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The Women’s Ashes may be long gone but England vice-captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is out to salvage “personal pride” in this week’s prestigious Test match at the MCG.
When the series schedule was first announced it was hoped the day/night clash in Melbourne would act as a thrilling conclusion, but the tourists have been unable to stay competitive over the course of a chastening trip.
Instead they approach the first ever floodlit Test at the historic venue facing the possibility of a 16-0 whitewash, having lost both white-ball legs 3-0.
There are still four points on offer by way of consolation, but Sciver-Brunt simply wants to end a taxing time on a brighter note.
Averaging a modest 26.33 with the bat, including a solitary half-century, the team’s marquee player knows she is capable of more.
“Runs aside, I’d like to have a good showing in myself really, for my personal pride, I guess,” she said.
“You just keep putting yourself out there. When you’re six games down in a series, it’s easy to go into your shell a little bit, but I’m willing to put myself out there again and try to stand up for the team.
“Hopefully we put on a good showing. We’re grateful we’ve got the opportunity to do that after six games. The last few days have been tough but we’ll do our best.
“There’s not many times you get to play at this iconic venue and the day/night Test adds another layer of something special to it. So we’re really excited.”
Experienced seamer Kate Cross was in the nets on Tuesday, hoping to finally be passed fit after back problems prevented her taking any part in the ODI leg.
Sciver-Brunt was unable to confirm the 33-year-old was ready to go, but appeared positive after facing her team-mate in practice.
“She’s tracking good. It was nice to see her rocking out a few overs in the nets, I think she got through two spells today,” the all-rounder said.
“I don’t know (if she is available), you’ll have to ask the physio, who’ll review with her and see if she got through the net session alright. But it’s great to see her back to being herself. Seeing her in a lot of pain in the last month has been quite difficult and she’d have been feeling that as well.”
Whatever happens over the coming days, there are some tough questions to answer. The gulf between the teams appears as large as ever, with no sign of England regaining the Ashes for the first time since 2014.
Head coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight are likely to come under pressure, while concerns over conditioning and fielding sure to be high on the agenda.
Asked if one last defeat would make it a low point in the rivalry, Sciver-Brunt said: “We had a pretty bad one in Australia before actually (a 12-4 defeat in 2021/22), when Covid times were about.
“But it’s been a tough one, yeah, coming in with probably a bit higher expectations than before and we haven’t given the best showing of ourselves.”
Sciver-Brunt’s two-year reign as the ICC’s women’s cricketer of the year ended on Thursday, with New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr claiming the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
Kerr, who inspired the White Ferns to T20 World Cup success, topped the voting for 2024 following Sciver-Brunt’s triumphs in 2022 and 2023.
PA
