It was a lot of fun watching the first Test between Pat Cummins‘ Australia and Ben Stokes’ England. Australia, the World Test Champion, won by a spectacular two wickets at the end of Day 5. Heather Knight and the rest of the women’s team will play Alyssa Healy and her team in the one-off Women’s Ashes Test in Nottingham on June 22. They will be trying to get revenge for the painful loss the men’s team suffered.
The women’s team also got a good-luck card, just like the men’s team. Knight was clearly happy when she got the card and read some of the messages to the media with a big smile on her face.
One message said, “Thanks for making young boys and girls want to play cricket. As the father of a 5-year-old girl who is trying out cricket for the first time at All Stars, I think you are all great role models and stars.”
In another message, the team was told to try their best against the strong Australians. The message said, “Go smash it and that glass ceiling! #WeGotGame.”
Most women’s Tests last four days, but the one-time match between England and Australia will last five.
In the Ashes, England will try to break Australia’s hold on the series. Since they lost at home in 2013–2014, the Aussies have not let go of the urn.
The two teams will play the game in all three ways, and the winner of the whole thing will get the famous Ashes title. After the one-off Test, which starts on June 22, there will be three T20Is and the same number of ODIs.
Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Jess Jonassen, Alyssa Healy (captain and wicketkeeper), Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Alan King, Kim Garth, and Darcie Brown make up the Australia Women’s XI.
Tammy Beaumont, Emma Lamb, Heather Knight (captain), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophia Dunkley, Danielle Wyatt, Amy Jones (keeper), Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell, and Amy Jones (wk) make up the England Women’s XI.