The 2025-26 Ashes series will be the 73rd time in history that England and Australia have gone head-to-head for the coveted Urn.
But in the 143 years since the first clash between the two old rivals was played, the cricketing landscape has changed enormously.
Players are now on multimillion-dollar contracts and have lucrative sponsorship deals – and their wives and girlfriends command just as much of the spotlight as they do.
As many elite sporting stars will say, behind every great athlete is an even greater support network – and that couldn’t be more true for the Aussie stars who will don the Baggy Green cap this summer.
From PhD candidates to sporting stars in their own right, Daily Mail reveals the Who’s Who among the Aussie Ashes WAGs.
The wives and girlfriends of several famous Australian sports stars are set to be thrust into the spotlight during this summer’s Ashes series (pictured L-R: Jessica Head, Cat Harris, Rebecca Cummins and Emma Lyon)
16. Cherina Murphy Christian
Followers: N/A
Partner: Josh Hazlewood
Job: Makeup artist
Hazlewood’s partner Cherina has kept a very discreet profile over the years.
Neither of them is active on social media, so very little is known about their relationship or private life.
However, the makeup artist has been pictured at cricket matches and by her husband’s side at awards ceremonies over the years.
The pair are childhood sweethearts, having first met while they were both enrolled at Oxley High School in Tamworth, New South Wales.
They married in 2022, tying the knot at an elegant ceremony in the Hunter Valley attended by their friends, family and cricket royalty.
Cherina Murphy Christian (pictured with her husband Josh Hazlewood) leads a private life away from the limelight
The makeup artist and her cricketer husband celebrated the birth of their son Zac in 2024
They celebrated the birth of their son Zac in 2024.
With neither posting regularly on social media, the exciting news was unveiled by the Australian fast bowler’s Indian Premier League side, the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
In 2023, the team had announced he would not be retained for the following season, revealing that Hazlewood – who was paid a whopping $1.44million by the franchise during that campaign – had opted to stay at home with his young family.
RCB coach Andy Flower later confirmed the baby’s arrival was the reason behind Hazlewood’s decision.
15. Brier Abbott
Followers: <500
Partner: Sean Abbott
Job: Teacher
Sean Abbott married ‘love of his life’ Brier back in 2022 in a beautiful ceremony in front of their close friends and family.
The pair have been together for more than 20 years, buying a house in 2021 in the Sydney beachside suburb of Clovelly for $1.975million.
Brier, a mum of two, now balances parenting with a career in teaching.
The English teacher has her own tutoring service called Bright Minds Education
While Brier’s Instagram is set to private, she is regularly seen in her fast-bowler husband’s family photos, including from a trip to the Northern Territory in August.
Sean Abbott married ‘love of his life’ Brier back in 2022
Brier, a mum of two, now balances parenting with a career in teaching
14. Megan Kincart
Followers: 2071
Partner: Josh Inglis (Engaged)
Job: Unknown
New parents Josh and Megan have enjoyed a remarkable past two years.
In 2023, the couple shared the news they had welcomed their firstborn son, Oscar.
A little over a year later, during a trip to Bali, Josh surprised his girlfriend by dropping to one knee and popping the question.
New parents Josh and Megan Kincart (pictured) have had an incredible two years
Little is known about Megan’s profession because her Instagram profile is private
Little is known about Megan’s profession because her Instagram profile is private.
However, Josh regularly shares glimpses of their lives travelling the world on the cricket circuit as they bring up baby Oscar.
13. Jessica Head
Followers: 300,000
Partner: Travis Head (Married)
Job: Model/entrepreneur
An integral member of the Australian cricket team, Head is guaranteed to be a focus for Ben Stokes’ side this summer Down Under.
His feats at the 2023 World Test Championship final and that remarkable 137 against India in the final of the Cricket World Cup, which saw him guide Australia to Cricket World Cup glory that same year, have seen him emerge as one of the team’s premier run-scorers.
Head credits much of his excellent form to his life away from the cricket pitch.
Enter wife Jessica, a former model and entrepreneur who owns her own business, and has just under 300,000 followers on Instagram.
Head smashed runs for Australia during the 2023 season, but the highlight of his year came when he married his childhood sweetheart in Adelaide.
The pair, who share two children, first met at Trinity College in Gawler, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, and Head proposed in 2021.
