Categories: Cricket

England should ditch excuses and accept criticism after Women’s Ashes disaster | Andy Bull

Heather Knight insists her side are ‘really close’ to Australia but recent displays suggest they are on a different planet

Early days, but we already have an irresistible contender for the most underwhelming English sporting effort of 2025. After four defeats in nine days, and just 303 overs of competitive cricket, England’s attempt to win back the Ashes is over already. So, one of the most eagerly anticipated women’s series in recent memory, between the top two teams on the International Cricket Council world rankings, is cooked before it made it halfway through the 10 days of scheduled play. The final game, a Test at the MCG, which ought to have been one of the great occasions, is done as a going contest before the captains have met for the toss.

Well, the team can join the queue back at immigration, Alastair Cook’s 2013-14 squad are probably up there somewhere ahead of them. England have sent plenty of teams to Australia in the past decade and every one of them has come back shellacked one way or another. England fans are connoisseurs of losing tours and this latest one has been one of the worst of them.

Source: Cricket - The Guardian