Ashes glory after ‘strange’ series

Tammy Beaumont has had a strange mixture of experiences in this multi-format Ashes series, going from setting records in the Test arena to calling the T20 leg from the commentary box after missing selection in the shortest format.

Now, the 32-year-old opener is back in the thick of it and looking to keep disrupting Australia’s frontline attack as England eye their first multi-format Ashes series victory in almost a decade.

Beaumont rewrote the record books with her 208 in the sole Test at Trent Bridge, compiling the highest Test score by an Englishwoman.

But it wasn’t enough to secure a return to the T20I set-up, with Beaumont remaining on the outer having last represented England in the shortest format in January 2022.

Left stranded on 99 career T20Is, the right-hander cannot deny she would dearly love to break back into the side and bring up No.100.

Instead, she joined the Sky Sports commentary team for the three T20Is, in a strange experience of calling matches in the middle of a series she was playing an active role in.

"It's no secret I'm desperate to try and get back in the T20 squad and the T20 team, but we won the series 2-1 so I can't be too hard done by, and the girls did brilliantly," Beaumont told reporters in Southampton on Friday.

"It was very strange being outside of the squad but very much in the series, but I think the girls did brilliantly and it was great to watch and broadcast on as well."

However Beaumont does believe the 10-day break has worked in her favour, allowing her a chance to return home and properly recover from the demanding five-day Test in Nottingham.

Injected back into England’s XI for Wednesday’s first ODI in Bristol, Beaumont returned with a bang, hitting 47 from 42 deliveries to help lay the foundation for England’s highest ever successful run chase in the format.

"I think in the first four days of the Test match I spent less than an hour off the field so I was definitely a little bit worse for wear for a couple of days (after)," Beaumont said.

"But it was nice to refresh and watch some great cricket and come back in ready to go and desperate to get back on the pitch and contribute."

England have promoted Sophia Dunkley to join Beaumont at the top of the one-day order in an aggressive move aimed at disrupting Australia’s bowlers in the powerplay.

While Dunkley was dismissed for eight in Bristol, Beaumont and no.3 Alice Capsey more than delivered as the hosts reached 1-84 in 10 overs, and created an uphill battle for Australia’s spinners to slow the flow of runs and bring the tourists back into the game.

However Beaumont is expecting Australia to be armed with different plans in Sunday’s second ODI in Southampton, which is a must-win for both teams.

"That's what I love about the game, that competition with the bowler and trying to create a bit of chaos," she said.

"And potentially that leads to a little bit more run-scoring opportunities.

"I think so far it's going pretty well and it's coming off well, but knowing Australia and knowing the players, as a lot of us do, they'll come back with some different plans and they'll come back strongly because that's the kind of characters they are."

CommBank Ashes Tour of the UK 2023

Multi-format series level at 6-6

Test: Australia won by 89 runs

First T20I: Australia won by four wickets

Second T20I: England won by three runs

Third T20I: England won by five wickets (DLS)

First ODI: England won by two wickets

Second ODI: July 16 at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, 11am (8pm 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, HGrace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

England ODI squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt (vc), Issy Wong, Danielle Wyatt