Travis Head credits much of his brilliant recent form with the bat to life with his wife Jessica
Jessica is a former model and founder of Adelaide-based public relations firm HelixPR
The pair wed in 2023 – a big year for Head, who won the World Test Championship and Cricket World Cup with Australia
Their children, Milla and Harrison, were born in 2022 and 2024, respectively.
Jessica juggles motherhood with various professional commitments, including her work in the travel and lifestyle industry.
She is the founder of Adelaide-based public relations agency HelixPR, which fosters strategic partnerships and assists companies in content production and promotion.
Head credits his wife and their family with helping him stay grounded.
‘I’m in a nice little period of my life off the field right now and it’s all emerging into clarity and consistency in a very enjoyable team to play for,’ he said after smashing 137 runs in the 2023 Cricket World Cup Final against India.
Jessica is friends with several other cricket WAGs, and has previously been seen holidaying with Nathan Lyon’s wife Emma and Pat Cummins’ wife Becky.
12. Rebekah Labuschagne
Followers: 18,200
Partner: Marnus Labuschagne (Married)
Job: Nurse
Earlier this year, Rebekah and Marnus Labuschagne announced the birth of their second child, Judah, declaring proudly: ‘It’s a new season for us.’
Rebekah is a nurse, having obtained her degree in 2018, a year after she married Marnus – who looks set to take the No. 3 role during this year’s Ashes series, despite having tried his hand as Usman Khawaja’s opening partner during this year’s World Test Championship.
Rebekah Labuschagne is known for her fashion sense. She is seen here wearing a ’70s-inspired top and trousers alongside husband Marnus
Earlier this year, Rebekah and Marnus announced the birth of their second child, Judah, declaring proudly: ‘It’s a new season for us’
Since going public with their relationship, Rebekah has publicly shared glimpses of their lives together on social media.
After her husband’s 50th Test, she posted this glowing tribute:
‘So proud of all you have achieved so far, Marnus! Your perseverance, resilience and dedication to reaching your dreams is inspiring. Can’t wait to see what you achieve next!’
11. Daphne Boland
Followers: N/A
Partner: Scott Boland (Married)
Job: Law enforcement
Daphne and Scott first met at age 21 when they were both working in a bar in Mordialloc, in Melbourne’s south-east.
During the fledgling years of their relationship, Daphne would have ‘never watched a game of cricket in her life’, Scott said.
And when Boland famously took six wickets for seven runs at the MCG during the 2021-22 Ashes, Daphne revealed she and their two daughters, Charli and Andi, weren’t even watching.
Daphne and Scott Boland (pictured) first met at age 21 when they were both working in a bar in Mordialloc, in Melbourne’s south-east
Daphne, who has worked as a police officer, said of her husband’s cricketing career: ‘I’m glad the hard work has paid off for him’
‘There was a Covid scare in the England camp so me and the girls were at Fitzroy Gardens and all of a sudden my phone was blowing up about how well Scott’s doing. I wasn’t close to a TV and it didn’t hit me until it all started going crazy!’ she said.
Daphne, who has worked as a police officer, supported her husband as he toiled away for years before finally cracking the Test side aged 31.
‘I’m glad the hard work has paid off for him,’ she said.
The couple’s daughters join them on the cricketing circuit. ‘It’s a lovely moment to be a part of, you’d go down for breakfast in the morning and it would feel like there’s 40 kids running around,’ Scott said.
10. Maddy Webster
Followers: 1939
Partner: Beau Webster (Married)
Job: Unknown
In April, Maddie and Beau Webster were relaxing in Tasmania on their honeymoon, having just tied the knot following their engagement in 2024.
But the celebrations didn’t last: soon after their holiday, Beau jetted to England for a stint with Warwickshire, before playing in this year’s World Test Championship.
Little is known about Maddy’s career. She is more open about her family life and travels, often sharing snaps from her globe-trotting adventures with Beau.
The all-rounder toiled away in the Sheffield Shield for years before finally getting his big break when he was called into the Aussie Test team as injury cover for Mitchell Marsh for the 2024 Boxing Day Test against India.
He made his debut in the following Test in Sydney, scoring a half-century, and his play has kept him in the top XI ever since.
