3 minute read
Australia's Alana King has been the player of the women's Ashes so far, but the star spinner is still unlikely to keep her spot for the T20 part of the series.
Alana King delivered a spell for the ages that spun Australia to an unlikely victory against England, but could soon be out of the XI.
King's career-best figures of 4-25 helped Australia defend a paltry 180 in a chaotic Ashes match at the Junction Oval, a ground that has a stand named after her idol Shane Warne.
The 29-year-old bowled a perfect legbreak to dismiss Danni Wyatt-Hodge that would have made the legendary spinner proud.
"I played a lot of cricket here growing up and even started off my professional career at Victoria, so this place will always be pretty special to me," King said.
"Having the Shane Warne Stand now, it was pretty surreal."
The 29-year-old is a lock to play in the third ODI in Hobart on Friday, but it would take a change in direction from selectors for her to feature in the three-match T20 section of the multi-format series.
King's last T20 for Australia was during the group stage of the 2023 World Cup, almost two years ago.
Australia have preferred King in ODIs and Tests, but Georgia Wareham has been the chosen legspinner for the T20 team.
The pair played together in an ODI against India in December, but Wareham wasn't required to bowl or bat in that match and again found herself out of the 50-over team.
Wareham's one and only Test came back in 2021 against India, with King playing in Australia's last four red-ball matches.
Opportunities for women's players to press their case for Test selection are almost strictly limited to training.
The day-night showdown at the MCG that will conclude this Ashes series is expected to draw a record crowd for a women's Test.
"That can get a little hard, it gets a bit frustrating not getting the opportunity to do that," Wareham told AAP.
"If we did it in state cricket it would be different because we get an opportunity to play that.
"It's hard, but it's the same as you do in any other training.
"It doesn't change too much. I just try and do what I normally do."
Australia are 4-0 up in the multi-format series with each of the three ODIs and T20s earning the winner two points, while the Test is worth four.
They need to win just two of the remaining five matches to be certain of retaining the Ashes.
Pressure is mounting on England, who last won an Ashes back in 2013-14, after their dramatic collapse in Melbourne.
"It's frustrating, I feel like it was there for the taking," England captain Heather Knight told the BBC.
"The wickets cost us. We need to be a bit braver with the bat."