'Personal pride' fuels England bid to stop Aussie juggernaut

Tammy Beaumont has implored her England teammates to find something in the tank to avoid an Ashes series sweep against an Australian team who "look in complete control" in this week’s day-night Ashes Test at the MCG.

Beaumont, speaking to the BBC’s Test Match Special as she was reunited with the England squad in Melbourne this week after sitting out the T20I leg, conceded England had been left stunned by the scoreline to date, which has them trailing 12-0 in the multi-format series after losing all six white-ball games.

England had arrived in high spirits after winning six of seven matches on their all-format tour of South Africa last month, but have been worn down by Australia and produced their poorest performance to date in last Saturday’s third T20I when they capitulated for 90 chasing 163.

"It's been a really tough tour," Beaumont said. "No one expected it to go the way it has.

"At the minute the Aussies are absolutely flying and we've got to find something in the tank to avoid a whitewash, which absolutely none of us want.

"To be honest, we're up against it, really. We're up against a team that is absolutely flying.

"They're working on all cylinders and once a team like that's got momentum and got something to play for, it's really tough to come up against it.

"But playing in whites, playing at the MCG ... that's going to inspire the girls. We've got to take it as a one-off Test match."

Beaumont is one of three fresh players who have rejoined the England squad for the Test match, alongside quicks Kate Cross and Ryana MacDonald-Gay.

While her teammates spent the last week flying from Hobart to Sydney, then on to Canberra and Adelaide for the three T20Is, the trio hunkered down in Melbourne to focus on pink-ball preparation.

In promising news for the tourists, Cross looks set to appear for the first time this tour after missing the ODIs due to a back issue.

Cross bowled at the MCG on Tuesday and her experience would significantly bolster England’s pace attack.

Lauren Bell also bowled, having recovered from the days-long migraine that ruled her out of the third T20I.

Having watched the T20Is on television, Beaumont said she had spotted positive signs despite Australia sweeping the matches.

"Australia just look like a team that's in complete control, they’ve got match-winners the whole way through (and) they've got quite clear plans in what they want to do.

"(But) I actually was really happy with how the likes of Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley really took the bowlers on in a couple of games, and particularly Dunks has worked so hard during the ODIs when she wasn't playing.

"They’re signs for me that we can definitely beat this team.

"There were some signs that we were fighting hard, we just maybe didn't win those key moments at the time, and it's unfortunate, and every time you get knocked down, it's even harder to get back up.

"But there's certainly people in the team that keep trying to get back up every game."

Speaking to media in Melbourne on Tuesday, vice-captain Natalie Sciver-Brunt said she was being driven by personal pride heading into the historic Test.

Sciver-Brunt was England’s best player when they drew the 2023 Ashes 8-8, scoring more than 400 runs and taking five wickets across the seven-game series.

The 32-year-old has not been able to replicate that form to date on this tour, scoring 158 runs from the six white-ball games alongside two wickets – but she will take confidence from her innings of 128 in last month’s Test against South Africa.

Asked if this was the toughest tour she had been on, Sciver-Brunt pointed to England’s 2022 visit to Australia, where they failed to win a game and only gained four points via the drawn Test and two washed out T20Is, as equally difficult.

"I'd like to have a good showing of myself, really, for my personal pride, I guess, and just keep putting myself out there," Sciver-Brunt said.

"When you're six games down in the series, it's easy to go into your shell a little bit, but I'm willing to put myself out there again.

"It's difficult, but I think being a Test match ... we love playing (Tests), we love the fact that we get to create new memories with our with our teammates, with our close friends, and hopefully put a good showing of ourselves.

"But it's been tough, coming in with probably a bit higher expectations and form (than in 2022), and we just haven't really given the best showing of ourselves.

"The last few days have been tough. But we've regrouped, and we'll do our best to stay up."

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

Australia lead the multi-format series 12-0

First ODI: Australia won by four wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by 21 runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 86 runs

First T20I: Australia won by 57 runs

Second T20I: Australia won by six runs (DLS)

Third T20I: Australia won by 72 runs

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

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