The Women’s Ashes kicks off at North Sydney on Sunday with Australia looking to retain the trophy on home soil.

Alyssa Healy will tell Australia to ensure they throw the first punch in the Ashes, knowing an early blow could prove hard to overcome in a congested series.

The Australia women’s cricket team have been an almost unstoppable force throughout the past decade, leaving rivals trailing in their wake.

Alyssa Healy’s stated ambition on the eve of this Women’s Ashes was to “throw the first punch”. Mission very much accomplished. England limped away from North Sydney on Sunday evening with a bloody nose,