Stars such as Alyssa Healy and Ash Gardner not missed as home side close in on cleansweep against overhyped rivals

“England’s best format is T20.” It’s been a mantra through this Women’s Ashes series so far. With Australia the stronger team, and the series starting with the 50-over format in which they dominate, it was repeated by England followers, repeated by media wanting a close series for the story, even flashed up in the television blurb describing the first 20-over match from the SCG. As those ODIs were lost one after the other, the insistence has developed a ring of desperation, like “I can quit any time or want,” or, “I’m fine to drive”.

The problem is, if England’s best style is the short one, they still have to play it against the country that has won six T20 World Cups. In Sydney, England didn’t field a single batter with a career strike rate above 130. Australia fielded Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, and Georgia Wareham. A team missing its captain, Alyssa Healy, and its matchwinner from the previous outing, Ash Gardner, didn’t miss a beat. If T20 is England’s best format, every format is Australia’s best format.

The result was another thumping home win, and the Ashes trophy retained in straight sets. Being given the chance to bat first let Australia pile up 198, then bowl out England for 141. Sophia Dunkley provided resistance with the bat but couldn’t do it alone. Australia’s biggest problem right this minute comes from the team’s own success, in terms of how to retain interest in the series ahead of the MCG Test.

While Australia has its big names, another difference between the sides here was the sparkle from the next generation. Glenn Maxwell has produced his reverse smashes in the Big Bash over recent games, but the call is open for suggestions about whether there has been a better example in international women’s cricket than Phoebe Litchfield produced in Sydney.

Advancing down the track and outside her off stump, a left-hander eyeing the wide loop of Sarah Glenn, she swapped those hands on her bat handle, right hand shifting from top to bottom, the full switch hit turning her into a mirror image. Then the cleanest crack of contact on what was now a right-handed slog sweep, and the distance of the ropes was irrelevant as it sailed into the seats of the SCG.

That was after her fellow youngster, Georgia Voll, had smoked three boundaries in a row in making 21 from 11 balls on her T20 debut to fill in as opener, while England again lost the plot, dropping catches and conceding overthrows. Voll’s physical presence implies power, Litchfield’s feet suggest speed, and while both only made scores in the 20s, England were already wilting. Of their own newer players, Maia Bouchier has looked overwhelmed at the top, Charlie Dean has lost the batting half of being an all-rounder, and Freya Kemp got to face six balls before her teammates were all out.

It was only the fresh presence of Dunkley that provided impetus, coming in after being benched for the ODIs, striking pure shots through cover in making 59 off 30. But all of Australia’s moves worked. No Australian team had played without both Healy and Gardner since 2013, and this team didn’t miss them.

McGrath filling in as captain belted 26 off 9 to ice the innings, then took responsibility as a bowler as Dunkley surged, hitting her leg stump. Beth Mooney had to fill in as wicketkeeper and adjust to a new opening partner, but turned from ODI ballast to T20 propeller with 75 from 51. Alana King was recalled after nearly two years out of the side, impossible to ignore after her brilliant ODI series, and resumed the leg-spin axis with Wareham to take five wickets together. Balls turned, balls kept low, and England’s senior players once more had no answer.

Australia so far has had all of those, and England precious little time to regroup ahead of Thursday and Saturday with the next T20 matches. It’s a fickle format, but will still take something individually special to get England on the board. For now, theoretically, they can still come from behind to tie the series on points as they’ve done twice in recent times. But if Australia want to draw a big crowd at the Test match from here, they should be thinking of the lure of a whitewash.