Clare Connor, the managing director of women’s cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has admitted that England’s women’s cricket team is lagging behind Australia in terms of fitness and the ability to perform under pressure. The statement follows the team’s devastating 16-0 whitewash in the recent Women’s Ashes series, a result that has sparked an intense examination of the state of English women’s cricket. Connor revealed that a “thorough and honest” review would be conducted to evaluate the team’s shortcomings and identify areas for improvement. This review might involve bringing in independent voices to ensure a fair assessment.
“There is added accountability to review this at a deeper level because it’s the Ashes and because the scoreline has been so disappointing,” said Connor. “We won’t shy away from difficult and honest conversations about how to take the team forward. It will be thorough, it will be honest. We will consider bringing some independents into that process.”
The review comes after a humiliating defeat by an innings in the Melbourne Test, where England’s performance was called into question. Following this result, Heather Knight, the England captain, acknowledged that she was contemplating her future in the role, while coach Jon Lewis expressed his belief that he is the right person to lead the team forward. Despite these statements, Connor refrained from making any commitments regarding their long-term positions. She emphasized that both Knight and Lewis would be part of the review discussions, with outcomes expected in the next three to four weeks. This timing is intended to give enough lead time for any necessary changes to take effect before the 50-over World Cup in India later in the year.
While the futures of Knight and Lewis remain uncertain, Connor’s criticism of the team’s performance was unambiguous. She pointed to a number of areas where England were outclassed, particularly in terms of athleticism and physical fitness. The team’s failure to execute basic skills, like fielding, was a glaring issue. During the series, England dropped eight catches on day two of the Melbourne Test, a stark contrast to Australia’s exceptional fielding, including Ash Gardner’s stunning boundary catch in the Hobart One-Day International.
Connor was particularly critical of Sophie Ecclestone, who had refused an interview with former England cricketer and TV pundit Alex Hartley earlier in the tour. The refusal stemmed from Hartley’s comments on the team’s fitness levels, and while Connor described the incident as “unfortunate,” she made it clear that it would not happen again. However, she denied that the situation was indicative of broader cultural problems within the team, saying, “This group of players work extremely hard. A lot of that goes unseen. There is a culture of improvement, of wanting to be the best.”
Despite Connor’s defense of the players’ work ethic, the gap in performance between England and Australia was undeniable. England were simply outperformed in every aspect of the game, with their fitness levels, athleticism, and ability to perform under pressure falling short. Connor acknowledged that Australia’s ruthlessness and athletic prowess had “taken the standard of international women’s cricket to another level,” and this had left England trailing. “It’s been very evident that they are setting new standards of athleticism in our sport. That’s an area where we have been outshone,” she noted. “Our players will have to look at that level of athleticism and speed and power, and see that as a new benchmark.”
One of the contributing factors to England’s lack of readiness was their limited exposure to high-pressure situations. Connor pointed out that, unlike Australia, England has not had enough competitive bilateral cricket between Ashes series and World Cups. Last summer, England enjoyed comfortable white-ball victories over Pakistan and New Zealand, but these series did not provide the same intensity or pressure that they faced against Australia. “The run-in to the T20 World Cup, we had dominated all of the cricket we’d played in for almost 18 months,” said Connor. “We have got some real thinking and work to do about pressure. In their sporting careers so far, some of our players haven’t been under much pressure. We’ve got to work out how to create more of that, perhaps artificially or through different scenarios, certainly for our younger players coming through.”
The ECB’s planned review is expected to identify the areas where England need to catch up with Australia, not just in terms of fitness but also mental toughness. Connor highlighted that the team’s lack of experience in high-stakes matches has left them unprepared for the rigors of facing a dominant side like Australia. The focus will now be on creating more opportunities for pressure situations in training and competitive cricket, which could help young players develop the resilience needed to perform at the highest level.
Ultimately, the ECB is facing a crucial period as they work to rebuild England’s women’s team and close the gap with Australia. The review process will be key to determining the future direction of the team, with an emphasis on improving fitness, mental toughness, and the overall quality of play. With the next major tournament on the horizon, the pressure is on for England to turn their fortunes around and elevate their game to match the standard set by Australia.
