Charlotte Edwards Press Conference https://t.co/LP64qUGfhR via @audioboo
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 26, 2014
By Rob Barnett
Charlotte Edwards thinks switching formats from one-day internationals to Twenty20s will help England in the Women’s Ashes.
Edwards’ side lost the last two of three ODIs - both closely-fought contests - as Australia came back to eight points to four down in the multi-format contest.
The tourists, who won the sole Test and maiden ODI, still need to avoid defeat just once to retain the urn, but will doubtless be seeking victory at Hobart on Wednesday in the first of three T20 internationals.
England took all three T20Is in last summer’s Ashes and Edwards is confident of their format prospects, albeit Australia are World Twenty20 champions as well as 50-over World Cup holders.
“I think for us it’s good that we’re changing formats now. Twenty20 is a format that we’ve been very successful at over a period of time now,” she said.
“We’ve got some good strategies in place and we play a lot of it now as well. Hopefully it will help our squad.”
Each of the Women’s Ashes T20Is is the opening part of a double-header also featuring Australia and England’s men.
After the Bellerive Oval on Wednesday, the games will be at the MCG on Friday and the SCG on Sunday, promising big crowds for the series’ climax.
“I think everyone’s looking forward to the next week of Twenty20, especially with the double-headers with the men,” Edwards added.
“We’re 8-4 up. I’d rather be our position that theirs. They’ve played well in the last two games, but I think T20 cricket is very much who turns up on the day, whose big players turn up.
“I think probably if we were playing two more ODIs the momentum would be with the Australians, but I’m quite happy for a change of format.”