All posts by h716a5.icu

White-ball captain frustrated by failure of players to adapt to requirements of 50-over cricket

Cameron Ponsonby30-Oct-2025Harry Brook conceded his side had been “hammered” by New Zealand, with the white-ball captain at a loss to explain England’s struggles in the format.For the first time during Brook’s tenure as captain, he failed to hide his disappointment after England slipped to a sixth ODI series defeat in seven and the second of his brief captaincy career.For all the talk of wanting to entertain, Brook’s disappointment was tangible as he responded to a question as to whether the result in Hamilton was the first time he had been frustrated with his players.”It’s disappointing, isn’t it,” Brook said. “You go round every single player there and you think, ‘bloody hell, there aren’t many teams that they don’t get into in the world’. It’s disappointing we haven’t performed as well as we could. It happens. They’ve played well and sometimes you’ve got to hold your hand up and say they’ve been the better team.”England were bowled out for 175 in the second ODI, three days after they had fallen to 234 all out at Mount Maunganui – a total saved by Brook’s own superb 135.It is a concerning trend for an England side who have been bowled out in seven of their eight away ODIs this year. In a remarkable statistic that was raised on the podcast, in 2025 they have failed to reach 250 in any innings where Joe Root hasn’t made a half-century himself. Furthermore, their commitment to “going hard” is borne out by the fact that when batting first this year, they have either made 350, or failed to bat their overs.Related

Tickner shelves the turmoil to embrace surprise New Zealand recall

Switch Hit: Rainy, phoney, baloney

Tickner makes sparkling international return to lead New Zealand to series win

England seek clarity for seam attack as ODI reboot gathers pace

Brook brilliance can't mask issues for brittle England batting

For years, England had the excuse of their frontline players rarely competing in the ODI format, and the consequent difficulties that players face when adapting back to the format. That excuse doesn’t hold this year, with a settled batting line-up who have been available throughout. Furthermore, with five of England’s ODI top six also in the Test squad, the theory is that their natural attacking game should be well suited to the rhythms of one-day cricket, although this has also failed to be the case.”It’s not too dissimilar to the way we play Test cricket, really,” Brook said of the difficulties of switching formats. “We play aggressively in Test cricket and it’s not too far off. Obviously we haven’t played much one-day cricket in the last however many years. I can’t quite put my finger on why we haven’t batted well enough. It’s just one of those things. You come to play the second-best team in the world on their own patch and they’ve hammered us.”Brook also refused to be drawn on losing both tosses against New Zealand, where the chance to bowl first in the opening ODI at Mount Maunganui would have been a significant advantage.”That’s just an excuse,” Brook said. “I haven’t won many tosses, I’d have liked to have had a bowl today [in Hamilton] but that’s just an excuse. Everybody in that batting line-up is good enough to be able to face a swinging and seaming ball, cope with that and score runs against that.”There was one promising sign for England during the second ODI, with Jofra Archer returning to England colours for the first time this winter and producing a fantastic display of bowling where he claimed three for 23 from his ten overs.Having only arrived in the country a few days previously, Archer’s speeds were high as he averaged 88mph across his first spell. There was one moment of concern, when Archer appeared to injure himself diving for a ball in the outfield, but it later transpired that he had merely winded himself heavily, and he returned soon after to bowl out his remaining overs.”He’s gone back-to-back five-over spells there, after just getting off the plane a few days ago,” Brook said. “So hopefully he recovers alright. But thankfully he did run in for me. That’s all I asked from him and he was bowling wheels. He’s going to be good to touch for the rest of this winter.”England will hope to respond to the series defeat in a similar manner to how they bounced back in their last ODI against South Africa in September, where they put on 414 for 5, a game which Brook hopes they can take confidence from.”It’s disappointing for the fans, who want to watch us, we entertain people, because they know that we play such an exciting brand of cricket.”It was only a couple of games ago against South Africa in the summer when we got 400, so we’re not a million miles away. It’s just about a couple of scores here and there and then we nail it down and hopefully we do find that template.”

Rain seems to be following NZ at this World Cup and there is more expected in Visakhapatnam

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Oct-20254:21

Preview: Will England’s middle order step up?

