ECB boss ‘can’t believe’ 16-0 Women’s Ashes loss and promises review

“It’s been brutal and hugely disappointing and frustrating. Is it true, then? No, I can’t. The scoreline is very difficult to understand and swallow.

Clare Connor, the deputy CEO of the English Cricket Board (ECB), said those things.

In a wide-ranging interview with BBC Test Match Special after England’s 16-0 drubbing in the Women’s Ashes, Connor:

Following a disappointing tour where England outperformed their opponents and allowed unproductive winning opportunities, Connor described the outcome as a “tough pill to swallow.”

Despite acknowledging that the team’s reputation had suffered as a result, Connor said she did not believe the accusations of a lack of professionalism were true.

We want people to see positively and for them to be role models for women’s cricket, according to Connor, who led England from 2000 to 2006 and who has a cap.

“But this scrutiny also applies to both losing and losing heavily.”

This group of players is deeply committed to playing for England, and what has happened in the last month has caused them “sorry” () . There isn’t a lack of professionalism and I don’t recognise a cosiness.

“But all of that, I understand, will be brought into these discussions when a team has performed poorly to the extent that we have,”

England was “outplayed in every aspect of the game,” according to Connor.

“Australia have shown that they’re constantly setting new standards in international women’s cricket”, she said

Despite acknowledging that the group of players are still playing catch-up with Australia’s superior domestic set-up, Connor reaffirmed her belief in the group.

Despite recent significant investments in the women’s game, including raising international match fees to match their male counterparts’, and spending £19 million on domestic games, this is unacceptable.

In Australia, professional domestic women’s cricket has existed for longer than in England. In Australia, contracts were created in 2017 and those in England, in 2020.

Since the storied 2017 World Cup victory, England hasn’t won a trophy or an Ashes, which raises questions about progress.

Since England’s semi-final defeat by South Africa in the T20 World Cup in 2023, England has consistently struggled to perform under pressure.

“It’s not so much about what you’re paid, but it’s about the experiences you’ve had that you then take on to an international stage”, Connor said.

“We’re wrestling with performance under pressure,” according to the coach, “and that’s what knockout tournaments are,” whether it’s a final, a semi-final, or even a group game that requires a win.

” We’ve got to work out how to fast-track that learning, because you can see it in Australia as a group. You can see how ruthless, deliberate, and skillfully executes themselves when under pressure are at a different level, which I believe many of them have experienced after working as a professional cricket player for eight years.

The rumors about Lewis and Knight’s futures have gotten more and more rumors, but Connor said it was too soon to be making those decisions after each defeat by Australia across formats.

Both countries made little of a statement following the Test match, which Australia won by an innings and 122 runs, but given the result, it seems inevitable that something will change given the result and how England is failing to take lessons from their mistakes.

Nobody is more unhappy with this tour than Heather and Jon, Connor continued.

“They’ve poured every ounce of themselves into this and I think that’s been evident.

When we return, “everything will be examined with genuine honesty.”

Connor also addressed Sophie Ecclestone’s refusal to be interviewed by pundit Hartley on Australia’s Channel 7 in the build-up to the second T20 in Sydney.

Hartley had previously criticised England’s fitness after the T20 World Cup last autumn.

Ecclestone’s actions led to questioning of England’s attitude and their ability to handle criticism.

“That was an unfortunate incident and it won’t happen again”, Connor said.

A professional sportsperson has an important duty to follow their media obligations. And again, that’s an area of improvement that we need to keep focused on.

Speaking to the media is a crucial component of that obligation. “We have all got to be held accountable for our performance.

According to Hartley, a 50-over World Cup winner in 2017, “80% of the England team is physically fit and athletic enough, but there are some girls in that side who are letting the team down when it comes to fitness.”

Connor defended the fitness of the players, saying Australia were” setting new standards”.

She said, “I’m not going to sit here and say that the Australian team is as athletic.”

Even someone like me, who has watched them for more years than I care to remember, may find what they’ve shown on this tour to be both remarkable and surprising.