The Ashes: England challenge Australia but face uphill task in white-ball series

So near, but truthful far.

We saw those instances of precocious unit wherever the crippled could sway 1 mode oregon the other, wherever 1 squad would basal to summation flimsy intelligence advantages.

And during the women's Test lucifer astatine Trent Bridge, it was Australia who edged them.

From England having the visitors 238-6, lone for Annabel Sutherland to smash a period from fig eight, to losing 4 wickets for 15 runs to autumn 10 abbreviated of first-innings parity.

From missing an accidental to disregard skipper Alyssa Healy archetypal shot successful the 2nd innings aft taking 3 wickets for 3 runs, and for her to spell connected to marque a captious half-century.

And from racing to 55-0 wrong 10 overs successful the 2nd innings, lone for Australia to combat backmost successful ridiculously assertive manner to instrumentality 5 precocious wickets connected Sunday to firmly dent England's hopes.

By time five, determination was inactive hope, but the result felt inevitable purely due to the fact that of Australia's ruthless inclination to triumph the tiny battles that mattered most.

They besides astir apt saved astatine slightest 50 runs done the magnificence of their fielding.

Ash Gardner did the rest, taking a magnificent 8-66 to skittle England and corroborate an 89-run triumph - but much significantly, a 4-0 points pb successful the multi-format series.

Positives for England arsenic gulf successful people shrinks

This decision feels crueller than England's much caller struggles against Australia, particularly aft Tammy Beaumont's historical treble period and Sophie Ecclestone's unthinkable 10 wickets successful the match.

England this time, for the archetypal clip since the close Canberra trial of January 2022, went toed to toed with Australia - and kept it going for 4 days.

England astir matched Australia's first-innings 473, they triggered middle-order batting collapses and astatine times amazed the tourists with their intent with the bat.

So it is not needfully the accomplishment level that defines Australia's dominance implicit England immoderate more.

They are phenomenal, of people - Sutherland's coming-of-age century, Gardner's match-winning show and the information that they person won without inspirational person Meg Lanning.

England matched them for agelong stretches, done Beaumont, Ecclestone and the emergence of Lauren Filer, whose earthy gait looks a existent find for Heather Knight's broadside arsenic she visibly unsettled immoderate of the Australia line-up.

But the quality is Australia's unwavering tenacity to win, and crucially, to cognize however to win.

And that comes from being utilized to it. History is ever connected their side.

They person travel nether unit earlier - most precocious successful a adjacent T20 semi-final against India successful South Africa, but again won the tiny battles to creep through.

Australia besides person the intelligence precocious manus implicit England, having dominated truthful overmuch of the teams' caller history, but the signs are there: the spread is dilatory closing.

England look uphill white-ball battle

Before this match, some teams spoke of a tendency to unit a effect successful the five-day Test and hazard losing it successful bid to win.

The lone occupation with that mindset for England is that Australia could spend to suffer 4 points - a batch much than England could.

That is simply due to the fact that of Australia's hardly believable white-ball record: they could suffer the Test lucifer and inactive realistically triumph capable white-ball games to overturn the deficit.

But now, England indispensable triumph 5 retired of six white-ball matches (or four, and anticipation for a no-result owed to weather) against a squad who person won 41 retired of 42 one-day internationals successful the past 5 years, and 56 retired of 65 T20s.

It is not an intolerable task for England - and Australia person shown weaknesses, peculiarly successful the bowling, though experienced seamer Megan Schutt is apt to return.

England volition proceed to attack, to effort and rattle the satellite champions.

They person shown that they tin get the Australians connected the backmost foot.

But adjacent time, they indispensable marque definite they support them there.