In April, Maddie and Beau Webster were relaxing in Tasmania on their honeymoon, having just tied the knot following their engagement in 2024
Little is known about Maddy’s career. She is more open about her family life and travels, often sharing snaps from her globe-trotting adventures with Beau
9. Greta Marsh
Followers: 1410
Partner: Mitchell Marsh (Married)
Job: Midwife / event manager
Mitchell Marsh’s career resurgence has been nothing short of inspiring.
And when he was awarded the Allan Border Medal as the best Australian cricketer in 2024, the Western Australian made sure to pay tribute to his wife, Greta.
‘I often spoke to my wife about…’ he said before pausing during his acceptance speech. ‘That I just wanted to get one more crack at it and it’s been amazing.
‘She gave me the perspective on life I needed.’
Greta, who keeps a low profile on social media, has been Mitch’s rock through some of the tougher times in his career.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Western Australia, later earning a master’s degree in midwifery.
Greta Marsh has been her husband Mitchell’s rock through some of the tougher times in the Western Australian’s cricketing career
While she has previously worked in digital marketing, Greta is now a full-time midwife at the King Edward Memorial Hospital in Perth
Mitch sang the praises of his wife in 2024 when he won the Allan Border Medal
While she has previously worked in digital marketing, Greta is now a full-time midwife at the King Edward Memorial Hospital in Perth.
The couple went public with their relationship in 2020 and Marsh proposed 18 months later. They later wed on a farm in Gracetown, WA, and welcomed their first child, Olive, in November 2024.
‘Grets is an amazing human. I said in my wedding vows eight months ago she gave me the perspective in life I needed…’ Marsh added during his Allan Border Medal acceptance speech.
8. Eloise Carey
Followers: 3094
Partner: Alex Carey (Married)
Job: Former model / therapist
Eloise Carey rose to fame in 2009 on cycle five of Australia’s Next Top Model.
Apart from her modelling work, she’s kept a relatively low profile, but it is understood she has worked as a therapist in the past.
She and Carey first met in Adelaide in the early 2010s, later marrying in 2016.
They now have a son, Louis, and a daughter, Clementine, and the family are often seen supporting Carey as he travels around the world keeping for Australia.
Eloise Carey rose to fame in 2009 on cycle five of Australia’s Next Top Model
Carey revealed that he and his family had been subjected to abuse after the 2023 Ashes series
Alex admitted after the controversy that unfolded during the 2023 Ashes series, that his wife and kids had been targeted with abuse.
‘There [were] a lot of nasty comments that came my way or came the family’s way,’ he said, reflecting on his controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s.
Alex describes his wife as both ‘my rock’ and ‘my toughest critic’.
7. Emily Redwood
Followers: 15,000
Partner: Cameron Green (Engaged)
Job: Dietician / PhD Candidate
It’s been a huge year for Cameron Green and partner Emily Redwood, who shared their engagement news in February.
The 25-year-old all-rounder is on the cusp of wrapping up an incredible year in style, as he’s touted as a possible answer to Australia’s top-order woes.
Perhaps his rise to form has been down to how well things have been going off the pitch, with Green dropping to one knee at a lookout at Yallingup in Western Australia.
‘Love this girl!! (forever),’ he wrote on Instagram, alongside a gallery of photos of Emily presenting her new engagement ring.
While it’s unclear how the couple met, Cameron and Emily went public in 2020.
It’s been a huge year for Cameron Green and partner Emily Redwood, who shared their engagement news in February
Emily, who has 15,000 followers on Instagram, is a qualified dietician and now a PhD candidate
Emily, who has 15,000 followers on Instagram, is a qualified dietician and now a PhD candidate. She also holds a master’s degree from Curtin University.
The happy couple regularly publish updates on their life in WA and their adventures travelling around the world, including trips to Italy, Spain, Copenhagen and the Caribbean last year.
6. Hattie Zampa
Followers: 12,000
Partner: Adam Zampa (Married)
Job: Artist
While Hattie studied law at university, her career took a different direction as she went on to pursue art instead.
Raised in a small town an hour south of Darwin with seven siblings, she now produces stunning pieces of artwork from her studio in the Byron Bay hinterland.
