Tammy Beaumont is targeting an overdue first Test win in the next week, insisting a shake-up in approach is the best way of England forging ahead in the Women’s Ashes.
Beaumont is set for her eighth Test cap when a much-anticipated multi-format series starts on Thursday, with England looking to defeat an all-conquering Australia side for the first time since 2014.
Captain Heather Knight is adamant England have to be “disruptors” to upset the odds and Beaumont feels the attacking mindset they have adopted in recent months can unsettle double world champions Australia.
She has experienced one loss and six draws in the longest format but both England and Australia have been boosted by the curtain-raiser lasting five days at Trent Bridge, as opposed to the customary four.
While this gives both sides a chance to force a positive result, Beaumont believes England must grasp the nettle in a manner similar to their male counterparts under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
Beaumont told the PA news agency: “I’ve played seven Test matches in my career and I haven’t played in a victory. We’ve got to change something, we’ve got to do something to move the game forward quicker.
“Obviously we’ve got five days which will massively help but we’re going to have to shift the game and we’re going to have to put pressure back on the opposition.
“It’s not reckless, you can compare it to how the England men have gone about things: you watch Harry Brook – there’s no slogging there, Joe Root, there’s a few inventive shots but there isn’t slogging as such by every player.
“We can definitely do it in Test cricket and we have to if we want to force results and try and get ahead in the Ashes.”
Knight and head coach Jon Lewis have ushered in this more adventurous mindset. Lewis was briefly England men’s bowling coach under Stokes and McCullum before joining the women’s side late last year.
England have shown their hand in the warm-ups last week, with Beaumont’s 201 off 238 balls the jewel in a total of 650 in 118.2 overs at Derby against Australia A. A separate England A side, meanwhile, racked up 562 in 115.1 overs against a full-strength Australia side at Grace Road.
Ahead of the one-off Test in the series which also features three T20s and three ODIs, Beaumont said: “Australia have led the way for the last five or six years, everyone is playing catch up.
“But the way that we are playing and the way we want to play can certainly challenge them and compete with them.
“Once you put good teams under pressure, you never know how they’re going to react and you never know what can happen.”
Beaumont could face the opening ball of the series if England bat first, an occasion she has encountered in the past and one she likens to one of the most nerve-wracking of her career.
She added: “It’s probably second only to facing the first ball of a World Cup final. Normally the heart’s going pretty hard. But that’s part of the job and why I love opening the batting.
“I want to be out there setting the tone, going in first and coming up against the best bowlers with a fresh ball. Whether you win or lose in the situation, that’s the bit you live for as an opening batter.
“With it being an Ashes, there’s a bit more on it but I think you try and keep the processes and emotions the same.”
Inglis hails 'hard to stop' Stoinis after ruthless knock
Josh Inglis lauded "hard to stop" Marcus Stoinis as Australia signed off their T20I series against Pakistan in style, claiming a whitewash.
The hosts raced to a seven-wicket victory with almost nine overs remaining in Monday's third match.
After Australia's bowlers had limited Pakistan to just 117 runs, Stoinis ensured they signed off their final white-ball assignment in style, with his unbeaten 61 doing the damage.
Only twice has he bettered that knock in T20Is – versus New Zealand in 2021 (78) and against Oman at the World Cup earlier this year (67*).
"It's been a great week. We've had a lot of fun as a group," Inglis said. "It's been really nice.
"When Stoinis is going like that, he is really hard to stop. One of those sixes was probably the biggest I've ever seen!"
Stoinis, who was named player of the match, added: "Nice to score some runs on a beautiful wicket but credit to the bowlers who kept the total down.
"Yeah, I actually told [Haris] Rauf that this is the first time any of us got the better of him! No, he's a brilliant bowler, bowled well this series."
During their white-ball tour, Pakistan won the ODI series, their first time doing so in Australia in 22 years, but got whitewashed in the T20Is.
Despite the heavy loss, captain Agha Salman chose to focus on the positive effect the experience will have on their young players.
"I think in the middle overs, we didn't capitalise on the start," he said. "But lots of positives.
"The way Usman [Khan] batted, the way Jahandad [Khan] bowled. These youngsters will come good.
"It's obviously a big achievement winning the ODI series, but we could have done much better in the T20Is."
Salt century gives England winning start to West Indies T20 series
Phil Salt hit a superb century as England drew first blood in their T20 series against West Indies, with a commanding eight-wicket victory at the Kensington Oval.
Salt's unbeaten 103 off 54 balls was the highlight for the tourists, who successfully chased down their target of 183 with 19 balls to spare.
The West Indies endured a difficult start and were reduced to 18-3 and later 117-8, with Saqib Mahmood (4-34) and Adil Rashid (3-32) doing the damage.
However, the hosts managed 65 runs in the last 5.2 overs to finish at 182-8, with Gukadesh Motie knocking 33 off 14 balls along the way.
Salt kick-started England's chase with 50 off just 25 deliveries taking them to 73-1 after six overs, with Will Jacks (17) dismissed with the final ball of the powerplay.
Jos Buttler's first match after four months out lasted just three minutes, as the skipper was caught by Motie for a golden duck.
However, it proved a false dawn for West Indies, with Salt and Jacob Bethall (58 from 36 balls) safely steering England to victory.
Data Debrief: Salt completes hat-trick of hundreds as Bethell makes historic half-century
England put their disappointing ODI series behind them, making history with the highest T20 chase at the Kensington Oval.
Salt was the hero with his third T20I century, all of which have come against West Indies in the past 12 months.
Bethell also made history on Saturday. Aged 21 years and 17 days, he become the youngest England player to score a 50 in a T20I.
Asalanka leads Sri Lanka to ODI series win over West Indies
Sri Lanka wrapped up the ODI series against the West Indies with a five-wicket victory in Pallekele.
The hosts successfully chased down their opponents' total of 189, giving them an unassailable 2-0 in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka controlled the early powerplay - Asitha Fernando (3-35) and Maheesh Theekshana (3-25) took two wickets apiece to leave the tourists at 31-4 in the ninth over.
Wanindu Hasaranga (4-40) then claimed three of his four wickets as Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh and Alzarri Joseph were all dismissed in the space of 14 balls.
However, Sherfane Rutherford (80 off 82 balls) and Gudakesh Motie (50 not out) steadied the ship to take the Windies from 58-8 to 189.
Although Joseph claimed Avishka Fernando (9) in the fourth over, Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama both chipped in with contributions of 38 to get the hosts to 112-4.
Skipper Charith Asalanka (62 not out) led the charge thereon, while Kamindu Mendis (11) comfortably got them over the line with 34 balls remaining.
Data Debrief: Rutherford-Motie historic stand proves academic for tourists
West Indies were looking to level the series, but their hopes were not aided by Sri Lanka's impressive bowling.
Rutherford and Motie did their best. Their partnership brought 119 runs, which is their nation's highest ninth-wicket stand in ODI history, breaking the previous record of 85 between Yannic Cariah and Alzarri Joseph.
However, it ultimately proved in vain as the hosts secured the series with a game to spare.
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