Aussie women eye their own 'Invincibles' tag

Australia will channel the famous Invincibles of 1948 as they eye a chance to go through the entire women’s Ashes series undefeated.

With just the three-game T20I leg of the multi-format series to come, Australia have already retained the Ashes thanks to an 8-2 lead after winning all three ODIs and drawing the Test.

At the start of the series, Australia wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy made the firmly tongue-in-cheek suggestion that her team could go through the seven-match series without losing a game.

Four matches in, the world No.1 team remain on track to do exactly that. And the carrot of claiming a 14-2 result and returning home without losing a match is one that appeals to Australia head coach Matthew Mott.

It will require something special, however, starting with defeating England at their Chelmsford ‘fortress’, a ground they’ve never lost at, on Friday night.

An unbeaten series is also something that hasn’t been achieved since the introduction of the multi-format system for the women’s Ashes in 2013.

"It’s certainly something we’ve talked about," Mott said in Taunton on Sunday when asked if his team aspired to the achievements of Sir Donald Bradman’s famed Invincibles, who were unbeaten in 34 matches on a marathon tour of the UK 71 years ago.

"We’re still in a position to do it, but without getting in front of ourselves I think Chelmsford’s a big game.

"England will be dying for a different format. In T20s, they’re a very competitive team and they’re the one-day World Cup holders and we’re the T20 holders so I think it’s going to be an absorbing series.

"We’ll have a couple of days off now, rest and get everyone fit and ready."

Australia are also still smarting from losing the final two T20Is of the 2017-18 Ashes in Australia, allowing England to tie the series 8-8, which they claimed as a victory despite the Aussies retaining the trophy as the holders.

And those memories will remain front of mind for Meg Lanning’s team over the coming 10 days.

"We have completely unfinished business at the moment," Mott said. "I think that’s the beauty of this series.

"First of all we want to win in Chelmsford then we want to win the T20 series and then we’ll take the rest from there. But it’s still open.

"England obviously will try to draw the series and we know what that felt like last time so we’re very keen to avoid that."

Australia last lost a match to England during last year’s T20I tri-series in Mumbai and are undefeated in seven consecutive matches across all formats against their fiercest rivals since.

Asked if he felt there was a widening gap between No.1 ranked Australia and second-ranked England, the only two nations with fully professional female cricketers, Mott admitted it was a goal for his team.

"It’s something we want to do. We want to put a gap," he said.

"I think England are a very good team. They’re the ODI world champions, so they quite rightfully are very strong, the number two team at the moment.

"(And) I think when it comes back to T20s, the sides get a lot closer and there’s not that gap there so we’ll have to be ready to go come Chelmsford."

For England, who have been forced to resign themselves to waiting another two-and-a-half years for the potential of reclaiming the Ashes, there will still be more than pride on the line.

Not least of all, there’s a T20 World Cup on the horizon and they’ll already have one eye on the tournament to be held in Australia next February and March.

"You want to win the first game," Robinson said. "The focus will be like it was in 2017, to try and draw the series and come from behind.

"There’s a World Cup in February in Australia, all those games are preparation for that, to try and get your best formulas and find out who can handle pressure."

The T20I leg of the women’s Ashes will begin in Chelmsford on Friday, ahead of matches in Hove and Bristol.

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Kirstie Gordon, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole (vc), Lauren Winfield, Sarah Taylor

Australia lead England 8-2

First ODI: Australia won by two wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by four wickets

Third ODI:  Australia won by 194 runs

Only Test: Match Drawn

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol