- England’s fitness levels had previously been criticised while touring South Africa
- Charlie Dean has defended the team as they mount their Ashes title attack
England off-spinner Charlie Dean has defended her team’s fitness levels as they embark on their latest attempt to regain the Ashes.
The first game of their multi-format series starts on Saturday night in Sydney, ending in a day/night Test match at the MCG — with Australia unbeaten in their last five series against England.
Heather Knight’s side have just completed a successful tour of South Africa, but are yet to shake off claims by their former team-mate Alex Hartley that they were not fit enough during the T20 World Cup in the UAE in the autumn, when England were knocked out in the group stage.
Hartley told the BBC: ‘Australia have got 15 or 16 athletes. Eighty per cent of the England team are fit and athletic enough, but there are girls in that side that are letting the team down.’
England head coach Jon Lewis hit back, insisting: ‘I 100 per cent don’t agree with that.’
And now Dean, whose off-breaks have brought her 114 ODI and T20 wickets at an average of 19, has played down concerns ahead of the first one-day international at the North Sydney Oval.
‘We did a lot of hard work before going to Dubai,’ she said. ‘We knew the World Cup was going to be really hard, and I don’t think the reason we lost was due to our fitness.
‘We’re professional athletes and we’re all working hard. We’re pretty confident. We’re very aware that playing here is going to be a challenge.
‘But we’re up to it, and we’re coming with a bit more of a fresh attitude towards the challenge the Aussies bring.’
There are two points for a win in each of the three ODIs and T20s, and four for the one-off Test. If England can improve on the 8-8 draw in 2023, they will regain the Ashes they last won a decade ago.
