Women's Ashes 2014: Winning in Australia will be tough but we're up to the Test

After being told back in September that I could be out for up to six months with a hamstring injury that I sustained at the end of the summer, it's a great feeling to be sat writing this blog from Australia four months later - ready to get stuck into an Ashes tour.

I'm fully fit and can't wait to get back on the pitch.

There's naturally been a lot of talk about the men's Ashes, both in the media and from the public.

First and foremost, as an England cricket fan it hasn't been easy watching, but the Women's Ashes is a completely different series.

If anything it's confirmed to us what we already know - that winning in Australia is a hard task, and that retaining the Ashes out here will be one of the biggest achievements to date by this team. It's a challenge that we can't wait to get going with.

The tour didn't start on the best note for me after my bag decided to go walk-about in Hong Kong.

The skipper's luggage also went missing when she flew out a few weeks earlier. The word 'sabotage' has been mentioned a few times!

My roommate Katherine Brunt was less than helpful: (in a Northern accent) "You want to borrow me knickers?" Thankfully for me (and for Brunty) my bag turned up a few days later.

Adjusting

Preparations have been going well and the heat has been gradually building up each day, helping us to acclimatize quite nicely.

We've got a two-day warm-up against the Shooting Stars (Australia A) starting on Monday before the main event kicks off at the WACA on Friday.

The surface at the WACA will be stark contrast to the slow and low deck we had at Wormsley in the summer.

As an opening batter your job is all about adjusting to the wicket in front of you, and doing whatever you have to do to score runs.

I'm looking forward to the ball coming onto the bat a bit better and also the challenge of the extra pace and bounce that should be on offer.

With six points at stake in the Test, a win would put us in a brilliant position for the series, and that's what we plan to do!

Read our report on day one of the England Women's tour match against Australian Women A by clicking here. Check out the scorecard via this link.

Watch England's Women in action in the first of three live Twenty20 internationals from 3am on Wednesday January 29 on Sky Sports 2.