Exposing England's all-right batters key for Aussies

Australia spinners Jess Jonassen and Georgia Wareham are looking all right as they target England’s powerful batting line-up.

When the multi-format women’s Ashes begin next Tuesday with the first one-day international in Leicester, Australia will come up against a formidable batting line-up featuring some of the world’s best: stylish ‘keeper-bat Sarah Taylor, captain Heather Knight, in-form openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones, aggressive allrounder Natalie Sciver and the ever-threatening Danni Wyatt.

All six are right-handers - in fact, England haven’t fielded a left-handed batter in their ODI XI since left-arm pace bowler Katie George played in a one-dayer against New Zealand last July. By contrast, Australia will likely field four left-handers in their XI for Tuesday’s match.

With that in mind, it’s hardly surprising left-arm spinner Jonassen and leggie Wareham are licking their lips are the prospect of testing themselves against England’s stars and the pair spent plenty of time bowling to their right-handed teammates during Thursday’s nets session at Loughborough University, ahead of Australia’s second and final Ashes warm-up against the England Academy team.

"Both England and the England Academy side don’t have a left-handed batter, so we’re just trying to bowl as many balls at the right-handed batters as possible,” Jonassen explained.

"It will be potentially vital at some points (of the Ashes series) with the ball going away.

"We’ve identified in some of the stats that it’s a benefit for us, but for us as a side full stop we’ve got that versatility in all our bowlers, we’ve got in-swing bowlers, out-swing, left-hand, right-hand.

"So we’ve done a lot of planning in terms of match-ups in terms of which batters prefer which types of bowling, and who gets out to what the most.

"Hopefully we can play a key part in keeping these Ashes in Australia."

While the Australian squad shivered their way through a rain-affected 39-over-a-side practice match against the England Academy on Wednesday, much warmer conditions are expected for Friday’s second and final hit-out.

Jonassen was a stand-out in the first warm-up, taking 3-19 from six overs and causing plenty of problems for the English batters on a slow deck.

Despite a comfortable six-wicket win over a strong England Academy side more akin to England A than a development team, Jonassen believes there’s still plenty of areas for the tourists to tidy before their campaign officially begins next week, primarily in the field.

"It was a good way to get the cobwebs out for us and it was nice to be able to get out there even though it was a shortened game," she said.

"We were able to get out of it what we wanted, the bowlers got their loads in and batters were able to spend some good time out in the middle as well.

"For us fielding would be (an area for improvement), we dropped a couple of catches and let a little bit go on the ground as well."

Australia will meet the England Academy team in a 50-over warm-up at Loughborough University’s Haslegrave Ground on Friday from 10.30am local (7.30pm AEST), with live scores available on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app.

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, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

June 26: England Academy v Australia, Loughborough

June 28:  England Academy v Australia, Loughborough

July 2: First ODI, Grace Road, Leicester

July 4: Second ODI, Grace Road, Leicester

July 7:  Third ODI, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury

July 11-13: England Academy v Australia, Marlborough College, Swindon

July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol

A Test victory is worth four points (two each for a draw), two points are awarded for ODI and T20 wins