Big picture: Can New Zealand salvage some pride?There is very nearly nothing on the line. If England win, they finish No. 2, which does not change their semi-final tie – they will play South Africa regardless. But that little bump up the table will certainly help them progress if the Guwahati knockout is subsequently rained out.New Zealand leave themselves at risk of slipping down to No. 7 or 8 if they lose, but even that is unlikely – Bangladesh having to beat India by a significant margin. The White Ferns will nevertheless be intent on salvaging a victory from an otherwise disappointing campaign. They had had to endure two washouts in Colombo, but have only beaten Bangladesh in their completed matches, going down comfortably to South Africa, India, and Australia.It is also Sophie Devine’s last match in the ODI format, with New Zealand’s captain having announced her retirement at the end of this World Cup. Devine is 36. Team-mate Suzie Bates, who is 38, could also be playing her last World Cup match, though she has not herself announced a retirement.England, meanwhile, may use this as an opportunity to tune up ahead of the final. They have consistently put up the same XI most of the way through the campaign. Perhaps they will give some tired bodies a rest.New Zealand have lost eight of their last nine ODIs against England•ICC/Getty ImagesForm guideEngland: LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: LWLLWIn the spotlight: Sophie Devine and England’s spin trioOne-hundred-and-fifty-eight matches, 4,256 runs, 110 wickets – whichever way you slice it, Sophie Devine’s numbers are immense. She had been the form batter of the tournament weeks ago, when she hit 112 against Australia, 85 against South Africa, and 63 against Bangladesh. The back-to-back washouts might have broken a litttle of her rhythm however. Can she regain it for her final ODI innings?Between Sophie Ecclestone (11), Linsey Smith (9), and Charlie Dean (7), England’s frontline spinners have 27 wickets in the tournament. None of these bowlers have gone at more than five an over (Dean has been by a distance the most expensive, with an economy rate of 4.73). They’d mostly had a quiet game in the loss to Australia. They will attempt to reimpose themselves.Team news: Will England rest key players?England may ring in the changes. With Sophia Dunkley not having made a major impact this tournament, could Danni Wyatt-Hodge come in? Could legspinner Sarah Glenn give one of the frontline spinners a rest?England (possible): 1 Amy Jones (wk), 2 Tammy Beaumont, 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley/Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 6 Emma Lamb, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone/Sarah Glenn, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren BellFor New Zealand, there’s a little scrutiny on the place of Eden Carson, who has taken two wickets in the tournament.New Zealand (possible): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine, 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Rosemary Mair, 10, Lea Tahuhu, 11 Eden Carson4:19

Healy, Knight, Mandhana, Devine, Dottin – analysing the best six-hitters

Pitch and conditions: Can the rain please stop?You won’t believe this, but there are rains forecast for Visakhapatnam on Sunday, with a cyclone supposedly brewing in the Bay of Bengal. So far this venue has seen medium-to-high scores during this World Cup, with India and Australia both having made more than 330 here in one match.Stats and trivia: NZ’s poor record vs England Sophie Ecclestone has taken at least one wicket in every match she has played so far this World Cup. Although she’s played only four innings, Devine is still among the tournament’s top five run-scorers, with 266 runs at an average of 66.50. New Zealand have lost eight of their last nine ODIs against England – a stretch that goes back to September 2021.

Leeds United are in crisis up front. The Whites have simply not been good enough in front of goal in the 2025/26 campaign, which is no doubt one of the reasons why they are relegation contenders in their first season back in the Premier League.

This term, Daniel Farke’s side have only found the back of the net 11 times in just 12 games. That is worse than all but one side in the top flight, bottom-place Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Their expected goals tally is not much better, standing at just 15.21xG. The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has one goal this term, have not yet got going.

With the January transfer window around the corner, it might not be a surprise to hear the West Yorkshire side are targeting a new number nine.

Leeds’ hunt for a new centre-forward

It is certainly frustrating for Leeds that they are in the position of needing a new striker.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Of course, they signed Calvert-Lewin on a free this summer after his deal at Everton expired, and Lukas Nmecha on a free following the expiration of his Wolfsburg contract.

Yet, here we are again, with the Whites back in the market for a number nine.

According to talkSPORT, the player could be AZ Alkmaar and Ireland striker Troy Parrott. The 23-year-old is said to be ‘high on their list of striker targets’.

However, they are not the only Premier League side looking to get a deal for the 33-cap Ireland star.

Fellow strugglers, Wolves are also looking into a deal, with the report suggesting a fee of at least £20m is what it would take to sign him.

Why Parrott would be a good signing

It would certainly be a good addition for Leeds if they were able to bring Parrott to Elland Road this winter.

He has been in scintillating form for Alkmaar, with 14 goals in 15 games this term, taking his total up to 34 strikes in just 62 appearances.

