‘Disaster’ averted, England set up thrilling Ashes climax

Successfully dodging another "disaster Ashes" has helped England cement their newfound self-belief says wicketkeeper Amy Jones, with the multi-format Ashes poised for a thrilling climax over the next three days in Southampton and Taunton.

Australia and England are locked on six points with two ODIs to play, each needing to win both remaining matches to take out the points-based series (or one win, in the case of a washout).

England are on a roll having won the last three games, but holders Australia can at least retain the Ashes if they only win one of the two ODIs.

From a seemingly dire position at 6-0 after the first T20I, England are now in their best position to win the Ashes since they surrendered them on home soil in 2015.

It is a dramatic contrast to their 2019 and 2022 campaigns, which saw them win a single dead-rubber T20 across the two tours.

"I think there was more pressure (on us) when we were six-nil down (after the first T20I) then there is now," Jones told reporters in Southampton on Saturday.

"Just purely because we've had disaster Ashes before and not wanting to repeat that … and knowing that if you get the first win it brings another level of belief with that."

Image Id: 6BFE7D85FAF94A929A91FE32A0A7C425 Image Caption: Amy Jones celebrates the wicket of Annabel Sutherland in the first ODI // Getty

If one created a word cloud chart for England’s press interactions across this Ashes campaign, the words ‘inspire’ and ‘entertain’ would dominate in the largest font.

Although repeated to the point of cliché, these mission statements introduced by coach Jon Lewis have undoubtedly unlocked something in the minds of England’s players and unburdened them of the pressure that accompanies taking on the world’s best team.

And if Australia’s "crucible moment" that sparked the start of their era of dominance was their semi-final defeat in the 2017 World Cup, England’s turning point came on last December’s tour of West Indies – Lewis’s first series in charge of the team.

"It felt like a turning point in terms of how we all were around each other – almost a bit of release of pressure that we just put on ourselves over the years for whatever reason," Jones said.

"(Jon’s) main message is ‘inspire and entertain’ and that is huge, I think, because it just takes the pressure off winning or losing.

"It promotes playing with freedom, playing your shots, people come to watch good cricket and exciting cricket and having the freedom to do that without too much fixation on the result."

Since Australia regained the trophy in 2015, none of the three intervening Ashes have remained alive this deep into the seven-match series.

In 2017, Australia won two of three ODIs, drew the Test then won the first T20I to retain the Ashes with two T20Is to play (although England won both of those games to deny the hosts an outright win).

In 2019, the Aussies swept the ODIs and only needed a draw in the Test to officially retain the trophy, before victory in the first T20I cemented an outright win.

Rain played havoc in 2022, washing out the second and third T20Is after Australia won the first, before the Test ended in a thrilling draw.

Going into the ODIs with Australia ahead 6-4, the hosts ensured England would leave empty handed when they won the first 50-over game, then claimed the remaining two for good measure.

"It doesn't feel like we're playing a different side," Jones said when asked if Australia felt a lesser side than in those recent series.

"It just feels like we're a different side and the way we're going about it is different.

"We've seen really close games … I think we're just seeing two really closely matched teams playing some really exciting cricket."

These Ashes have also stood out for the closeness of the results. Since Australia won the sole Test by 89 runs – a game that went into the fifth day – the next four games have been nail-biting affairs.

Australia won the first T20I with a ball remaining, then England held on for a three-run win at The Oval, and got over the line with four deliveries to spare at Lord’s.

Another tense finish followed in the first ODI as skipper Heather Knight saw the hosts home with two wickets in hand in the 49th over.

Australia meanwhile have found themselves in unfamiliar territory having lost three consecutive games for the first time since 2017.

They have not been defeated by England four times in a row in a series since 2013 and have not lost a bilateral ODI series in the same period.

"It's a challenge for us, it's an unusual position that we find ourselves in," Australia coach Shelley Nitschke said on Saturday.

"I think it's a really good challenge both physically and mentally (and) I'm looking forward to seeing how they respond.

"We've shown across the years that during close games, we find a way … and we believe that it's a close series and we're going to find a way.

"Everyone's staying really positive … to lose three games on the trot is not ideal, but we've got an amazing record, we're a great team."

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