“England’s best format is T20.” It’s been a mantra through this Women’s Ashes series so far. With Australia the stronger team, and the series starting with the 50-over format in which they dominate, it was repeated by England followers, repeated by media wanting a close series for the story, even flashed up in the television blurb describing the first 20-over match from the SCG. As those one-day internationals were lost one after the other, the insistence has developed a ring of desperation, like “I can quit any time I want” or “I’m fine to drive”.
The problem is, if England’s best style is the short one, they still have to play it against the country who have won six T20 World Cups. In Sydney, England didn’t field a single batter with a career strike rate above 130. Australia fielded Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris and Georgia Wareham. A team missing their captain, Alyssa Healy, and their matchwinner from the previous outing, Ash Gardner, didn’t miss a beat. If T20 is England’s best format, every format is Australia’s best format.