He is certainly a “rejuvenated” striker, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Indeed, his underlying stats are impressive too. This season in the Eredivisie, the former Tottenham Hotspur academy star is averaging 1.04 goals and 0.74 goal-creating actions per game, which rank him in the top 7% and 2% respectively.

Those stats show just how effective he is in the final third.

Goals

1.04

93rd

Shots on target

1.63

93rd

Expected goals

0.93xG

98th

Take-ons completed

0.5

9

83rd

Goal-creating actions

0.74

98th

Of course, it is not just for his club where Parrott’s form has been excellent. In November, he became a hero of Irish football, scoring two goals against Portugal and then a hat-trick against Hungary to see his nation reach the World Cup playoffs.

The third goal against Hungary was an extraordinary 96th-minute winner.

If he were to move to Elland Road, the 23-year-old would no doubt love to replicate another former Irish striker who impressed in West Yorkshire.

Robbie Keane spent 18 months at the club between December 2000 and August 2001. After initially joining on loan from Inter, he made the move permanent that summer, before joining Spurs a year later.

He only played 56 times for the club, but certainly left a mark.

Keane bagged 19 goals in that time, which included three goals in the UEFA Cup and a memorable brace away to Manchester City at Maine Road.

It is easy to see the comparison between Parrott and Keane, as two clinical, highly-rated Irish strikers. The younger man, for instance, was even hailed in the past as the “best prospect” to have come out of Dublin since his compatriot, in the view of then-Belvedere F.C. Director of Football Affairs Vincent Butler.

The Alkmaar star is slightly older than the former Inter man was when he signed, yet both additions are examples of the Whites buying into potential and investing in the future.

If Parrott were to make the move to Elland Road this summer, he would no doubt love to follow in the footsteps of Keane and have the same sort of impact as his countryman did at such a young age.

Biggest error since Aaronson: 49ers have "wasted funds" on huge Leeds flop

Leeds United now has a bigger waste of money than Brenden Aaronson in flop, who is struggling to settle in the Premier League.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 26, 2025

Georgia Stanway went home with the match ball on Saturday after bagging a hat-trick in England's record-breaking 8-0 win over China, one just short of a record defeat for the 1999 Women's World Cup finalists. A dominant display, which had the European champions 3-0 up inside just 16 minutes, returned the Lionesses' biggest ever win at Wembley Stadium, surpassing the 6-0 thumping dealt out to Portugal back in May.

It was Beth Mead who initially set the tone on the day, breaking the deadlock after just 12 minutes thanks to a lovely touch and an even better finish. Two minutes later, she had another and was on track for a hat-trick, while also moving to within 13 goals of Ellen White's all-time scoring record for the Lionesses.

But as Lauren Hemp, making her first appearance for England since their European Championship triumph back in July, added a third, it was Stanway who started to steal the show. Having put it on a plate for Hemp just a few minutes earlier, the Bayern Munich midfielder netted her first of the day after a goalkeeping error, made it 5-0 from the penalty spot after VAR harshly penalised Li Mengwen for an inadvertent handball and, after Mead went off at the break, she then bagged that memorable Wembley hat-trick by finishing off a lovely team goal she was central to.

China haven't played a fixture since July and the country's domestic league, which the majority of its squad plays in, finished its 2025 season back in September. The rustiness created by those two factors was certainly on show as the Asian champions were put to the sword by the queens of Europe. But make no mistake, England were brilliant and much the better side here, with Ella Toone scoring the goal that ensured the Lionesses would make this a record Wembley win, with there still time for Alessia Russo to add further gloss late on.

GOAL rates England's players from Wembley Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Anna Moorhouse (6/10):

Confident and accurate in possession on her England debut. Had very little else to do as she watched her team-mates rack up the goals at the other end.

Lucy Bronze (8/10):

A typical all-action performance from the full-back, whose link-up play with Mead in the first half in particular was devastating for China.

Maya Le Tissier (7/10):

Had some good duelling moments with Shao, coming out on top in four of her five aerial battles, and moved the ball fantastically, as usual.

Esme Morgan (6/10):

Had one slightly shaky moment in her 45 minutes but recovered well. Sprayed the ball around nicely while going relatively unchallenged at the back before being subbed off at the break.

Niamh Charles (7/10):

Amid growing competition for her spot, this was a solid display from the Chelsea star, even if she wasn't tested much in defence.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Keira Walsh (8/10):

Kept England consistently on the front foot with her control of possession, misplacing just one of her 53 attempted passes.

Georgia Stanway (9/10):

An all-round excellent display in which she bagged three goals and also provided an assist. Never stopped running, was effective in possession and clinical in front of goal.

