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England’s women are “at least 20% behind Australia in everything”, according to former men’s Test captain Sir Alastair Cook. <\/b><\/p>\n
Heather Knight’s side suffered their latest humiliation of a chastening Women’s Ashes tour by being bowled out for 90 in the third and final T20 in Adelaide, meaning they remain winless after six white-ball matches. <\/p>\n
Australia now lead the series 12-0, with four points up for grabs in the one-off Test which rounds off the multi-format contest on 30 January.<\/p>\n
There has never been a 16-0 clean sweep in the multi-format series which has been in existence since 2013. <\/p>\n
“This series has shown the reality of where the two sides are,” Cook said on TNT Sports. <\/p>\n
“But the best thing about when you go down to 5-0 or a clean sweep, is that you’re at the bottom and the only way is up.<\/p>\n
“Ultimately, England are about 20% behind Australia at everything – batting, bowling, fielding, athleticism, the lot.” <\/p>\n
Cook led England during a winless Ashes series of his own in 2013-14 and said that clarity and honest reflection was the only way of recovering from the “doom and gloom”.<\/p>\n
Knight and head coach Jon Lewis are both under enormous scrutiny as they have repeatedly insisted the gap between the sides is not as big as the scoreline suggests. <\/p>\n
It has been a disappointing decline in England’s competitiveness, considering they won both white-ball series of the drawn Ashes at home in 2023, and Cook added that it would take at least two or three years to catch Australia again. <\/p>\n
“You get to the point where you either sulk, you quit, or you go again,” added Cook.<\/p>\n
“We lost 5-0 and then won the Ashes back 18 months later, so it is possible, but if you’re not honest then you won’t get anywhere.<\/p>\n
“So they’ve got the exciting thing of playing the Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but then you look at the reality of where you are at as a side, as a system, and how do we use it to get better?” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n