The 'hollow' feeling driving Australia's Ashes hopes

The "hollow" feeling that tainted Australia's women's Ashes retention in July 2023 is driving the world's top-ranked team as they prepare for a blockbuster home multi-format series beginning Sunday.

A bitter taste still lingers from that tour of the United Kingdom, where Australia had surged to an early 6-0 lead but only managed to eke out an 8-8 draw after a resurgent England threatened to finally end their own Ashes drought.

Looking back on the 69-run loss in Taunton that denied Australia an outright win – leaving them with only muted celebrations when they raised the trophy following the game – opening batter Phoebe Litchfield said it remained a surreal experience.  

"Both teams were probably left a bit hollow after that series ... we retained it, but we hadn't truly deserved it, so this time around, we're definitely keen to win it outright," Litchfield told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday ahead of Sunday's opening ODI.

"It was probably the worst (winning) feeling I've ever had, because I've never really lost a game and then had to celebrate winning. It was quite foreign."

That failure to win the Ashes outright, during a campaign that saw England win four white-ball games to Australia's two, prompted the Aussies to rethink their approach to the shortest formats.

While they also surrendered their T20 World Cup crown in Dubai in October, allrounder Ashleigh Gardner said she felt the team were on the right track, particularly in the 50-over format, where they have won 12 of 13 completed ODIs since the 2023 Ashes, including five straight thrashings over India and New Zealand last month.

"We've spoken a lot about what we can do better … the white-ball series is going to be a big focus for us," Gardner said on Wednesday.

"It's just winning those small moments, that sounds really cliche, but I think teams that play in the white-ball format really well, they get the one percenters right and they know how to get out of those tough positions. 

"I know with the ball we didn't execute well enough (in 2023) but we've certainly done a lot of talking (and) we've got some players that are playing different roles at the moment with the ball in hands. 

"With the bat it's making sure that we're taking the game on and we're not worrying about the consequences. 

"Just looking back more recently at the ODIs that we've just played, I certainly think we did that different people have stood up in different times, and it's super exciting to see where this team could be."

Australia have held the Ashes since they regained them in the UK in 2015.

Just five members of England's 19-player touring party were part of the group that last tasted Ashes success in 2013-14, and speaking on Wednesday, opener Tammy Beaumont admitted it was a drought they were desperate to end.

England did not win a game on their most recent Ashes tour of Australia, which finished with a 12-4 scoreline after the hosts swept the ODIs and won the sole completed T20I – the other two were washed out – while the Manuka Oval Test ended in a thrilling draw.

But three years on, Heather Knight's team are a different outfit, with a new aggressive mindset under coach Jon Lewis, and fresh personnel, including new-ball quicks in Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer, while opening bat Maia Bouchier has consolidated her position across all formats.

"We've got so much talent in the squad now," Beaumont said. 

"It just shows the talent that's around in England at the moment. 

"(Last year) was just an incredible series and to come back from pretty much having to win every single game to draw the series, I think we were really proud of ourselves – not elated and feeling like we'd won anything, obviously the trophy came back here to Australia ... but I think we certainly felt like we put a statement out there that we can go toe-to-toe with Australia and really compete. 

"It'd be absolutely massive (to win back the Ashes) ... we've been there or thereabouts for quite a few years in World Cups and in Ashes, but we haven't actually got our hands on anything for a little while now. 

"It's certainly something we've got our hopes on. A few of us are still around from 2017 World Cup but it could be a massive highlight, particularly coming to Australia and trying to take on the Aussies, which is one of the hardest things you can do in men's or women's cricket."

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

First ODI: January 12: North Sydney Oval, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Second ODI: January 14: CitiPower Centre, Melbourne, 10.05am AEDT

Third ODI: January 17: Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 10.05am AEDT

First T20I: January 20: SCG, Sydney, 7.40pm AEDT

Second T20I: January 23: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7.40pm AEDT

Third T20I: January 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 7.10pm ACDT (7.40pm AEDT)

Australia squad (ODI/T20Is): Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris+, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

England squad (ODI/T20Is): Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross*, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson+, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath+, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp+, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith+, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

* ODIs only; + T20Is only

Day-night Test: January 30 - February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT

Australia Test squad: TBC

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia from Jan 12 - Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub