Danger Zone: biggest England threats

Nullifying the impact of England new-ball pair Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole will be crucial if Australia are to retain the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes, according to the players set to spearhead the Southern Stars’ campaign.

Brunt and Shrubsole are the world’s top new-ball pace pair, having led the way for England in recent years.

Shrubsole was England’s top wicket-taker in the recent Women’s World Cup – thanks largely to her match-winning 6-46 in the tournament final at Lord’s – while the 25-year-old also topped the wickets table for her country in the 2013-14 and 2015 Ashes.

While spin-bowling is having an increasing influence over the women’s game as teams look to take the pace off the ball, the England pair remain a major threat with both Shrubsole and Brunt sitting into the top 10 in the International Cricket Council’s ODI bowling rankings.

“I think it’s probably a pretty tried and tested formula for them in their two opening bowlers Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole, they’ve been a mainstay for the English side for a long time and something that they really pin their attack on,” Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry told cricket.com.au.

Rising allrounder Ashleigh Gardner agreed, saying it would be important for Australia’s opener Nicole Bolton and Beth Mooney to get on top of the pair as quickly as possible.

“They’ve got a really strong bowling line,” said Gardner. “Anya Shrubsole has been an excellent bowler for them over a long period of time now, and been really threatening against a lot of oppositions in a lot of different conditions.

“Brunt’s led their attack for quite a number of years, so they’ve got some real strengths there.”

The multi-format Ashes get underway on Sunday when the fierce rivals meet in the opening one-day international at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field.

The series encompasses three ODIs, three T20Is and a one-off day-night Test, a match where England will particularly hope to see Brunt and Shrubsole thrive with the pink ball.

In 21 ODIs against Australia, Brunt has captured 26 wickets at 24.84, while she’s taken 32 tickets in seven Ashes Tests at 20.18.

Shrubsole has had similar success with the red ball, with 15 wickets from three Tests at 19.66 and although her one-day figures against Australia aren’t as flattering, 10 scalps from 11 games at 44.50 – well above her career average of 25.58 – she’s the world’s top-ranked T20 bowler and averages 17.40 in that format against the Southern Stars.

Two Australian squad members who are more familiar with England’s spearheads than most are batters Bolton and Elyse Villani, who play alongside Brunt and Shrubsole at Rebel Women’s Big Bash League club Perth Scorchers.

Villani now hopes to draw on that experience in the Ashes, but she’s not expecting any favours from her Scorchers teammates.

“I think Katherine Brunt might be trying to send them down to me a little bit quicker than she has in the past but I got a better insight to their game by playing on the same team,” Villani said.

“That was huge for me personally, the more you face people the more comfortable you become at the crease so I think that was a huge advantage.

"But they’re still fantastic bowlers and I think it’s going to be a great battle. I have no doubt that Brunt is going to throw in a few bouncers.”

When the Ashes rivals met during the recent World Cup in the United Kingdom, it was England who walked away with a thrilling three-run victory.

On that occasion, left-arm spinner Alex Hartley did the damage, taking 2-31 claiming the key wickets of Mooney and Meg Lanning.

And while Brunt and Shrubsole are major threats, Villani said the Australians couldn’t afford to underestimate any members of England’s line-up.

“I think the English team is pretty well rounded, they’ve got some young spinners in Alex Hartley and some experienced spinners as well in Danielle Hazell, and I think they’ve just got a nice mix of experience and youth,” Villani said.

“(Captain) Heather Knight, she's an important wicket (to get) … I think on any given day they’ve got a great line-up.”

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Australia squad (ODI and Test): Rachael Haynes (C), Alex Blackwell (VC), Kristen Beams, Nicole Bolton, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa (Test only), Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.

England squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Nat Sciver, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt.

Schedule

First ODI Allan Border Field, October 22

Brisbane Charity Partner: Lord Mayor's Charitable Trust

Second ODI Coffs International Stadium, October 26

Third ODI Coffs International Stadium, October 29

Coffs Junior Cricket Association Partners: Coffs Harbour District JCA, Nambucca Bellingen JCA, and Clarence River JCA

Day-Night Test North Sydney Oval, November 9-12

First T20 North Sydney Oval, November 17

North Sydney Charity Partner: McGrath Foundation

Second T20 Manuka Oval, November 19

Third T20 Manuka Oval, November 21

Canberra Charity Partner: Lord's Taverners ACT