Women's Ashes fantasy game now open courtesy of The Cricket Draft

With England and Australia's women taking centre stage from Thursday, it's time to choose your Cricket Draft squad

With the thrilling Edgbaston test ending today, there's hardly time to draw breath before all eyes turn to the women's Ashes starting on Thursday in Nottingham.

You may not be able to walk out to the Trent Bridge middle with Heather Knight, Alyssa Healy and co, but you can still feel a part of the series thanks to The Cricket Draft in partnership with the Cricketer.

The Cricket Draft is the only fantasy cricket game you need in your life and you can show just how well you know the women's game by selecting a squad that will score more points than the Ashes XIs chosen by your family and friends.

Head to The Cricket Draft website now to enter for free

Just like The Cricket Draft's ongoing County Championship, T20 Blast and men's Ashes games, it's absolutely free to participate in the women's Ashes game. So all you have to do is register your details and select the players you think will score most runs, take most wickets and bag most catches.

Once your team is finalised, you can join - or start your own - public or private leagues to play against friends and families, colleagues and club members.

How to play The Cricket Draft

1. Head to The Cricket Draft website and sign up for free with a few basic details (or sign in if you've played before)

2. Select the women's Ashes game

3. Build your squad. Select at least 15 players, with the make-up and balance of batters, bowlers and allrounders up to you... just remember to stay within the £2 million 'salary cap'

4. Create or join a custom league to compete against friends, family or clubmates… or just play against everybody else

5. Pick your starting XI before Thursday, June 22 to ensure that you'll score points from the very first minute of play at 10.00am at the standalone Test at Trent Bridge

For more information, check out our dedicated guide on how to play The Cricket Draft.

Captains Heather Knight of England and Alyssa Healy of Australia will go head-to-head during this summer's Ashes [Alex Davidson/Getty Images]

Players to watch

Whether you're an officianado or women's cricket or this will mark the first time you've been caught up in a women's Ashes series, we all need a bit of a helping hand on who to select. John Welch, co-founder of The Cricket Draft, has picked out his three players to watch:

Beth Mooney (BAT/WKT) £163k

Mooney will always score plenty of runs, regardless of the format, and - in the absence of Lanning - will be the linchpin on which the Australian batting can rely. Expect plenty of 50s and the odd century, too.

Nat Sciver-Brunt (ALR) £167k

She has the goods with both bat or ball, and only seems to have improved since coming back from her break last summer. Strong performances in the WPL and Charlotte Edwards Cup suggest she's as good as ever.

Phoebe Litchfield (BAT) £117k

The 20-year-old Australian opener is likely to get her chance with Lanning out injured, but she's already proven her ability with two match-winning ODI knocks against Pakistan in January. We are backing her to perform on the big stage once more this summer.

Head to The Cricket Draft website now to enter the women's Ashes game for free

Related Topics

• Tammy Beaumont hits double hundred as England enjoy near-perfect Ashes warmup
• Join the men's Ashes Cricket Draft now - who will urn you the big points?
• England and Australia resume women's Ashes rivalry, and so much more, in Trent Bridge Test