Phoebe Graham’s Ashes blog: England’s unreal Tash Farrant will be a huge threat to Australia | Cricket News

“Elite women’s cricket is where it belongs. It bridges the gap between domestic and international cricket”; Thunder pitcher Phoebe Graham is looking forward to the start of the Women’s Ashes and thinks ‘unreal’ England seamstress Tash Farrant could make a big impact in Australia

In her first Women’s Ashes blog, North West Thunder’s Phoebe Graham looks to the start of the series in Australia and backs England to get off to a good start…

The Women’s Ashes aka ‘WASHES’ starts this week and what a show it’s going to be!

This Friday morning I will be in the Lancashire gymnasium watching the England women get off to a phenomenal start in their first T20 match at the Adelaide Oval.

Meg Lanning lifted the Women’s Ashes trophy in 2019 as Australia won the multi-format series

Before the test, it was the best summer of cricket we have ever had in women’s football. This is a year of firsts…

• The first year of women’s professional national cricket – we have grown from 18 county teams to eight elite first-class franchises.
• The first franchise tournament in the UK, The Hundred – a new competition launched for men and women with equal coverage, facilities and prize money.
• This is the first time that young girls and boys can dream of being professional domestic and international cricketers – the structures are in place so it is a career choice for both men and women.
• And personally, this is the first time I feel that being a cricketer is a sustainable career choice and I feel fully respected and supported in my decision.

Elite women’s cricket is where it belongs. It bridges the gap between domestic and international cricket and the dividends will be seen throughout this series. We produce England stars (and those of us training at home are still striving to become them!).

Tash Farrant had a superb summer both for England and at The Hundred

Tash Farrant had an amazing Hundred tournament and I think she will be a huge threat to T20 games with her unreal variations and shrewd tactical awareness of the game. It will be good to see talents such as Maia Bouchier and Charlie Dean having a opportunity that have also worked their way through the national system.

Before the tournament, the preparation work of the English girls was not perfect. Nothing can ever be perfect in this new world of COVID, but with Sophie Eccelstone taking seven wickets in the warm-up match, it feels like we’re in safe hands.

Charlie Dean made a successful start to his career in England this summer

The Ashes are the pinnacle of British cricket and I’m ready for the women to bring home the urn. It’s not been a perfect story for the Ashes so far. Hopefully the men’s team and the ECB can take this opportunity to learn while defending the women’s series. At the end of the day, we all want to beat the Australians!

I have personally enjoyed how women’s football has intensified our competition and reduced our teams to eight franchises. As an elite athlete, I want and need to play against the best in the country to improve. Looks like cricket could learn from this.

I am sure that tomorrow England will win their first victory. It’s been an exciting year for women’s cricket and I look forward to celebrating more progression and evolution in the game!