Although the side is currently having a dream run in the Women’s Ashes 2023, star England all-rounder Alice Capsey thinks there is still room for improvement. At the County Ground in Bristol on July 12, England defeated Australia in the opening one-day international. Australia won the lone Test by 89 runs, and earlier, the hosts won the three-match T20I series by a score of 2-1.
Capsey thinks that England hasn’t played their best in the multi-format series up to this point. The teen claimed that although they struggled in the T20I series and the opening ODI, they persisted in working as a team to plan a counterattack and put on a competitive performance.
We haven’t been at our best throughout the entire series, in my opinion. We weren’t at our best again today, Capsey said, adding that even in the T20s, we were probably only giving 80 percent.
The 18-year-old went on to say that her team’s main focus is maintaining composure under pressure. She does, however, think that her team will play strong cricket in the final games to secure the Ashes crown.
“However, to cross the finish line, and especially in pressure situations when earlier perhaps we would have cracked a little, we really held strong and we looked pretty cool out there, which has been something that we have been focused on. Since there is still much to play for, the fact that we haven’t played our best cricket yet and the score is currently six all is incredibly thrilling, she continued.
Capsey reflects on her game-winning performance in the third T20I at Lord’s
Captain Heather Knight scored an unbeaten 75 to help England successfully chase down the 264-run total, the greatest successful ODI chase ever. The hosts’ success in the chase was largely due to the aggressive play of No. 3 Capsey (40) and a 77-run partnership with opener Tammy Beaumont (47). Despite missing the lone Test in Nottingham and being out for three and five in the first two T20Is, Capsey scored a match-winning knock of 46 off 23 at Lord’s as England won the series.
It’s going to be such a thrilling series. Alice Capsey
Alice Capsey explained that the reason she bats at number three in ODI cricket is so that she will have an opportunity to attempt if they lose a wicket during the powerplay. In the powerplay, Beaumont batted well, relieving her of some of the strain, she continued. She also spoke about her performance in the third T20I, stating that it was a fantastic match at Lord’s and that it was always nice to carry over that form into the 50-over format.
“The thought of me bowling at three in ODI cricket is that if we do lose a wicket in the powerplay, then I’ve got a license really just try and get us ahead of the game.” I felt Tammy bat brilliantly during the powerplay; she really relieved some of the weight off of me so I could just jump in and start playing,” she said.
“In cricket, I believe that all it takes is one successful shot or one successful knock to get you back in the game. It was a fantastic game at Lord’s, and I was thrilled to contribute since I hadn’t felt like I’d done much for the team before that. It’s always wonderful to back it up and carry that momentum into the ODIs; what an interesting series it will be, she added.