One former England coach previously suggested to me that Australia were genetically superior, a statement that would perhaps test the credulity of most evolutionary scientists.
Lewis, meanwhile, was criticised after saying the Australian climate is a big advantage: “I walked from Bondi to Coogee the other Sunday morning and pretty much the whole of the eastern suburbs of Sydney were out swimming in the sea and running and walking so you’re like, there’s a cultural difference.”
Athletes from other sports have railed against this notion. Would a Lioness say that endless cold nights at training left them at a disadvantage in comparison to Spain or Italy?
Lewis has also repeatedly talked about England players having freedom to make bold decisions for themselves, both on and off the field, sentiments borrowed from the ‘Bazball’ approach of the England men’s Test squad.
However, barring occasional, mercurial exceptions, England remain painfully timid in pressure moments.
Conversely, during this series Australia have faced tough moments several times, notably in the third ODI when they fell to 59-4. They went on to score 308-8.
They consistently show game intelligence that seems to be ingrained as cricketers from a young age, and something sorely missing from England.
England wicketkeeper Amy Jones, who is technically the best in the game behind the stumps, told me after a miscalculation in the second ODI that she had little experience of managing who was on strike at the end of a run chase: “I can safely say I don’t think I’ve ever farmed the strike before in a game,” she said.
This is no slight on 31-year-old Jones, who has more than 200 caps for England, but rather a symptom of a structure that has failed to develop cricketers with the in-built game smarts that seem second nature to Australia.
Part of the challenge in the women’s game is judging where you are as a side often only happens when you play against the mighty Australians.
Rolling over New Zealand and Pakistan last summer was impressive from England, but how hard did they have to work to win the games? The odd extra boundary conceded in the field didn’t matter so much. To Australia, saving every run is a badge of honour.
As seen in the memorable Women’s Ashes series of 2023 that was drawn 8-8, England have the talent to compete. But sometimes the language from the two sides suggests that competing alone is enough for one but not the other.
After the first ODI, a game Australia won, the message from Australia’s Alana King was clear. “I don’t think that [performance] was a marker of any sort.”
England captain Heather Knight, meanwhile, said: “[We’re] not far away, there’s a few things we can tidy up.”
Are England any good? Yes, compared to almost every team they’re exceptional. But compared to Australia they are light years behind. To beat them, they must match them, down to every last tiny detail and beyond.
For every yard sprinted, England must aim to sprint one more.
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