England Women Struggle in Ashes Series

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England Women Struggle in Ashes Series

England's women's cricket team is currently facing a tough challenge in the Women's Ashes Series against Australia. In the second ODI, despite a strong bowling performance led by Sophie Ecclestone, who took 4 wickets for 35 runs, England was unable to secure a victory. The bowlers managed to restrict Australia to a total of 180 runs, showcasing their skills and determination on the field.

However, the batting unit of England struggled significantly, with early wickets falling and the team failing to build on promising starts from Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones. Sciver-Brunt scored 35 runs off 57 balls, while Jones contributed 47 runs from 103 balls. Australia's disciplined bowling attack, particularly from Alana King, who took 4 wickets for 25 runs, and Kim Garth, with 3 wickets for 37 runs, proved to be decisive in tilting the match in favor of the Australians.

England captain Heather Knight expressed her frustration after the match, emphasizing the need for her batting unit to be braver and more resilient. She noted that the team is `really close` to achieving success but must improve in certain areas to turn their fortunes around. With Australia leading the series 2-0, the upcoming third and final ODI on January 20 in Sydney is crucial for England to keep their hopes alive in the series.

In addition to the women's series, the England men's team is gearing up for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Led by Jos Buttler, the squad includes key players such as Joe Root, who is making a return to the ODI setup, and Jofra Archer, who will lead the pace attack. However, several notable players, including Will Jacks and Sam Curran, have been left out of the Champions Trophy squad but will participate in the IPL 2025.

There is also an ongoing issue with the England T20I squad, as pacer Saqib Mahmood is yet to receive his visa for the upcoming T20I series against India. This has led to the ECB canceling his flight to the UAE for a pace bowling camp. The first T20I is set to take place on January 22 in Kolkata, followed by matches in Chennai, Rajkot, Pune, and Mumbai.

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