Women's Ashes cricket 2025 news, Alana King compared to Shane Warne after Australia roll England at MCG

From one King to another.

Australia has a new superstar leg-spinner who is "Shane Warne-esque" and has the name to boot.

Alana King is already an established gun with ball in hand, and she again showed the world why some consider her the reincarnation of the greatest leggie cricket has ever known.

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She rattled England once again with a devastating 4-45 on day one of the women's Ashes Test at the MCG - fittingly doing so in front of the Shane Warne Stand.

She now has 18 wickets at 11.33 for the series.

It could have been a five-for if she didn't drop a late catch off her own bowling.

Alana King of Australia celebrates the dismissal of Nat Sciver-Brunt of England. Getty

There were plaudits running rampant but perhaps the best came from England's famed Barmy Army, who simply tweeted "Alana King is not fun".

Former England fast bowler Steven Finn was one of many who pointed out the Warne connection.

"King has been devastating. She gets the ball drifting in and then turning away, almost unplayable deliveries," Finn said on TNT Sports.

"She has been Shane Warne-esque. It was quite fitting that she was getting the ball to rip and spit so much in front of his stand.

"I'd probably have Sophie Ecclestone as the best all-format spinner because of her ability to bowl at every stage of an innings.

"In a T20 game, she's bowling the 18th or 20th over. But Alana King, at the moment, is the most dangerous for taking wickets."

England all-rounder Georgia Elwiss was equally impressed by the Aussie spinner.

Alana King drops what could have been her fifth wicket of the innings. Getty

"King is a fantastic bowler and she sets brilliant plans to different batters as well," Elwiss said.

"Once she got into her groove, it looked like she was going to get a wicket every single ball she bowled. The skill level and the control she has, particularly for a leg-spinner, is unbelievable."

King, 29, couldn't help but notice the Shane Warne Stand sign as she spun England into a frenzy.

"Pretty nostalgic," King said of the Warne connection.

"He's taken plenty of poles on the MCG for fun. All I can say is hopefully he's smiling down and having a couple of beers and enjoying a few ripping past the outside edge.

"(Captain Alyssa Healy) tried to get the ball out of my hand at stages, but I'm like: 'Don't try and take the ball out of my hand, it's coming out really nicely'."

She also evoked memories of another famous leg-spinner.

Peggy Antonio took 6-49 for Australia in the first ever women's Test match played at the MCG, in 1935.

King led the charge as Australia rolled England for 170, before the hosts finished day one at 1-56.

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