Sophia Dunkley insists England are ‘100 per cent’ behind captain Heather Knight
The Australians have an unassailable 8-0 lead in the series.
Sophia Dunkley insists England are “100 per cent” behind skipper Heather Knight despite seeing Australia end their Ashes hopes with a resounding 57-run defeat in the first T20 international.
Trailing 6-0 in the series as they walked out at the Sydney Cricket Ground after losing each of the three ODIs, Knight’s side were well beaten with four overs to spare to hand the hosts an unassailable lead with two more T20s and a Test match to come.
A poor start Down Under had prompted question marks over Knight’s reign as captain and, with only pride now left to play for, the criticism has intensified.
However, asked about Knight’s leadership afterwards, Dunkley said: “Look, I think we just back Heather 100 per cent to lead us out there. She’s done the job amazingly for the last… I don’t know how long it is but it’s been for a long time.
“She’s a massive part of our changing room, a massive leader and I back her 100 per cent to help turn this team around.
“All we can do is stick together now and fight as hard as we can for the last three games and absolutely back her 100 per cent as our captain. I’m sure she can bring the best out of us in the last couple of games, for sure.”
Having won the toss and opting to put Australia in, Knight saw any initiative snatched away from her as wayward bowling and poor fielding allowed the hosts to get off to a flying start which was aided in no small part by a 51-ball 75 from Beth Mooney.
Her innings provided the backbone of a total of 198 for seven to leave the tourists needing to match their record successful chase of 199 to keep the series alive.
Dunkley’s 59 from just 24 balls, which included four sixes and six fours, briefly gave England hope as they reached the halfway stage on 96 for three, but Knight’s departure for 18 stalled the momentum and they ultimately fell well short.
Knight told TNT Sports: “We probably gave them 20, 30 too many runs, I thought. If we’d kept them to 20, 30 less with a little bit more in the field, I think we would have been in with a real shout.
“Sophia Dunkley gave us a chance, the way she batted – it’s such a brilliant wicket as well, it felt like it was on – but just a little bit of mis-execution and if we’d kept to them 20, 30 less, we would have been in the game for sure.”
England could yet draw the series and that will be their focus as they prepare for Thursday’s second T20 at the Manuka Oval.
However, stand-in Australia skipper Tahlia McGrath had a warning for England.
Asked what her team had to work on, McGrath said: “England came really hard at us in the power play and we probably leaked a few too many there, so that’s definitely an area to work on, and then just continuing to boss it in the field and really put on a good performance there.”
Meanwhile, there was better news at the men’s Physical Disability Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, where England will meet India in Tuesday’s final.
Callum Flynn’s side finished second in the group stage with four wins from six matches but will need to avenge a 29-run loss to their fellow finalists to secure the first international silverware of the year.
