Women's Ashes: Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Nat Sciver and Danni Wyatt on touring Australia
Thursday 19 October 2017 09:35, UK
With the Women's Ashes just days away we spoke to four of England's World Cup winners about their Ashes memories as they prepare to try and regain the urn.
Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Nat Sciver and Danni Wyatt discuss their Ashes heroes of years gone by, what item they consider essential when heading off on tour and weigh up whether they would swap their World Cup win for Ashes success in Australia.
For the answers to those questions and more, read on...
Favourite Ashes memory?
Katherine Brunt: Probably my first ever Ashes. For the simple reason that it was my first and I didn't know what to expect. It was a very interesting Aussie team at the time with a very scary opening fast bowler.
I guess I thought I was the only one like that but I found another one - even worse than me! It was a good eye-opener and that is when I learnt about the battle of the Ashes and it was the first one we won after 42 years of waiting so it was very special to be a part of.
Nat Sciver: Probably the first one I played in in 2013, in England. We managed to win them back after a while so that was very special.
Danni Wyatt: Men's Ashes 2005. Steve Harmison bowling to Michael Kasprowicz and Geraint Jones taking the catch to win the game by two runs - that is the best I can remember.
Tammy Beaumont: I'll go for a women's cricket one. The first multi-format Women's Ashes here in 2013 and Lydia Greenway hitting the winning runs in a T20 down at Southampton for us to win the Ashes. We all just invaded the pitch, I think Charlotte Edwards was the first one out there so there is a first time for everything!
Ashes hero or heroine?
KB: I did love watching Freddie Flintoff. He was a bit like me, he loved to get into a battle in whichever form it might be: batting, bowling or fielding. There was never a dull moment with him, he was very entertaining.
NS: It was probably Freddie. When I was growing up I didn't know too much about women's cricket so it would have to be Freddie in the 2005 Ashes.
DW: Mine was probably Kevin Pietersen or Freddie Flintoff. I just remember KP scoring loads of runs against the Aussies, smashing Shane Warne around at the Oval with that horrible blonde Mohican.
TB: I'd go with Andrew Strauss for that catch at Trent Bridge in 2005 - that was a good memory. Also, a bit of a random one, Arran Brindle. I think it was 2005 that the women also won the Ashes and she got a few runs in the Test match that meant we won so I always looked up to her. I obviously got the chance to play with her later in my career.
Earliest cricketing memory?
KB: It would be watching Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh on a VHS with my brother in my living room, it was called 'Bats, Balls and Bouncers'. We used to watch those two steaming in, tearing things up and bullying people - it was great! I think it rubbed off on me.
NS: Playing with my dad. He and his uni friends have a weekend where they all get together and play. I got to play in the dad's match and they were all a bit unhappy about that because I took it a bit too seriously! I actually did all right and so they were annoyed about that.
TB: I don't know if it counts as a cricketing one but I remember my brother and his three best mates from school used to play in their back garden. They had an apple tree that I would sit in and score because they used a hard ball and I was a lot younger than them.
Then they would swap and get a tennis ball out so I could have a bat and I would get out about five times before they shooed me back to the tree to carry on scoring! They must have been eight or nine so I can only have been four or five.
DW: My earliest cricketing memory was probably playing in the backyard at school with the boys. I remember they were all Pakistani lads and they were so quick. We used to play with a tennis ball that was half taped up, so it would swing so much! Then my older brother used to come and play with us - but he quit because I was better than him!
Best thing about Australia?
KB: Probably the lovely weather, everybody is much happier which is probably because they've got 10 times more vitamin D than us! The coffee always tastes better, the meat is nice and tender - they have it good, don't they? But I love England, I love home and I wouldn't live in Australia - but for a short time it is lovely.
NS: The weather, and the coffee is not bad either. There are a lot of coffee chains in England but not so many out there and it just tastes better in Australia.
DW: Coffee! It just tastes so much nicer and sweeter, I think. Sometimes they burn the beans in England, whereas in Australia it is so good. And the pitches are very nice to bat on, just to get a bit of cricket in!
TB: The beaches and outside life culture. The cafes are really good and it is always outside seating and good coffee, avo-toast as they love it! BBQs, beaches, all the outside stuff.
Best person to room with on tour?
KB: My bestie Nat Sciver because she puts up with me, she has the patience of a saint. Or maybe Lauren Winfield, she's a bit of a joker. She's quite calm, just gets on with it but she is quite funny to wind up and scare.
NS: It would have to be one of my housemates because I feel most comfortable with them. So Katherine Brunt is the only one going on this tour, so I'd say her.
TB: Me and Danni Wyatt room together quite a lot. Danni puts up with my mess and I keep her in line - or we lead each other astray! We're both quite sociable so we're quite good at rooming together, we're not in the room much because we like to get out and about. Danni is probably up there, top three.
And the worst?
KB: Probably Fran Wilson because she has these night terrors and she runs around the room, sometimes she snores as well. She sounds dreadful, doesn't she? I swear it is not all that bad but at times it can be pretty terrifying.
NS: For me, Jenny Gunn because she wakes up really early. I've heard that she is very quiet in the mornings and tries not to wake you up. But then you'd feel like you're putting her out because she'll go to breakfast at seven and then she has to wait for you to wake up before she comes back into the room so I'd feel a bit bad making her wait. We're not that compatible in that respect.
TB: It is quite personal, for me, because I wouldn't want to room with Jenny Gunn. It's not because I don't love her to bits, because I do. But she gets up really early and when we used to room with people, she is really polite, she'll wake up, get dressed in the dark, sneak out of the room at about 6am and then not come back until she knows you're awake.
For me, I wouldn't want to room with someone who would be put out like that, I'd want to sleep in until like 9!
DW: I'd be the same, Jenny Gunn. I like to go to bed a bit later and get up later - I'm not an early riser!
What is your essential item to take on a tour?
KB: My pillow with a soft pillow case. I can't stand gritty material and, obviously, bed is the best time and I struggle with sleep. If I don't have my pillow then I'm guaranteed to only get about four hours sleep.
NS: Ooh, I'm not sure. Maybe a pair of flight socks? They're a must for long-haul flights. My iPod is pretty important for me but also I'm in charge of the team iPod so I have to remember to bring that as well. I say I'm in charge of it, I just put the songs together, everyone gets a choice to keep everyone happy.
TB: I know what it would be for Soph [Ecclestone], it would be her teddy bear! It is a tough one because on some of the tours where you potentially don't have such accessible places to go we'll take an Xbox but in Australia we won't really need it. Perhaps my iPad so I can stream things on Netflix.
DW: I've got a little rabbit that I take away with me.
Would you swap the World Cup win for an Ashes series win?
KB: No, even though I'd say I love the Ashes more, with the World Cup, you are the best in the world and it doesn't come around very often in your career.
NS: No, I don't think so. We haven't won the Ashes yet but that day we won the World Cup was really, really special and I'll keep wanting to remember it for years to come.
TB: No, definitely not.
DW: No, we'll have both please!
