Women's Ashes: England ready for Australia despite warm-up game being cut short, says Jon Lewis
Australia prepare to defend their title, with the Women's Ashes starting on January 12; head coach Jon Lewis insists England will be ready for the start of the series, saying: "The players are ready, we've played a lot of cricket over the last four or five months"
Thursday 9 January 2025 13:26, UK
Jon Lewis, England's head coach, insisted his side would be ready for the start of the Women's Ashes this weekend, despite their only warm-up game being abandoned.
After several rain delays, the match against an Australian Governor General's XI was reduced to 35 overs a side before the weather ended the home side's innings on 183 for eight from 28.2 overs.
England were set a revised target of 188 in 28 overs but play did not resume at the North Sydney Oval.
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"We obviously would have liked to play more cricket but it is what it is, we can't control the weather," Lewis told cricket.com.au.
"The players are ready, we've played a lot of cricket over the last four or five months... they've been playing continuously from since the World Cup all the way through South Africa and we had a very short break so they've come here and they feel like they've hit the ground running."
Lewis also shrugged off the problems experienced by fast bowler Lauren Filer, who slipped over numerous times in the greasy conditions and conceded 33 runs from her 2.5 overs.
"It's a very similar thing to what Mark Wood does and it was a little bit greasy out there," Lewis added.
"It wasn't ideal for her but we hope that the wicket on Sunday will be a little bit less grassy and a bit drier.
"I don't think it affects her confidence, it affected her execution. She's pretty confident with where she's at. She bowled well down on pace there for what she would normally bowl because it was just quite hard to stand up."
Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the England bowlers as she removed both openers and finished with figures of three for 27 from five overs.
Kate Cross did not feature as she continues her recovery from the back spasms which ended her tour of South Africa but Lewis said: "She bowled today at Cricket Central, she's progressing along nicely.
"We're just waiting to see how she comes through Saturday and then we'll make a decision after that."
The first one-day international takes place in Sydney on Sunday.
