Women's Ashes: Are England getting closer to Australia despite hosts retaining the trophy?

It's a familiar feeling.

For the second time this winter Australia have beaten England to retain the Ashes with two matches to play.

Heather Knight's side have of course posed more of a challenge to their hosts in the Women's Ashes than England's men did during their crushing defeat.

And they still have the chance of drawing the multi-format series 8-8 if they win the final two one-day internationals.

After losing the first ODI by 27 runs, Knight said her side are «really not that far away» from Australia.

But England have now failed to win four Women's Ashes in a row — are they getting closer to their rivals?

England have improved since the last Women's Ashes in 2019, when they were thrashed 12-4, although two more defeats could see them lose this series by the same margin.

Former Australia coach Lisa Keightley took over after World Cup-winning coach Mark Robinson stepped down and said she was confident of catching her native country.

England do look more confident, as the manner in which they set about chasing a record 257 to win the one-off Test only to fall short in an incredible draw shows, but Knight says they still need to be more ruthless.

«We've gone toe to toe with them,» she said.

«We believe we're good enough to beat them, we just haven't quite had the killer instinct to get over the line.»

Former England spinner Alex Hartley told Test Match Special that Knight's team «are not far behind» Australia.

«In 2019 they were overawed but they've not been here,» she added.

England's preparation for the series was branded «comical» by Knight because of Covid-19 rules, while the second and third Twenty20s were washed out.

But Knight makes no excuses, saying: «We've had enough prep now and we're in a position to be successful.»

Knight