By Oliver Brett

Rainford-Brent has played 22 ODIs and seven Twenty20 internationals

England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent hopes to prove her fitness and earn a Test debut when they defend the women's Ashes in January.

The 26-year-old shrugged off an ankle injury to play all five matches on the tour of India at the start of the year.

But she then had surgery and was out for almost the whole summer.

England tour Sri Lanka this month without her, but she told BBC Sport: "There's the Ashes still to come in the winter, I'd love to be involved."

The Londoner went on: "I had a rough old season. I did a Glenn McGrath just before India, stepping on a ball in the nets at the Surrey Academy just before we went out.

"I did play with it but it caused me too much grief so I had an operation and it's all sorted now. I played the last couple of games of the season for Surrey and got a fifty-odd and a couple of 30s.

Having enjoyed an incredible period of dominance up until the end of 2009 that allowed them to hold the World Cup, the World Twenty20 and the Ashes - successfully defended with a draw at Worcester two summers ago - England have slipped from their lofty position.

606: DEBATE Debate the Sri Lanka and Australia tours on the 606 boards

They have lost their last two ODI series away from home, against West Indies and India, and lost their World Twenty20 trophy to Australia during the tournament that ran alongside the men's event in the Caribbean in May.

They now head to Sri Lanka for two ODIs and three T20s with an experimental side - key players Katherine Brunt, Sarah Taylor and Holly Colvin are rested - as they look to identify some younger players with match-winning potential.

Rainford-Brent, who has a top score 72 in 19 one-day innings, said: "Spirits are still quite high. Everyone knows we've got such a talented team and the players coming through are great. The players want to make amends and Sri Lanka is important.

"We have to make sure we are firing on all cylinders because Australia will be gunning for us when we turn up over there.

"Even from the World Cup squad last year, four or five new players have been introduced, and it's quite a transitional period for England's women.

"We'll just have to see how the new girls go and also how the next phase of England's women cricket might pan out."

England's tour to Australia comprises three ODIS in Perth, five T20s at various venues and the one-off Test at Sydney's Bankstown Oval, starting on 22 January.

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