Women’s Ashes: Australia looking to ’embarrass’ England by winning multi-format series 16-0, says Grace Harris | Cricket news
Grace Harris says Australia wants to “embarrass” England by securing a wash in the Women’s Ashes.
Australia took a 10-0 lead in the multi-format contest to secure an outright series win, with six-run win at DLS in the rain-hit second T20 in Canberra on Thursday.
The Southern Stars can make it 16-0 with a triumph in Saturday’s T20 final in Adelaide, followed by a one-off Test match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground from January 30.
The versatile Harris told BBC Sport: “Of course I was thinking about 16-0. A win would be outstanding. It would be very, very good if we could embarrass England.
Australia wants to ‘put England under the sword’
“They’re actually a very competitive side and they’ve got some really good players. Let’s hope we can continue to play as a team and really put them to the sword.
“They’re a very competitive team so it wouldn’t surprise me if they throw a few punches along the way and get on the board.”
England bounced back from their heavy defeat in Monday’s T20 opener in Sydney with a much better result at Manuka Oval three days later.
Their requirement to claim their first points of the series was 22 from the final over, which was then reduced to 18 from five balls after captain Heather Knight (43no) hit Annabel Sutherland for four, only for rain to arrive at the end of the match.
Harris said: “It’s not the most common ending I’ve ever seen.
“It would have been a bit sweeter if we had beaten them outright but we played well enough to get a really competitive total [of 185-5] on the board.
“England could say the rain saved us, but at 18 from five – how often do they come back after that? We went in and had clear plans which we executed most of the time.”
Harris: I see both sides of the criticism of fitness in England
Harris was also asked about the feud that has simmered between England and their former spinner Alex Hartley after the latter, now a BBC pundit, questioned the side’s fitness following their group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in the UAE in October.
Hartley revealed that England’s Sophie Ecclestone refused a TV interview with her during The Ashes following the remarks and said further TNT Sports on Thursday that the saga “hit her well”.
Harris added: “I see both sides of it [the criticism around England’s fitness].
“Cricket is also a mental game. The fitness aspect comes down to making better decisions over longer periods of time and under fatigue.
“I think the criticism was better worded, it wouldn’t have been taken so harshly. I’m glad it doesn’t happen in our camp!”
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