Fitness of key Aussies under microscope with Test looming

Australia will wrap their arms around Alyssa Healy while she deals with her latest injury blow as they face an anxious wait to find out whether their captain will take further part in the Ashes.

Healy missed Monday’s first Ashes T20I due to a stress reaction in the same foot she injured during the T20 World Cup last November, and was wearing a boot at the SCG with Cricket Australia set to consult with specialists around the best plan of action for the ‘keeper-batter.

In-form allrounder Ashleigh Gardner also missed Australia’s 57-run win with a mild calf strain but was optimistic when speaking on air during the game around her prospects of returning for either the second or third T20I.

"As you can imagine, she's pretty flat," opener Beth Mooney said of Healy on Monday night. 

"She doesn't want to miss any games for Australia, and unfortunately for her she's missed a few in the last few months.

"We'll put our arm around her, wait and see what the SSSM (Sport Science Sport Medicine) staff say and what the prognosis is, but certainly she's a key member of our playing group, both on and off the field, and we know what impact she can have to the outcome of the results on field.

"We'll be keeping a close eye on making sure she's okay mentally, but also doing all the right things with SSSM as well."

The Australian selection panel was due to meet Tuesday morning, with the squad for the day-night Test at the MCG starting January 30 yet to be announced.

Australia shrugged off the disruption to hand England yet another comprehensive defeat on Monday night, officially retaining the Ashes in nine days.

First-gamer Georgia Voll immediately put England’s bowlers under pressure with her 21 off 12 balls, while Kim Garth and Alana King also impressed in their long-awaited returns to the T20I XI, taking three wickets between them.

"It's happened a little bit to us in recent times, hasn't it?" Mooney said when asked how Australia had handled the match-day upheaval.

"I think we're a well-oiled machine when this happens … it probably was a great showcase of our depth in the end."

England had arrived earlier this month hopeful they could reclaim the trophy for the first time since 2014 after drawing the 2023 edition at eight points apiece, but Australia’s depth and prowess in the field, combined with England’s struggles playing leg-spin, have handed the hosts a significant advantage across the four games to date.

Australia have long prided themselves on their fielding, and Mooney said it had become an area of even sharper focus across the last month since they appointed former NSW Breakers head coach Gavan Twining as a full-time specialist fielding mentor.

It was one of the stark differences between the teams on Monday, when England put down Mooney, who top scored with 75, on 16 and 23, while Georgia Voll was given a let off on 13 and at least 20 runs were gifted through misfields, overthrows and fumbles.

"I think having Gavin Twining on board has made a real difference, where he can solely focus on making sure fielders are in the right positions and there's an opportunity for players to be quite specific at training and making sure they're honing their skills in the position they're going to be in the field," Mooney said.

"That's probably number one. Number two, I think it's an attitude thing. You see the athleticism of all of our girls in the field, they throw the ball in hard to the 'keeper or the bowler, they throw their bodies around.

"They catch everything that goes up in the air, or at least make a real conscious effort to go for things, and I think that comes down to attitude.

"We're really lucky that there's a great drive within the group to perform and get better and keep pushing the boundaries out there on what we can achieve."

Australia and England both travelled by coach from Sydney to Canberra on Tuesday.

The Aussies will have a rest day on Wednesday ahead of the second T20I at Manuka Oval the following evening, with Healy and Gardner’s fitness to become clearer ahead of that game.

Should the worst be confirmed for Healy and she is ruled out of the rest of the series, Mooney said she would take the wicketkeeping gloves for the Test if required, although she conceded it would be a challenge.

"Not heaps, to be honest," Mooney said when asked how many multi-day games she had kept wicket in.

"I don't think I'll be able to walk after if I have to keep but we're pretty lucky in the Australian team where we've got lots of players that can step into different roles.

"There's some good players outside of this group that could play a role if required ... we'll wait and see what the prognosis is with Alyssa, first and foremost, and go from there.

"But when she's been out, I've been able to step into that role and got some good feedback along the way, so just happy to do what's required of the team."

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

Australia lead the multi-format series 8-0

First ODI: Australia won by six wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by 21 runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 86 runs

First T20I: Australia won by 57 runs

Second T20I: January 23: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7.15pm AEDT

Third T20I: January 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 6.45pm ACDT (7.15pm 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