Hattie Zampa trained as a lawyer but now works as an artist from her studio in Byron Bay
She is married to spinner Adam Zampa (pictured), with whom she is expecting a second child
The pair tied the knot in 2021, after a Covid delay
While Adam is out on the cricket field taking wickets, Hattie is typically spending time at her easel. She says she doesn’t ‘consider her work great’ but ‘celebrates its imperfections’.
The pair tied the knot in 2021, after a Covid delay. Their first child, Eugene, was born in 2022 and they recently announced they’re expecting their second.
5. Dani Willis
Followers: 113,000
Partner: Steve Smith (Married)
Job: Lawyer / Pilates instructor
Former Aussie skipper Steve Smith dropped to one knee at the top of New York’s Rockefeller Centre – and his long-time girlfriend Dani Willis couldn’t wait to say yes.
Eight years later, the couple now call the Big Apple home.
Dani trained as a lawyer, but these days her time is mostly devoted to Pilates instruction and interior design.
The pair married in 2018, following Smith’s role in the infamous ball-tampering scandal. When her fiancé needed her the most, Dani was there for him as he copped a 12-month ban from cricket.
The legal eagle, who has been at the now-vice-captain’s side for many years, is often seen holidaying in luxurious destinations, like the south of France and Sri Lanka.
Dani Willis lives in New York City with husband Steve Smith (pictured together)
Dani trained as a lawyer, but these days her time is mostly devoted to Pilates instruction and interior design
Dani said of the couple’s decision to live in America: ‘Steve and I have always loved New York and we first looked at buying a place over there in 2017.
‘And then we weren’t in any hurry, we just wanted to buy the right place.
‘It’s just the energy drew us to New York and then you have the added benefits of just being able to go about life.’
However, she added that ‘Australia is always home’.
4. Emma Lyon
Followers: 16,400
Partner: Nathan Lyon (Married)
Job: Fashion influencer
Emma Lyon (née McCarthy) took the plunge and launched a career as a fashion influencer earlier this year.
A real estate agent before she began her controversial affair with Nathan – who was then in a relationship with his ex-partner Mel Waring – Emma is now a fully fledged digital creator, working with brands such as Maebe and VRG GRL.
The Lyons married in 2022 and welcomed a baby daughter the following year.
Emma turned heads earlier this year when she documented her journey to London to watch her husband in the World Test Championship, toting $22,000 worth of accessories plus a $1,500 collection of in-flight skincare.
Former real estate agent Emma Lyon (née McCarthy) took the plunge and launched a career as a fashion influencer earlier this year
The Lyons married in 2022 and welcomed a baby daughter the following year
Nathan recently praised his wife for her support when he was facing a long lay-off due to a calf injury. ‘It was me sitting in my hotel room and Emma just told me to snap out of it,’ he said
Nathan recently praised his wife for her support when he was facing a long lay-off due to a calf injury.
‘It was me sitting in my hotel room and Emma just told me to snap out of it – it’s happened, let’s start the rehab journey to ensure we can get back bigger and better,’ he said.
‘A lot of praise needs to go to Em. She’s everything. She’s my best mate, she’s the love of my life. Her support is second to none.’
3. Alyssa Healy
Followers: 244,000
Partner: Mitchell Starc (Married)
Job: Professional cricketer
Cricket runs in Alyssa Healy’s veins.
She is captain of the Australian women’s side and one of the greatest talents to have graced the sport, having won six T20 World Cups with her side, as well as two ODI World Cups in 2013 and 2022.
The 35-year-old wicketkeeper has also won two Women’s Big Bash titles and has been crowned the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year on two occasions.
Interestingly, her nickname, ‘Midge’, was given to her by her cricket-mad father, who played for Queensland. Her uncle is legendary Aussie wicketkeeper Ian Healy, who played 119 Tests for Australia.
Alyssa is easily cricketing royalty, and while she was introduced to the game at a very early age, she began playing properly at school – which is also where she met Mitchell Starc.
Alyssa Healy (pictured with Mitch Starc) is the Australian women’s side’s captain and one of the greatest to have graced the sport, having won six T20 World Cups with her side, as well as two ODI World Cups in 2013 and 2022
They met at primary school when they were nine and even competed against each other for the wicketkeeper gloves while playing in Sydney’s Northern District Junior Cricket Association
They met at primary school when they were nine and even competed against each other for the wicketkeeper gloves while playing in Sydney’s Northern District Junior Cricket Association.
