England women's team captain says Cook and co. Ashes success responsible for team's confidence

The captain of the England women's cricket team has said that the Ashes success of the English men's team has given her players a huge confidence boost ahead of their own battle for the urn.

According to Metro.co.uk, England begin their Ashes campaign tomorrow with a four-day Test at Wormsley Cricket Ground, before three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches make up the rest of the series, in the inaugural format.

Looking to regain the urn following Australia's victory Down Under in 2011, skipper Charlotte Edwards said that her side's confidence has been lifted after seeing their male counterparts retain the Ashes, although she admitted that it would be a closely fought series between two very good teams.

According to Edwards, it is important for them as a side to start well going into the series like the Alastair Cook-led side, adding that the England men's team has been the best team and would want to finish the series with a stylish win, adding that her side is also hoping to replicate the success of the men's team.

Welcoming the new format of the Ashes, Edwards, who guided England to two Ashes victories, further said that the multi-format was very much needed for the Ashes series as a one-Test Ashes series was becoming a negative Test match and making it hard to create interest among the public.

However, Edwards said that she and her team still prefer Test cricket as it is a special game for all the players involved, adding that they would love to play a three match series although she does not think that the women's game needs that at the moment.

However, unlike former England men's captains Andrew Strauss and Andrew Flintoff, Edwards said that she does not think that DRS is the real problem in the men's game, adding that she would welcome the Decision Review System (DRS) technology coming into the women's game in the future.

This summer will be the first time since 2005 a women's Ashes series has involved more than just a single Test match and will see the two sides fighting over the urn across a combination of Test and limited overs formats for the first time, the report added.