Knight up for fight after Ashes defeat

HEATHER Knight has urged England to regroup quickly in the Women’s Ashes, but took a crumb of comfort from the entertainment served up in a losing cause in the lone Test at Trent Bridge.

- DAVID CHARLESWORTH

The decision to have this series opener across five days as opposed to the traditional four for women’s Tests backfired on England as Australia sealed an 89-run win inside 90 minutes of the final morning.

Australia therefore took a 4-0 points lead in the multi-format series but with only two on offer for wins in three T20s and three ODIs, England need to prevail in five of the six matches.

While Knight spoke forlornly after England slid from an overnight 116 for five to 178 all out chasing 268, she pointed out the ebbs and flows that occurred was a great advert for the women’s Test cricket.

There is some justification to her argument with an official attendance of 23,207 across the Test - with just over 2,000 on the final day after the Nottingham venue threw open their gates free of charge.