‘Cheltenham Oval in 1999,’ Alyssa said when asked during an interview with Cricket Australia on how the pair met.
‘We had a wicketkeeping-off for a spot in the team, and they made us share it. Yep. That’s how we met.’
The pair would continue to play cricket together during their teens, with Starc going on to reveal in 2013 that he ‘took a bit of a liking to the little blonde wicketkeeper’.
They got together at 18. ‘It felt a bit weird asking, but it was like, “Are we dating now?” It just happened.
The couple got engaged in 2015 before tying the knot in 2016.
While they are regularly seen supporting one another on the pitch, as pro athletes, it is no surprise that Healy and Starc have a competitive relationship away from it.
‘We play a fair bit of golf, and we take it relatively seriously,’ Starc told The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘We were having a few beers after a round at Long Reef Golf Club one day, and figured we needed a points system.’
2. Rachel Khawaja
Followers: 137,000
Partner: Usman Khawaja (Married)
Job: Entrepreneur / influencer / business development manager / TV host
Is there anything Rachel Khawaja can’t do?
Boasting brains and beauty, the Brisbane local dabbles in a range of professions in addition to raising a family with the Brisbane Heat captain.
Rachel and Usman are parents to daughters Aisha and Ayla, and are expecting a third baby next year.
Boasting brains and beauty, Rachel Khawaja dabbles in a range of professions in addition to raising a family with the Brisbane Heat captain
Rachel also works as a reporter for Channel Seven’s cricket coverage
The couple first met as students at Griffith University, where Rachel obtained a bachelor’s degree in marketing
The couple first met as students at Griffith University, where Rachel obtained a bachelor’s degree in marketing.
She has since gone on to work with some of the world’s biggest beauty and travel brands as an influencer, while also hosting Channel Seven’s cricket coverage.
1. Becky Cummins
Followers: 109,000
Partner: Pat Cummins (Married)
Job: Interior designer / social media influencer
Earlier this year, new mum Becky Cummins shared a glimpse into the lives of professional cricketers and their families.
Sat in an airport in London ahead of the World Test Championship final, Becky took a snap of the baggage claim lounge showing just how much luggage the young mum had brought with her to meet her husband as he prepared for the showpiece event.
You could count at least 13 suitcases, as well as a baby stroller.
While the image raised eyebrows among some about the luxurious lives some cricketers and their families lead – particularly that of the Baggy Greens captain who reportedly banks around $2.7million a year – it also gave an indication that these guys are almost always living on the road.
However, Pat and Becky were able to enjoy some quality time this year, leaving behind their beachside home in Bronte, Sydney, to go exploring in Europe.
The pair have two children: Albie, born in 2021, and Edith, born in February this year.
Becky would later dazzle her 109,000 followers by showing off her post-baby body just three weeks after giving birth.
Becky Cummins (pictured) is the rock behind Aussie cricket captain, Pat Cummins
Becky, who hails from England, met Pat while she was in Australia on a working holiday visa
She didn’t know who he was at the time, until she saw him on a billboard advertising KFC
She was born in Yorkshire and attended the University of Manchester, studying English
Becky hails from Yorkshire, England, and attended the University of Manchester, where she studied English.
She would go on to study interior design.
Becky and Pat met in 2013 at a bar in King’s Cross. Pat, only 20 at the time, bumped into Becky, then 22, as she travelled around Australia on a working holiday visa.
‘The first couple of times I met Becky, I told her I was a uni student because, technically, I was. I left out the cricket part,’ Pat told The Age.
They became a couple shortly after Pat learned he had a stress fracture in his back – an injury that has plagued him for most of his career and right up until the beginning of this year’s Ashes series.
In 2020, Pat popped the question, and two years later, they tied the knot in Byron Bay
Despite not telling Becky about his sporting career, she would quickly find out – when she spotted the cricketer’s face on the side of a KFC in the city.
‘I knew straight away it was Pat and related to some kind of sport, and when I got to my shift at work, I asked the girls, and they had to explain to me that he played cricket,’ she said in an interview.
‘I thought it was pretty cool, but I was very confused, and I had a lot of questions after that! I didn’t know anything about cricket, so it was an eye-opener.’
Pat popped the question in 2020 and two years later they tied the knot in Byron Bay.
