ENGLAND women have suffered the worst possible start to their winter tour of Australia and New Zealand by slipping to a brace of shock defeats in their opening two warm up games.

As the tourists build up to five one-day internationals and their one-off Test clash with Australia starting on February 15 - that will decide the ownership of the Ashes - England women will have fully expected to win their two tour curtain-raisers against a Victoria State womens’ team and the Australia Under-21 side.

However, England, skippered by Kent and England batsman Charlotte Edwards, and managed by former Kent 2nd XI player and ex-St Edmund’s School PE teacher, Mark Dobson, experienced morale-sapping defeats.

Victoria romped past England’s paltry 137 all out to win last Friday’s tour opener in Melbourne with 15 overs to spare then, On Monday, the Australian Shooting Stars (effectively the nation’s Under-21 side) beat England by 52 runs at the Albert Cricket Ground, also in Melbourne.

Edwards second top-scored with 22 from 38 balls in another disappointing batting display as England succumbed for 162 after Shooting Stars had amassed 214.

Kent’s other player in the tour party, Hayes Hurricanes’ batsman Lydia Greenway, suffered a poor start to her winter tour in going for a second ball duck in game two having also dissapointed in game one when England slumped to 38 for four in the early stages.

Talking after her side’s second defeat in as many starts, Edwards, who plays her club cricket for Hartley Invicta, said: “We’re obviously bitterly disappointed.

“We were happy with our fielding and bowling (against Australia Shooting Stars) and it was a huge improvement on Friday’s performance, but again our batting was well below-par with some soft dismissals.

“We were always up with the run-rate, but we didn’t establish any decent partnerships until it was too late.

“We’ll be working hard over the next couple of days and we’ll look forward to showing what we’re capable of on Wednesday.”

England’s head coach and manager Dobson said: “We’re disappointed with our performance. It’s a long way from our best, but I’m confident that with a week’s training and more warm-up games we’ll be back close to our best and ready to compete.”

England face one more preparatory game this week before the trip begins in earnest with a Twenty20 international against Australia at the MCG on Friday, February 1 followed by the first ODI on Sunday, February 3.