After an intense and thrilling women's Ashes series, Australia's skipper Alyssa Healy acknowledged that their characteristic "fighting spirit" may have been somewhat lacking during the month-long competition. Despite England's victory in the third ODI by 69 runs (DLS method), Australia managed to retain the Ashes as the multi-format series ended in a tie with both teams securing eight wins each from seven matches.
Notably, England handed Australia their first ODI series defeat in a decade, delivering their largest loss by runs (69) since 2008, and winning more matches overall in the seven-game series, claiming four victories to Australia's three.
Healy, quoted by Cricket.com.au, expressed her thoughts on the team's performance, saying, "I think our fighting spirit was there in parts. I think we showed it (in Sunday's ODI)… it was really there when we really, really needed it. It's still there."
However, she also acknowledged the significant changes the Australian team has experienced in the last 12 months, including the loss of key players Rachel Haynes and Meg Lanning, both top-order batswomen. Their absence has prompted the team to adapt and find ways to grow and strengthen their T20 side.
"I wouldn't say (this is) an end of an era; I think it's maybe a little bit of a moment that we potentially needed. We looked back on the T20 series and we felt like that might have been coming for a little while," Healy added.
Reflecting on the 50-over losses, Healy expressed her disappointment, especially considering Australia's impressive record with a 15-game winning streak in the format and winning 41 of their last 42 ODIs prior to the series.
"But the one-day format probably hurt us a little bit because I think we're still a really strong side and a really strong outfit, and to play the way we did was disappointing," she said.
This Ashes series concluded with the scores level, marking the first time since 2017 that the series ended in a tie. England's 2-1 victories in both white-ball legs were also their first series wins against Australia in that same period.
As the dust settles on this closely contested series, both teams will undoubtedly take away valuable lessons and insights as they continue to evolve and strive for excellence in the world of women's cricket.