Do Australia have mental edge over England before final?

ByFfion Wynne

BBC Sport Journalist

The odds are not in England's favour.

They have played Australia six times in Women's World Cup finals across both white-ball formats and lost each one.

The last of those was in New Zealand in 2022, but the recent memories are far more painful.

Few will forget the 16-0 hammering down under and its aftermath, resulting in intense criticism over every element of England's inferiority to the Aussies - fitness, fielding, attitude, perception.

What it did provide, though, was change. Change that was drastically needed and has been swiftly implemented, as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) sent the bat signal for Charlotte Edwards to rescue them from one of its lowest ebbs.

Last year's 50-over World Cup in India felt a little too soon to judge Edwards' impact, but she spoke honestly about how this T20 World Cup was the one for her to be judged on.

So far, England have delivered by cruising through the group stage unbeaten before clinically brushing aside South Africa in the semi.

But Australia - also unbeaten - are a different beast. England's Achilles heel.

The players have been open and honest about how the 2025 series left them with scars, so while England look re-energised and bursting with confidence, how do they overcome the mental edge that Australia may have?

Former England fast bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt will be watching at Lord's as her wife Nat attempts to lead her country to glory.

Though she is a nervous watcher - often seen unable to watch the games through nerves during her stints on BBC Test Match Special - as a player, she was ruthlessly competitive and no team ignited her passion more so than the Aussies.

"For me, I just saw it as the biggest fight," Sciver-Brunt told BBC Sport, when asked how she approached the mental battle of playing Australia.

"When you play Australia, because they are so good, it brought out an animal in me because I had to go to that place. They bring out the best in you.

"But at the same time, they can defeat you before you've even started and I think that's what happened with West Indies [in the semi-final] – Australia can get in your head before you've even set foot on the field and you can't let that happen."

England have met Australia twice since the fateful Ashes - a six-wicket defeat at the World Cup in October and a five-wicket loss in a warm-up match before this tournament began.

Despite that record, Sciver-Brunt does not think England will be dwelling on the past.

"As a recent ex-player, it's really difficult for me to switch off my feelings when it comes to England v Australia," Sciver-Brunt said with a laugh.

"I know they completely whooped us and as a player, I would be someone who latched on to that.

"But my head hasn't gone there [to the Ashes] and I honestly don't think it's in theirs either. What you're seeing from England is so different now and it's happened very quickly.

"They're riding this wave of a new start and a new beginning and they've got all the confidence and belief that you need to win something major."

At Lord's, though, the stakes are way higher and this is an England team who, in the past, has been accused of being unable to handle such occasions.

That is where a legend of the game steps in to steer the ship...

As an Ashes and World Cup-winning captain herself, Edwards has had a huge role to play in England's on-field transformation but will also play a key part off it if they are to take down Australia.

She is a competitor, a meticulous planner and has not shied away from difficult conversations around the improvements the team needed to make.

Former England cricketer turned sports psychologist Jeremy Snape says memories of the Ashes cannot be avoided, but England and Edwards should use it to spur them on.

"Humiliating losses create emotional scars, but the skill of great coaches is to convert that shame into motivational fuel," Snape told BBC Sport.

"They should discuss the Ashes loss, but not to wallow - to extract the lessons from it. Sometimes our biggest rival is in our heads and the teams that talk about pressure, rather than ignoring it, are the ones that overcome it."

Sciver-Brunt added that one of the biggest strengths of Edwards' coaching is the role clarity she gives players, which has given them freedom and belief in exactly what is expected of them.

Young all-rounders Dani Gibson and Freya Kemp embody that, injecting life into England's fielding with their agility and athleticism, and a fearless approach with the bat - the highlight being a partnership of 61 from just 21 balls against Scotland in the group stage.

Interestingly, the Edwards effect has not gone unnoticed by Australia either.

"I wouldn't have thought Lottie would let that happen," all-rounder Ellyse Perry said, when asked if her side have a psychological edge over England.

While opening batter Phoebe Litchfield also added: "The way their leadership, coaching staff and the group has been playing, it seems like a different England to the one we played in the Ashes."

Both camps have brushed off any suggestions of being favourites, whether that is England with the home advantage or Australia with their status as the world's best.

England spinner Sophie Ecclestone perhaps put the equation in its simplest form after the semi-final win, stating: "We know they're a great team, but so are we."

But turning the tables and putting Australia as favourites is another tool that England can use to handle the pressure.

"Adversity can either fragment or galvanise teams," Snape adds.

"England have the benefit of going into this final as underdogs, which shifts the psychological burden onto Australia. They need to focus on their intent, not what the Aussies might do to them.

"England are in great form and have the home crowd behind them. This is the perfect time for calm, clinical revenge one ball at a time."

That sentiment is echoed by World Cup winner Alex Hartley, part of the England side that won in 2017 and who since retirement has watched the team's highs and lows.

The former spinner said she has full belief that England can win, but it will come down to which team can hold their nerve in the crunch moments.

"When Australia are going hard at you, don't crumble," Hartley told BBC Test Match Special.

"They are human, they're not robots and they'll be feeling the pressure too. They are going to have good spells in the game, but if England can hold their nerve they are very capable of fighting back.

"The way I've seen England play, they have cruised through this group stage and set the standard. It's given them all so much confidence - it's not going to be easy but I do believe they can do it."

Australia took England to rock bottom and were responsible for their overhaul.

Now, they have the chance to thank them for it.