Aussies seek fearlessness against English 'disruptors'

Tahlia McGrath admits Australia went "into our shells" at times during the T20I leg of the multi-format Ashes, as the world’s best team seek to regain their fearless edge in the upcoming ODIs.

But they will be confronted by a resurgent England intent on "disrupting" the world’s best team, as the hosts look to pull off a remarkable comeback in the points-based series to retake the Ashes trophy.

Australia suffered back-to-back T20I losses for the first time since 2017 at The Oval and Lord’s last week, with England closing the gap to 6-4 with three ODIs remaining.

England will need to win all three ODIs (in Bristol, Southampton and Taunton) to take the Ashes back from Australia – and have lost their last eight one-dayers against the world champions – but captain Heather Knight believes bold calls remain the key to upsetting her rivals.

"We've always seen ourselves as the disruptors in this series, having to do things a little bit different to try and beat this very good team," Knight said on Bristol on the eve of Wednesday’s first ODI.

"Things like picking Lauren Filer in a Test match when she's completely unknown just because she can bowl quick and try and shake things up and try and make an impact.

"I think that's important.

"And just doing things a little bit differently, like using Charlie Dean first over just to do things that the Australians don't expect."

Knight said their tense three-run win at The Oval, which ended a 10-game winless streak against Australia that stretched back to early 2020, had seen her team overcome a mental hurdle.

"Once we'd done that, it's created a lot of belief and reassurance in the dressing room," she continued.

"Credit to the girls, I think in the past we might have got a little bit down and had the 'here we go again against the Aussies'.

"But there's a real belief in that room that we can match this cricket team, they're obviously a very good team but there's the belief there that we can do it."

Australia remain ahead in the Ashes, but being on the back foot after consecutive defeats is unfamiliar territory for the tourists.

The last time Australia lost back-to-back games in the multi-format Ashes, with the trophy still on the line, was all the way back in 2013.

"Individually, we've discussed some things (that need to improve) - batting, bowling, fielding plans … but at the end of the day, it just comes down to playing some fearless cricket, which is what we always speak about," McGrath told reporters in Bristol on the eve of Wednesday’s first ODI.

"If there's something we're thinking about, or a plan we've got in place, we've just got to be confident and go ahead and do it.

"It's just something we always speak about and we feel as though there's (been) some moments where we perhaps might have gone into our shell a little bit.

"We just always want to take the game on, play to our strengths … it looks different for every player individually, but we've just highlighted that maybe we've been off the mark a bit and it's something we're pretty keen to be on the front foot with."

England meanwhile have recent experience of fighting their way out of a backs-to-the-wall scenario.

They were on the cusp of a shock early exit from the 2022 ODI World Cup in New Zealand after early group stage defeats to Australia, South Africa and West Indies.

It left Knight’s team needing to win their last four group matches to advance, a feat they managed, making it all the way to the final in Christchurch before falling to Australia.

"We haven't talked about (the World Cup), but I think naturally you draw on that as a cricketer and experiences where you've been under the pump," Knight said.

"The experience of taking it one game at a time and keeping things really simple ... we know exactly what we've got to do.

"We’ve just got to keep winning and keep doing what we're doing."

CommBank Ashes Tour of the UK 2023

Australia lead the multi-format series 6-4

Test: Australia won by 89 runs

First T20I: Australia won by four wickets

Second T20I: England won by three runs

Third T20I: England won by five wickets (DLS)

First ODI: July 12 at The County Ground, Bristol, 1pm (10pm AEST)

Second ODI: July 16 at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, 11am (8pm AEST)

Third ODI: July 18 at The County Ground, Taunton, 1pm (10pm AEST)

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

England ODI squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt (vc), Issy Wong, Danielle Wyatt