England batter Tammy Beaumont believes there is “no tougher challenge” than trying to defeat Australia in their own backyard ahead of the Women’s Ashes beginning this weekend.

Australia’s all-conquering run ended in October with their failure to retain the T20 World Cup but they hold sway over England, who have not toppled their old rivals in a multi-format series since 2014.

The teams could not be separated in an exhilarating draw in England 18 months ago although Australia are a more formidable force at home, exemplified by a 38-year unbeaten stretch in bilateral ODI series.

Beaumont insisted England are up for the fight – starting on Sunday with the first of three ODIs, followed by three T20s then a single four-day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground – even if she accepts facing Australia on their own patch is one of the most difficult engagements across all sports.

“I think that’s hitting the nail on the head,” Beaumont told the PA news agency. “There is no tougher challenge than coming to Australia and trying to get the Ashes back in our hands.

“You can never put them down because they always come back stronger. They’re certainly the favourites going into this series. But we’re going to try our best to go toe-to-toe with them.

“It’s about focusing on us and not playing Australia and their aura. When you pose questions of the opposition, you’re always in with a better shout of winning. We’ve certainly got a lot of talented individuals that can take games away from anyone.

“It would be massive to win the Ashes, particularly away from home. It could definitely be a career highlight for me. It’s been a long drought, not having the Ashes in our hands.”

Beaumont made her mark the last time she squared off against Australia in the summer of 2023 as her stunning 208 in the Trent Bridge Test set a new benchmark for the highest score by an English woman.

England’s defeat in Nottingham – which was followed by them winning both white-ball series – means Beaumont does not have wholly positive memories of breaking Betty Snowball’s 88-year record.

Her focus is on the runs she did not get in the second innings but the opener admitted how she batted the first time around is the template she will carry forward for the rest of her career.

“People just assume it would be my Ashes highlight but I find it quite tough, and I say ‘I should have got another 80 in the second innings and won the game’,” Beaumont said.

“It really helped me know how I want to go about my Test match batting. I don’t think I can claim to be in Test match form having done that 18 months ago.

“But it’s a nice blueprint of the tempo I want to bat at, how I want to go about things. Knowing it is possible certainly gives you a lot of confidence.”

Beaumont, the leading run-scorer in England’s seminal 2017 World Cup triumph, is set for her sixth Ashes appearance but the 33-year-old has given no thought to this potentially being her last trip Down Under.

“I’m not thinking about what’s in the future,” Beaumont, who is in England’s ODI and Test squads, said. “I feel like I can play forever and I hope that I can.

“I’m certainly not thinking about it as a last Ashes abroad. Once you do that, I’m the type of character who would get a bit desperate. I’m just trying to enjoy it and enjoy the experience.”