England's women eye Ashes treble
While the Ashes series has been getting underway in Cardiff, England's women have been preparing for their own one-off Test against Australia starting at New Road on Friday.
Retaining the women's Ashes would cap off a remarkable five months after Charlotte Edwards' side were crowned world champions in both the 50 and 20-over form of the game.
The relevance of Test cricket in the women's game though has waned in the last few years as England and Australia are the only countries to play the four-day format.
However, there is so much history between the two sides - women's battles date back to 1934 - that the will exists to keep the tradition going.
Australia have enjoyed a similar dominance to their men over the years, wresting the Ashes back from England in 1984 (the only five-Test women's series) and retaining them repeatedly until England triumphed at Worcester in 2005 (subsequently enjoying the Trafalgar Square celebrations with the men).
Clare Connor's side then retained the urn down under in 2008, an even bigger feat.
This 2009 series consists of a single one-off match, which reflects the standing of the women's four-day game internationally. But it is important that with all the focus on the skills required for one-day cricket, the players are able to apply themselves to the different approach needed to building a Test match innings.
The cricket needs to be worthwhile for the series to be worthwhile.
England have got a stranglehold over Australia at the moment. After their tremendously exciting World Twenty20 semi-final victory at The Oval, Charlotte Edwards has led the side to a 4-0 drubbing of the Aussies in their recent one-day series - the first time in history that England have beaten Australia in four consecutive one-dayers. It could have been 5-0 but for a washout at Lord's last Tuesday. They had to hold their nerve for last ball finishes on two thrilling occasions as well.
It was a particularly good series for left arm spinner Holly Colvin, whose seven wickets have propelled her to the number one spot in the ICC World Rankings for the first time. England now have five bowlers in the world's top 10. Sarah Taylor was Player of the Series for her stellar performances at Chelmsford, which included an outstanding knock of 120 at a run-a-ball.
BBC Radio 5 Live will have a reporter at the Test providing updates from New Road, and then colleague Kevin Howells and I will be hot-footing our way to Worcester once the men's Test finishes in Cardiff and we'll commentate on the final day for Radio Five Live Sports Extra on Monday.
This is an archive post from the old TMS blog. To avoid duplicate debates, please visit the TMS Blog version to comment.
Hello, I'm Alison Mitchell, reporter and commentator for Five Live and Five Live Sports Extra. Cricket is my speciality, so that's why I'm blogging here. You'll get bits and bobs about both England's men and women, including from the men's winter tours.
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