Sophia Dunkley insists England are “100 per cent” behind skipper Heather Knight regardless of seeing Australia finish their Ashes hopes with a convincing 57-run defeat within the first T20 worldwide.
Trailing 6-0 within the sequence as they walked out on the Sydney Cricket Floor after dropping every of the three ODIs, Knight’s aspect have been effectively crushed with 4 overs to spare at hand the hosts an unassailable lead with two extra T20s and a Take a look at match to return.
A poor begin Down Below had prompted query marks over Knight’s reign as captain and, with solely satisfaction now left to play for, the criticism has intensified.
Nevertheless, requested about Knight’s management afterwards, Dunkley mentioned: “Look, I believe we simply again Heather 100 per cent to steer us on the market. She’s carried out the job amazingly for the final… I don’t know the way lengthy it’s nevertheless it’s been for a very long time.
“She’s an enormous a part of our altering room, an enormous chief and I again her 100 per cent to assist flip this crew round.
Sticking Collectively
“All we are able to do is stick collectively now and battle as laborious as we are able to for the final three video games and completely again her 100 per cent as our captain. I’m positive she will convey the perfect out of us within the final couple of video games, for positive.”
Having gained the toss and opting to place Australia in, Knight noticed any initiative snatched away from her as wayward bowling and poor fielding allowed the hosts to get off to a flying begin which was aided in no small half by a 51-ball 75 from Beth Mooney.
Her innings offered the spine of a complete of 198 for seven to go away the vacationers needing to match their report profitable chase of 199 to maintain the sequence alive.
Dunkley’s 59 from simply 24 balls, which included 4 sixes and 6 fours, briefly gave England hope as they reached the midway stage on 96 for 3, however Knight’s departure for 18 stalled the momentum and so they in the end fell effectively brief.
Too Many Runs
Knight informed TNT Sports activities: “We most likely gave them 20, 30 too many runs, I assumed. If we’d saved them to twenty, 30 much less with a bit of bit extra within the discipline, I believe we might have been in with an actual shout.
“Sophia Dunkley gave us an opportunity, the best way she batted – it’s such a superb wicket as effectively, it felt prefer it was on – however just a bit little bit of mis-execution and if we’d saved to them 20, 30 much less, we might have been within the recreation for positive.”
England may but draw the sequence and that will probably be their focus as they put together for Thursday’s second T20 on the Manuka Oval.
Nevertheless, stand-in Australia skipper Tahlia McGrath had a warning for England.
Requested what her crew needed to work on, McGrath mentioned: “England got here actually laborious at us within the energy play and we most likely leaked just a few too many there, in order that’s undoubtedly an space to work on, after which simply persevering with to boss it within the discipline and actually placed on a great efficiency there.”
In the meantime, there was higher information on the males’s Bodily Incapacity Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, the place England will meet India in Tuesday’s closing.
Callum Flynn’s aspect completed second within the group stage with 4 wins from six matches however might want to avenge a 29-run loss to their fellow finalists to safe the primary worldwide silverware of the 12 months.
READ MORE: Beth Mooney stars as Australia beat England in first T20 to retain Women’s Ashes