Ella Toone (9/10):

Another brilliant performer who finished the evening with three assists and a goal. Her role in Mead's second was particularly eye-catching, with an excellent turn and cross teeing up the winger to score.

Getty ImagesAttack

Beth Mead (9/10):

Was England's brightest spark in a first half that returned two goals, before making way for Kelly at half time.

Alessia Russo (8/10):

Pressed well, linked play brilliantly and got into scoring positions, finally getting her well-deserved goal in the closing stages.

Lauren Hemp (8/10):

Made an exciting return to England action after injury, providing plenty of danger for China down the left and showing up in the right place at the right time for her goal.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Chloe Kelly (6/10):

Tried to create but couldn't quite reproduce the electricity of Hemp or Mead after coming on at the break, lacking accuracy with her crossing.

Jess Park (7/10):

Lively down the right, offering a different kind of challenge for the China defence with her movement inside. Unlucky not to score when a clever effort clipped the bar.

Lotte Wubben-Moy (7/10):

Settled with ease into the back line, keeping the ball well and not shying away from duels. 

Lucia Kendall (7/10):

Picked up where she left off in the last camp, moving the ball with purpose and confidently demanding possession.

Taylor Hinds (N/A):

Took over at left-back for the closing stages.

Aggie Beever-Jones (N/A):

Replaced Russo for the final five minutes.

Sarina Wiegman (7/10):

Put out a team that dominated and was ruthless, securing a record-breaking win, but there will be some frustration that she didn't use this opportunity to see some different players. Even the subs introduced were mostly established squad members, bar Hinds and Kendall. Did at least take the chance to give ever-presents such as Walsh and Bronze a bit of a rest in the second half.

MLB's Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tn., is going to be quite the spectacle.

When the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves take the field on Saturday, they'll be the first MLB teams to stage a game at a NASCAR track—and will also be setting a new attendance record for MLB, as the venue will seat an astonishing number of fans: over 85,000.

Naturally, one would expect to see some seats in quirky areas, given that most MLB stadiums don't exceed 50,000 fans—Dodger Stadium, at 56,000 fans, is the biggest stadium in MLB.

But some seats at the Speedway Classic are so far away from the action, you have to see them to believe them.

Here's one such section, courtesy of Joe Danneman of Fox 19.

There's something to be said for the mindset of Though that logic may not apply here, given that this is such an odd and unique angle to watch a baseball game from.

Can one even watch a baseball game from this angle? Nobody knows.

At a venue such as SeatGeek, for example, one could procure a seat in this section in the $90-$100 range, albeit with the label that the view is "limited."

The Reds and Braves will start their engines for the Speedway Classic at 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Qarabag's youth team have been fined just over £4,000 by UEFA after a supporter was found to have racially abused a Chelsea player during an academy match in Azerbaijan. Shortly after Blues striker Sol Gordon opening the scoring at Azersun Stadium in Baku earlier this month, the 17-year-old was allegedly subjected to monkey gestures. Now, Qarabag have been punished off the back of what transpired in this UEFA Youth League encounter.

Chelsea strongly condemn unsavoury incident

Despite Chelsea's Under-19 side going on to win the game 5-0, the contest was marred by Gordon being discriminated against by those in the crowd. 

At the time, the Blues said in a statement: "We are aware of an incident during today's UEFA Youth League match in Azerbaijan in which, after scoring, a number of our players were subjected to racist abuse from an individual in the crowd. Racism and all forms of discriminatory behaviour are completely unacceptable and have no place in football or indeed in society. We strongly condemn the actions of the individual responsible. Our players have the full support of everyone at the club, and we have raised the incident immediately with the UEFA match delegate and home club: We expect this matter to be investigated fully under UEFA's disciplinary procedures. We are proud of the way our players and staff responded to the incident on the pitch, swiftly reporting it to the referee, and commend those for dealing with the matter professionally and appropriately in line with UEFA protocols."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportQarabag apologise before getting fined

Soon after Chelsea's statement, Qarabag responded with their own. They vowed to investigate the matter and said this incident does not reflect the club's values. 

They added: "We are sorry about this incident. It does not reflect the values of our club. We will investigate it thoroughly."

Now, European football's governing body, UEFA, has slapped them with a £4,379 fine, with Qarabag's youth team having to play a match behind closed doors following "racist and/or discriminatory behaviour of its supporters" – though that punishment is suspended for a year.

