After battling it out in one of the greatest Test matches of all time, Australia will now host England in the final leg of the multi-format Women's Ashes. Australia are leading 6-4, and since they hold the Ashes, a win will help them regain it.
England had a chance to win the Test match and take lead. However, despite some enterprising batting during the chase, they lost too many wickets towards the end, to Annabel Sutherland and Alana King. Sophie Ecclestone and Kate Cross eventually had to survive 13 balls to ensure a draw.
Along with being the decider of the Ashes, these ODIs will also serve as preparation for the Women’s World Cup, barely a month away. The two teams will start their campaign against one another. While England are the defending World champions, Australia have won two World T20 titles since then, and had a world-record 26-match winning streak in ODIs, which came to an end in their last match, against India.
These teams will start the World Cup as two favourites, and these ODIs will provide excellent preparation for that. Australia's focus will again be on the top-order, including captain Meg Lanning, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, and Ellyse Perry, further boosted by all-rounders like Ash Gardner and Tahlia McGrath. They may also bring Megan Schutt to boost the pace attack, while King will take care of the spin bowling.
For England, they are also coming off series wins against New Zealand and India. The core of their team will remain the same as the Test match including experienced players like Heather Knight, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, and Katherine Brunt but they may bring big-hitter in Danni Wyatt and also try left-arm pacer Tash Farrant and spinner Maddy Villiers in the eleven.
Likely XIs
Australia: Rachel Haynes, Alyssa Healy (wk), Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ash Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Megan Schutt, Alana King, Jess Jonassen
England: Tammy Beaumont, Danni Wyatt, Heather Knight (c), Nat Sciver, Amy Jones (wk), Maia Bouchier, Sophia Dunkley, Charlie Dean, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Anya Shrubsole
Fantasy tips
The Top-orders of both sides have some great hitters in Healy, Lanning, Wyatt, and Beaumont and should be able to provide good value.
McGrath, Perry, and Sciver would be the key all-rounders. Perry had 7 for 22 in the last series between these two teams.
With the ball, Sutherland, King, Brunt and Shrubsole are in good form and should be popular picks.
Fantasy XI
Alyssa Healy, Tammy Beaumont, Meg Lanning, Heather Knight, Danni Wyatt, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Nat Sciver, Alana King, Katherine Brunt, Anabel Sutherland