Spin King: The stunning five-year rise of Aussie leggie

In mid-2019, Alana King sat down in a Melbourne laneway café and was asked where she saw herself in five years.

The then-23-year-old was clear on her goals: "Hopefully being a regular bowler for the Australian women's team," she told cricket.com.au, "and being close to the number one bowler in the team – if not the world."

Fast forward five-and-a-half years, and King’s performances across this ongoing Ashes series have highlights her evolution into one of the world’s leading leg-spinners, with the now 29-year-old putting England in a spin across the six white-ball matches.

King goes into the Test having taken 14 wickets this series at 11.35, with an economy rate of 4.91, ahead of the world’s top-ranked spinner Sophie Ecclestone who has taken 11 at 22.27 and gone at 5.83 per over.

She’s taken the key wicket of Natalie Sciver-Brunt twice, leading the way for the Aussie spin trio in a series where England’s batters have struggled against the turning ball, averaging just 13 as a collective.

And while success with the pink ball is generally associated with the fast bowlers, King was causing plenty of problems for her teammates in the MCG nets on Tuesday evening.

The Victorian, who moved to debuted across all formats during the last Ashes on Australian shores, given her shot aged 26 after incumbent Georgia Wareham ruptured her ACL while fielding for the Melbourne Renegades.

She has played 66 matches across all formats since, ensuring that even when Wareham returned, King remained a core part of Australia’s contracted list.

"It's been really cool to just watch her grow in confidence at the international level," Alyssa Healy said of King’s evolution since her international debut.

"She's obviously a highly skilful player, and has been for a long period of time, but sometimes you just need to find your feet and feel comfortable in an environment or on the field at the international level, and she's done just that.

"I faced her in the nets yesterday with the pink ball and it wasn't easy, I think she took the top of off at one point.

"It's been great to see her grow and working together with the other spinners, which includes another leg-spinner ... you're vying for a spot at all times.

"I think that maturity within that spin group has been really cool to watch evolve and Kingy has really benefited from that."

These days, King and Wareham split their responsibilities in the Australian team; the former is preferred for Tests and ODIs, while Wareham is seen as more of a T20I specialist.

This series however Sophie Molineux’s absence has opened the door to the pair to bowl in tandem, and between them they have claimed 22 wickets – the largest haul by Australian leg-spinners in an Ashes series since Peggy Antonio took 19 on her own in 1937.

Wareham also a chance to join King for the day-night Test at the MCG, with at least one spot vacant in the XI due to Molineux’s unfortunate knee injury.

Speaking to BBC’s Test Match Special this week, England opener Tammy Beaumont identified King as a bowler she would need to be wary of at the MCG.

"They've bowled exceptionally well," Beaumont said.

"I think Alana King in particular has put some serious revs on the ball and spun it every single game, so it's going to be a challenge.

"For me, it's about backing up, backing in my defense, and then knowing really clearly what my attacking options are.

"At some point you can't just let the bowlers bowl, we're going to have to put something back on them.

"They've pretty much had it on a penny in some of the games, so we're going to have to make them miss a lot more and put the pressure back on them somehow."

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 Method)

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 until Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub