"England keep finding a way": Australia's former cricketer Mel Jones Ahead of 2nd Ashes ODI match
Jul 14, 2023
Hampshire [UK], July 14 : Australia's former cricketer Mel Jones believes that it would not be easy for Australia to claim the Ashes series as England keeps finding a way to win.
Early in the series, Australia grabbed a dominating lead, winning the one-off Test and the first T20I. However, they lost the T20I series and the first one-day match later.
England skipper Heather Knight guided her team to an emphatic victory at County Ground to pull off record run chase on Wednesday to level the Ashes 2023 series to level the series on 6-6.
Ahead of the second ODI match which will be played at Hampshire from Sunday, Jones told Sky Sports News that the series is a "rollercoaster ride".
"I think if you ask anyone in the England side, they would say they did their best to throw it away. Five dropped catches and a missed stumping - how are you going to get yourselves back from that?
But there is something about this team at the moment that has this super belief in themselves and as a team collectively that keep finding a way," Jones added.
Behind by 6-0, England made a great comeback into the series and won three straight games, two T20I and one ODI to level the series by 6-6. Jones said that no other team has done that against Australia since 2013.
"They have drawn the series level and winning three games on the trot against Australia, they haven't done that since 2013. So, there is something, as an Aussie, that is nerve-wracking about the form of England at the moment.
"The wicket at Bristol allowed Australia to put on 263 and they probably left 20 in the shed but it was a tricky wicket.
"The way in which Heather Knight played, particularly against the spinners in the middle overs, shows she is the general in this team and managed it so very well.
"If it wasn't for the knock of Knight, it would have been exceptionally difficult for them to get over the line," she further added.
Australia had been on a historic run in the ODI format prior to the Ashes, winning 41 of their previous 42 games.
However, Jones believes that Australia is beginning to realise that winning has been covering up some of their issues and that they will need to rapidly reorganise if they are to win this series. This is because of a change in leadership and personnel that is harming Australia.
"I think some of the Australia girls have mentioned it too. Winning can mask over little cracks in the way in which they have been performing," added Jones.
"I think for the Australians, they need a lot of their senior players to step up."
"There are six within this time who have been part of a magnificent, successful run for Australia where they have, prior to this game, won 41 of 42 ODIs."
"There has also been a change in leadership, a coach and a captain."
"I am certainly not saying they are not great at their job, they are fantastic, but they do things slightly differently than what the team has been dealing with, with Meg Lanning and Matthew Mott running the ship for the last 10 or so years."
"It is a change in personnel, everyone is trying to get used to a different style, but they are going to have to get used to it pretty quickly to stay in the hunt for the Ashes," concluded Mel.