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3rd over: England 23-0 (Jones 4, Beaumont 14) Jones, even from a handful of deliveries, looks in fine touch here. She takes just two off Schutt’s over but is hitting the ball sweetly.
2nd over: England 21-0 (Jones 2, Beaumont 14) Kim Garth is up from the other end, and her opening delivery – a full outswinger – is nicely driven by Jones for one. The quick is called for a no-ball … and Beaumont wallops the free hit down the ground for six! That’s a very confident stroke. There’s another, with Beaumont coming down the pitch to drive through cover for four. Beth Mooney comes up to the stumps to halt Beaumont’s adventurous footwork; out come leg-byes to the fine-leg rope.
1st over: England 5-0 (Jones 1, Beaumont 4) Megan Schutt hops in, ready to nip the ball back in to the two right-handers. Jones clips the first ball for a single and Beaumont is grateful for a long hop, pulling behind square for four. Beaumont shows off a proper forward defence to close the over, getting the front foot right out to smother the ball.
The anthems have wrapped up and the players are out on the field. Amy Jones takes the strike for England.
The teams
England are unchanged: Danni Wyatt-Hodge misses out again despite the struggles of the middle order. Australia bring in Georgia Voll for Healy, with Sophie Molineux and Kim Garth in, too.
Australia: Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney (wk), Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath (c), Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt
England: Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell
Australia win the toss and choose to bowl first
Tahlia McGrath is Australia’s captain, filling in for the injured Healy. She gets off to a good start, winning the toss and choosing to bowl first.
Here’s Raf’s preview:
Amy Jones has claimed that January’s Ashes whitewash “hasn’t been a topic of discussion” before Wednesday’s World Cup clash between England and Australia. If you believe that, you will believe anything.
Preamble
Someone’s unbeaten run is coming to an end today. Australia and England are already through to the semi-finals – taking a touch of jeopardy out of this contest – but this remains a big one. Both have identical records, with four wins and one abandonment, but the advantage remains with the Australians: this is the first time the two sides are meeting since England’s nightmare Ashes.
That 16-0 mauling was followed by the appointment of Nat Sciver-Brunt as captain, replacing Heather Knight – yet the former skipper remains vital. Knight is England’s leading run-scorer in the tournament, propping up the batting with Sciver-Brunt while the rest struggle. They must go again today against a side missing the in-form Alyssa Healy – out with a calf injury – but always ready to show off their incredible depth. How much have England changed under Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards? Maybe we’ll get a clearer answer today. We’ll get going at 10.30am BST/8.30pm AEDT.