A statement from UEFA reads: "The CEDB has decided: To fine Qarabağ FK Youth €5,000 and to order Qarabağ FK Youth to play its next one (1) UEFA competition match as host club behind closed doors, for the racist and/or discriminatory behaviour of its supporters. Said match behind closed doors is suspended during a probationary period of one (1) year, starting from the date of the present decision."

Atletico Madrid punished for racism

On a similar note, Atletico Madrid have been fined £26,256 by UEFA after their fans reportedly made monkey gestures and noises, along with Nazi salutes, towards Arsenal's players in their 4-0 home win at Emirates Stadium in October. The club has also been hit with a suspended sanction of a ban on travelling supporters for "racist and discriminatory behaviour". Despite the severity of the charges, the one-match ban on ticket sales for an away game has been suspended for a probationary period of one year.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Chelsea?

Aside from the aforementioned matter, Chelsea return to Premier League action on Sunday when they host London rivals and league leaders Arsenal in a huge clash at the top of the table on Sunday. The Blues sit six points behind the Gunners, and a win at Stamford Bridge could catapult them into the title race. But a loss could put pay to those hopes and give Mikel Arteta's team a huge boost in their bid to win their first league title since 2004.

Following Chelsea's 3-0 Champions League win over Barcelona in midweek, head coach Enzo Maresca said: "I’ve told the players, next 48 hours, completely switch off. Have a rest. Recover the energy. Because [on] Sunday we have Arsenal. My message after the game was just: recover the energy. That, in this moment, is the most important thing. Then, on Friday, we start to think about Arsenal. We need to keep the momentum because it’s very nice – and it’s much easier to recover energy when you win games."

Less than two years after hoisting the World Series trophy, the Rangers and Bruce Bochy have "mutually agreed to end his managerial tenure with the organization," the team announced Monday. The Rangers also announced that they have offered Bochy a role in the front office in an advisory capacity.

The Rangers join the Giants and Twins as teams who parted ways with their managers on Monday after the conclusion of the 2025 regular season.

Bochy came out of retirement after the 2022 season to become the manager of the Rangers. In his first season with Texas in 2023, he led them to a 90-72 record and their franchise's first World Series victory. After the Rangers failed to make the playoffs in either of the last two seasons, they have decided to search for a new manager.

Bochy has been an MLB manager for 28 seasons with the Rangers, Padres and Giants. He's led every team he's managed to a World Series appearance, won four World Series, and has compiled a 2,252-2,266 (.498) career record.

Though offered a role in the Rangers' front office, the 70-year-old manager could be a contender for other vacancies, including the Giants, his old team. Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey, who played under Bochy in San Francisco simply said Monday, "I don’t know what his status is yet. I haven’t heard, so I can’t speak to that.”

“We can pick a side capable of winning in most conditions,” says Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott ahead of game against Bangladesh

Shashank Kishore15-Sep-2025Jonathan Trott believes Afghanistan will start as “slight favourites” against Bangladesh, who face a must-win situation, in their Asia Cup Group B fixture in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. And going by recent history, there’s merit in that confidence.”Since I’ve been with the side, we’ve had some memorable moments,” Trott said. “I think back to when we beat Bangladesh in a 50-over series in Bangladesh for the first time [in 2023]. It had never been done before, and given how strong Bangladesh have been at home, to go there and do that gave us a lot of confidence and positivity.”Then there was the win in St Vincent at the [2024] T20 World Cup, which helped us qualify for the semi-final. That was such a tight, historic game, and it gave us great belief. This group I’m currently working with is not shy about achieving new things or breaking new ground.Related

