Grace Harris says Australia want to “embarrass” England by securing a 16-0 whitewash in the Women’s Ashes.

Australia opened up a 10-0 lead in the multi-format contest, and secured an outright series win, with a six-run victory on DLS in Thursday’s rain-hit second T20 in Canberra.

The Southern Stars can secure a clean sweep by triumphing in Saturday’s final T20 in Adelaide and then the one-off Test match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground from January 30.

All-rounder Harris told BBC Sport: “I have, of course, thought about 16-0. A whitewash would be outstanding. It would be very, very good if we could embarrass England.

Australia looking to ‘put England to the sword’

“They’re actually a very competitive outfit and they’ve got some really good players. Let’s hope we keep performing as a team and really put them to the sword.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they throw a few punches along the way and get on the board.”

England rebounded from their heavy defeat in Monday’s opening T20 in Sydney with a much-improved showing at Manuka Oval three days later.

Their requirement to chalk up their first points of the series was 22 from the final over, which was then cut to 18 from five balls after captain Heather Knight (43no) struck Annabel Sutherland for four, only for the match-ending rain to then arrive.

Harris said: “It’s not the most common ending I have ever seen.

“It would have been a little bit sweeter if we had beat them outright but we played well enough to put a really competitive total [of 185-5] on the board.

“England could say the rain saved us but with 18 off five – how often do they come back from that? We got on a roll and had clear plans which we executed most of the time.”

Harris: I can see both sides of England fitness criticism

Harris was also asked about the row that has brewed between England and their former spinner Alex Hartley after the latter, now a BBC pundit, questioned the side’s fitness following their group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in the UAE in October.

Hartley revealed England’s Sophie Ecclestone refused a TV interview with her during The Ashes after those remarks and said on TNT Sports on Thursday that the saga has “hit her hard”.

Harris added: “I can see both sides of it [the criticism around England’s fitness].

“Cricket is also a mental game. The fitness aspect comes into making better decisions for a longer period of time and under fatigue.

“I think if the criticism had been worded better, it wouldn’t have been taken so harshly. I’m glad it is not happening in our camp!”

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