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Women's Ashes Test: All you need to know

10 Aug 2015 Laura Jolly

Featured

10 Aug 2015 Laura Jolly

Full preview of the clash in Canterbury, as the Southern Stars battle England in the one-off Test

WHY THIS TEST IS CRUCIAL

A change in the points system that decides the Women’s Ashes means the reward for winning the one-off Test (beginning Tuesday night from 8pm AEST) has been reduced from six points to four, however this match still presents the victors with a significant boost in the battle for the urn.

The Southern Stars currently lead the mixed-format series – which combines three ODIs, one Test and three Twenty20s – by two points, and claiming the four points available in this four-day Test would allow Australia to stamp their authority on the series.

Quick single: Freedom to train has Stars primed: Sthalekar

If the Southern Stars do triumph in Canterbury, they will take a six-point lead into the final Twenty20 portion of the Women’s Ashes, leaving England needing to win all three 20-over matches to avoid relinquishing the urn.

The Women's Ashes rivalry

THE BUILD-UP

Australia

After a start to the Women’s Ashes that coach Matthew Mott described as “timid and nervous”, the Southern Stars turned around a four-wicket loss in the first ODI to claim the series 2-1.

Quick single: How the Stars plotted ODI success

Australia’s 63-run and 89-run victories in the next two one-dayers handed them a 4-2 lead and came courtesy of outstanding performances from skipper Meg Lanning and allrounder Ellyse Perry.

Consistent Perry peaks again (restrictions apply)

Since the conclusion of the ODI series, Australia have played two tour matches against the ECB Academy, giving their players the chance to adjust to red-ball cricket.

Jess Jonassen starred in the first warm-up, taking 3-15 and scoring 79 not out, while Lanning, Perry and vice-captain Alex Blackwell continued their outstanding streaks with the bat.

Opener Nicole Bolton joined in the runs-fest in the second warm-up in Beckenham, scoring 93 in the first innings and 100 not out in the second, while ‘keeper Alyssa Healy made the most of a promotion to first drop to post an unbeaten 101.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to come out at number three and have a bat for a long period of time. I’ve been the chief slogger for the team for the last 12 months so to be able to come out and bat properly was a pretty good experience for me,” Healy said after her innings.

England

England drew first blood when Lydia Greenway and Natalie Sciver formed a 122-run partnership to guide their team to a victory in the first ODI, but the hosts struggled against straighter, tighter bowling from the Southern Stars in the two matches that followed.

Their bowlers struggled to make breakthroughs, none of their batters were able to stamp their authority on the match in the way Lanning did for the Southern Stars, while some fielding slip-ups proved costly.

Watch: Lanning survives a run-out chance (restrictions apply)

Since the ODI series, allrounders Georgia Elwiss (41 and 0-28) and Laura Marsh (44 and 1-46) played for the ECB Academy against the Stars, while Fran Wilson was called into the Test squad after scoring twin half-centuries in the warm-up matches.

Middlesex batter Wilson was the only change to the squad that lost the one-day series, coming in to replace Warwickshire's Amy Jones.

THE SQUADS

Australia: Meg Lanning (c), Alex Blackwell (vc), Kristen Beams, Nicole Bolton, Jess Cameron, Sarah Coyte, Rene Farrell, Holly Ferling, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Erin Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani.

England: Charlotte Edwards (c), Katherine Brunt, Kathryn Cross, Georgia Elwiss, Lydia Greenway, Rebecca Grundy, Jenny Gunn, Heather Knight, Laura Marsh, Natalie Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield.

THE VENUE

The Test will be held at St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury, home of Kent County Cricket Club. The last time England hosted Australia in a Test match in 2013, the game was held at Wormsley on a lifeless pitch that produced a draw.

One of the standout performances of that match was Heather Knight’s 157 from 338 deliveries to rescue England from 6-113, while another highlight – for application and patience if not entertainment - was Marsh’s 55 from 304 deliveries, as she dug in to deny the Southern Stars’ push for a result.

However the pitch at Canterbury is a first-class wicket that could offer more for the bowlers and test the Southern Stars’ confidence against swing, while a fast outfield should ensure a faster rate of scoring. There is also a likelihood of the pitch taking turn as the Test goes on.

HISTORY

After 47 Tests across 18 series, the overall ledger stands in the Southern Stars’ favour, 11 Test wins to England’s nine.

However England came out on top the last time the old enemies met in Perth in 2013-14.

Batting first, England scored 201 and had the Southern Stars 5-37 in reply before an Ellyse Perry-led recovery helped the hosts reach 207.

Fifty from England skipper Charlotte Edwards set Australia 184 to win, before the Southern Stars were skittled for 123.

While the Stars won more matches in that Ashes series, taking points in two ODIs and two T20s, the six points England received from winning the one-off Test plus one ODI and one T20 was enough to claim the series 10-8.

HOW TO WATCH (Australia only)

That’s an easy one – free, live and exclusive on cricket.com.au (mobile devices only). You can also listen to ABC Grandstand's coverage through cricket.com.au’s match centre.