Rashid, Noor limit Bangladesh to 154

Bangladesh ring in the changes, opt to bat against unchanged Afghanistan

'Belief is key' – Mushtaq rallies Bangladesh ahead of must-win Afghanistan clash

For AM Ghazanfar, the future is now

Afghanistan get the win they needed, but Trott wants more

“Whenever there’s something that hasn’t been done before, like a big obstacle or a big challenge, this Afghan side rises to the occasion. They’re not only setting new standards for themselves but also paving the way for future players to keep pushing those boundaries.”Since opening their Asia Cup with a convincing win over Hong Kong on September 9, Afghanistan have had six days off. The break, in Trott’s opinion, has helped refresh them “mentally and physically” after the gruelling pre-Asia Cup tri-series against UAE and Pakistan, where they played five games in ten days.”I’m actually quite happy with the break,” he said. “Playing in the extreme heat here in the UAE takes a lot out of you. It’s been a good chance to recharge the batteries, take stock of where we are, and get ready to go again. Hopefully, with a win and qualification into the next round, we know there will be quite a few games in a short space of time.”At the opening press conference in Dubai, barely a few hours prior to their Asia Cup opener in Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan had spoken of the short turnaround – less than 48 hours – between the tri-series final and the game against Hong Kong. He had also said that it wasn’t ideal to be staying in Dubai and having all their group games in Abu Dhabi, leaving them with an added commute of three hours on match days.Looking at the schedule and putting that break into context, Trott felt it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. “I think our schedule has actually played into our hands, as long as we play well tomorrow and do the job in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “Playing there is very different to Dubai. It looks like it’s been spinning a little more here and in Sharjah. Abu Dhabi is a very different type of pitch – the make-up of the soil is different too.1:36

Mukund: Dropped catches a concern for Afghanistan

“That’s the challenge of playing in these tournaments: you’re constantly adapting to a variety of conditions. I certainly feel that with our squad and the options we have, we can pick a side capable of winning in most conditions.”Trott, expectedly, talked up Afghanistan’s spin stocks, joking that they were good enough to field an XI of spinners if needed. There’s Rashid and Noor Ahmad as their frontline options, along with Mohammad Nabi. They have also got Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar and Sharafuddin Ashraf in the squad. That said, he felt that it wasn’t a given that Afghanistan would do well just because they had competent spinners.”We saw during the triangular series that just because the ball is spinning, it doesn’t automatically mean we’re going to win games,” Trott said. “We still have to do everything else well, and I stress that. Yes, our spinners have played a lot of franchise cricket and plenty of international T20 and ODI cricket, but we’ve got to be consistent across all departments. That’s why we work so hard as a side.”Right now, we have a great opportunity with the Asia Cup. Looking a bit further ahead, with the World Cup coming up in February, we have good memories of playing in the subcontinent – in Sri Lanka and India. It can be tempting to look too far ahead, but for now, Bangladesh is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and we’re focused on winning that game.”

Young batter puts herself in Ashes frame with seamless move into the international ranks

Valkerie Baynes09-Jan-20251:51

Georgia Voll talks Women’s Ashes

“A little bit of nice backyard space – enough for a footy field.” It’s the sort of childhood home many budding sports stars dream of, and Georgia Voll made the most of it.As spring broke through the chill in Highfields on the outskirts of Toowoomba, two hours’ drive west of Brisbane, Voll and her brother would mow themselves a cricket pitch in the middle and rugby league gave way to cricket. Any big shots to hit the goalpost as it stood in situ through the summer would invariably break it, sparking a search for more pipe to fix it ahead of the next winter.For a long time, it was all about rugby league for Voll. But beyond the under-12 level, she wasn’t allowed to play in the boys’ team and a lack of opportunities for girls at the time meant she had to look elsewhere. And found cricket. She juggled both for a time when girls’ pathways opened up and she was selected in the Queensland Rugby League Under-18 Girls Performance Programme as a 16-year-old.Around the same time, Voll moved to Brisbane with her family and made her cricket debut for Queensland. Armed with her first state cricket contract by the time the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the choice was finally made.Related

Georgia Voll caps remarkable week with Birmingham Phoenix deal in Women's Hundred draft

Annabel Sutherland – Victoria's own makes the 'G her home

Voll, Perry tons and Sutherland four-for seal series for Australia

Wyatt-Hodge lauds 'ruthless' Australia's batting depth

Calls for Women's Ashes to include three Tests

“I got a lot of questions asking, ‘what are you going to pick, how are you’re going to make the decision?’ But it sort of made itself for me when I moved to Brisbane in 2020,” Voll told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast. “I was fortunate enough to actually pick up a contract that year. Otherwise, I probably would’ve not really been sure what I would’ve done. That decision was made for me as the footy pathways got closed down and the cricket professional stuff hadn’t closed down.”The choice was almost as straightforward when Alyssa Healy suffered a knee injury ahead of Australia’s home ODI series against India in December. After scoring 98 off 84 balls for Queensland against Western Australia in the WNCL, Voll smashed 92 off just 55 and an unbeaten 97 off 56 for new WBBL team Sydney Thunder, whom she had just joined from Brisbane Heat.A powerful right-hander, Voll was picked to open for her country alongside fellow 21-year-old and Thunder team-mate Phoebe Litchfield. And, just like in the backyard at home, Voll made the most of it.An impressive 46 not out at nearly a run-a-ball on debut was followed by 101 off 87 in just her second game, and then 26 as Australia swept India 3-0.