Australia might want to wait longer to retain the ladies’s Ashes after England handed them their first loss in virtually two years with a three-run Twenty20 defeat at The Oval.
Chasing 187 for victory to retain the Ashes, Ellyse Perry gave Australia some late hope with an unbeaten 51 from 27 balls, however Australia spent a lot of the innings behind the wanted run-rate earlier than ending on 9-183.
The end result ended Australia’s world document 29-match undefeated run in T20 internationals, and marked their first defeat in any format since September 2021.
It additionally means the multi-format collection remains to be alive, with England needing to win the final T20 match on Saturday and all three ensuing ODIs to regain the Ashes.
Otherwise, victory for Australia in any of these matches will guarantee they maintain the trophy.
The end result got here regardless of one of the best efforts of Annabel Sutherland, who took 3-28 with the ball to proceed her superb Ashes collection.
A centurion batting at No.8 within the Test match at Trent Bridge final month, Sutherland did the job with the ball on Wednesday.
She first had a charging Alice Capsey caught when she made her attain for a bouncer, earlier than getting Heather Knight subsequent supply with a ball that took the highest of off stump.
Sutherland then acquired the job executed within the discipline with an outstanding forward-diving catch within the deep, earlier than taking the important thing wicket of Danni Wyatt in her subsequent over for 79.
England’s rating was their highest in T20 cricket towards Australia, and will have been far larger if not for Sutherland.
On an enormous evening for the ladies’s sport in England with 20,328 followers in attendance, Wyatt led the way in which for the hosts.
She was simply their finest, main the way in which in a 57-run opening stand with Sophia Dunkley (23).
She helped take 25 off one Megan Schutt over, and introduced up her half-century off 36 balls when she pulled Perry (1-5) for 4.
Australia’s chase then appeared doomed as soon as Alyssa Healy was bowled for 37 by Sarah Glenn (2-27) within the seventh over.
Tahlia McGrath was run out in a mix-up with Beth Mooney quickly after, as a part of a collapse of 4-16.
And when spinner Sophie Ecclestone (2-35) grew to become the quickest lady to succeed in 100 T20I wickets when she had Asheligh Gardner caught-and-bowled, England have been on high.
Perry managed to get the margin all the way down to 31 runs off two overs and 20 off one, earlier than sixes off the ultimate two balls made the scoreline look nearer than the sport actually was.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
