England v Sri Lanka: Tammy Beaumont says T20 series defeat the 'best thing' for women's cricket
- Published
Athapaththu inspires historic T20 series win
England v Sri Lanka - three-match ODI series |
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Dates: 9-14 September |
Coverage: Highlights on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Ball-by-ball commentary on all three games on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds. The BBC Sport website and app will host the radio coverage alongside live text updates and in-play video clips and analysis of each match. |
Tammy Beaumont says England's T20 series defeat by Sri Lanka was the "best thing" for the development of the women's game as the two sides prepare to face each other in three one-day internationals.
Sri Lanka won by seven wickets in Derby on Wednesday to seal their first T20 series win over England.
The first ODI takes place at Chester-le-Street on Saturday.
"It's brilliant. As much as it hurts to have lost," said Beaumont.
"If I cover up my England badge just a moment, and think about being a neutral women's cricket supporter, the fact Sri Lanka are capable of beating England in a T20 series is possibly the best thing for the global women's game.
"It's a good sign that it's no longer a kind of turn up and the result is already pretty much predetermined.
"You've got to have competitive cricket that people want to watch and it's got to be close and exciting, with last-ball finishes and those kinds of things.
"It's a must, or there's no point in 10 years' time, with only England, Australia and India fighting it out as a top three and all of the rest of the cricket not being worth it."
Harshitha Samarawickrama four seals historic Sri Lanka T20 win
Despite the disappointment of the T20 series defeat, Beaumont has backed England to turn things around in the ODI series and believes the longer format may better suit the team.
"We are well aware that we weren't quite on the ball. We've missed an opportunity really," said the 32-year-old, who was not in the squad for the T20 series but returns for the ODIs.
"We know what we need to be better at and with it being a change of format and a longer game is really helpful. We can have a little bit longer to formulate a plan and keep things a little bit simpler and then explode later."