With a World Cup looming, England have one final chance to get it right

NICK FRIEND: Since insisting that they had opened up cracks in Australia's confidence by the manner of their Test draw, England's batting has gone the other way, lacking the intent of the final day in Canberra

Until Sophie Ecclestone emerged from her bunker to bop Jess Jonassen for six, England were sitting ducks. There were 11 fours in 45.2 overs, more than 100 balls between the sixth and seventh. A team so committed to its philosophy of attacking at all costs was unrecognisable from the aggressive, polished machine that ended the home summer.

Less than a month before the World Cup begins in New Zealand, it was a battering that should raise eyebrows and questions, though one in particular: what on earth just happened?

Lisa Keightley's side spoke in the aftermath to the Test draw about the cracks they had opened up in Australia's gameplan and how it was proof of their fallibility when subjected to pressure. Only, since then their own batting has failed to live up to the mind games.

It has been unusually timid, taking on none of the free-spirited attitude that pushed them to the brink of that historic victory on the fourth day in Canberra into a format that actively encourages such stroke-play. The line was that they played the perfect 50-over innings ahead of time. Well, it hasn't been seen since.

There has been an absence of intent, albeit informed – no doubt – by the loss of early wickets in both. Two rare failures for Tammy Beaumont have provided a telling advert for her importance as England's 50-over linchpin: when she holds the innings together, they tend to win. Only three ODIs ago, she made her eighth century in the format in a 203-run win at Canterbury. It set the platform for rapid cameos from Nat Sciver, Amy Jones, Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt. As a strategy, they could hardly have executed any better.

They finished 347 for 5 that day. In this series so far, they are 307 for 20.

Contrast then with this: no early foundations nor a recovery to speak of. It made for weird, uncomfortable viewing: some of the world's leading attacking batters reduced to survivors. Between them, England's top seven faced 185 deliveries for eight boundaries.

^{Lauren Winfield-Hill is without an international half century since 2016 (William West/AFP via Getty Images)}

Beaumont's early demise was soon followed by Lauren Winfield-Hill's. She is now 47 innings without an international half century, a record of considerable concern. Many of those matches came in the era before domestic professionals, when those with central contracts held an extra sense of security over their position.

In this new generation, that same cloak doesn't exist and there are plenty queuing up behind her. It can be little coincidence that Emma Lamb and Eve Jones – both top-order batting options – have been kept on from the England A party ahead of the announcement of the World Cup squad. One wonders, though, whether England have left it too late to blood either of them – it would be a baptism of fire to hand out debuts in a global tournament as holders.

To have gone that long without reaching fifty is quite remarkable, partly given the advantages that come with batting through the powerplay in white-ball cricket, but also – in her case specifically – because of a tendency to look completely at ease until the very point of her dismissal. And for that reason, it's easy to see why they have remained loyal to Winfield-Hill.

This time was no different: she hit authoritative boundaries through cover and midwicket, timing the ball beautifully, only – inexplicably – to miss a tentative paddle-sweep and be sent on her way. If a change isn't forthcoming, then you would have to be surprised.

This isn't just an individual issue, however. England have seen this one before against Australia. This collapse was 6 for 28, last week's was 6 for 26. Megan Schutt commented ahead of this game on that particular effort, raising the point that Heather Knight's assertion of Australia wilting under the pressure of the Test match hardly squared with the final day's wider narrative, where England blew a gaping victory chance from an almost unassailable position.

This, the tourists will point out, is the first time in the series that they have not competed with their hosts. But the reality is that Australia successfully negotiated those more closely fought affairs and were able to pounce all over this shoddy alternative.

Most gallingly, there were parallels between this aberration and the Canterbury nadir, the one-dayer that gave Australia a 6-0 series lead in the 2019 series. One feature of England's downfall then was a propensity to miss straight balls. Three years on, half of the wickets to fall were lbw.

^{Australia have won the Women's Ashes outright (Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images)}

Then, Ellyse Perry took seven wickets, England were bowled out for 75 and the extent of the gap between the sides was laid bare. Perry was undoubtedly the best in the world.

Now, she is in a constant battle for her spot, demoted to her country's second string during the T20 series and – coming into this game – without an ODI wicket since October 2019 but still very much a world-class allrounder, a point she made abundantly clear with the bat in the second half of proceedings. When English cricket talks about its increasing squad depth, their old rivals remain the gold standard, streets ahead.

Australia – 27 wins in 28 ODIs – were efficient, typically quick to swarm all over their visitors' deficiencies. Darcie Brown was rested after her match-winning display last time out, not that she was missed. Nicola Carey, who came into the side, was a virtual spectator: not needed with either bat or ball.

England could only wish for such a luxury. With one game to go before jetting off to defend their World Cup crown, the pressure is on to rediscover their 50-over mojo.