England women v Australia women – 2nd Royal London Women’s Ashes One-Day International, Bristol County Ground
Australia skipper Meg Lanning struck her sixth one-day international century as the tourists set England a target of 260 to win the second Royal London match of the Women’s Ashes series.
England captain Charlotte Edwards put Australia in to bat after winning the toss at the Bristol County Ground but the tourists, looking to hit back from their defeat at Taunton, batted brilliantly to set a challenging total.
Lanning reached her hundred in 92 deliveries before finally being stumped for 104 off Natalie Sciver with 15 balls of the innings left.
Australia managed just 14 more runs after the loss of their skipper to reach 259 for five as England fought back at the death, but the hosts had to make their highest ODI chase if they were to go 4-0 up on points in the multi-format series.
The tourists changed their top-order with Nicole Bolton joining Elyse Villani and the pair put on 65 for the opening wicket, benefiting from England dropping short too often.
England finally made a breakthrough in the 16th over, as Villani edged behind to Sarah Taylor when trying to cut Becky Grundy.
That brought Lanning to the crease and she started slowly, taking 10 deliveries to get off the mark. Bolton reached 37 before she was bowled by a fuller delivery from Anya Shrubsole, her first wicket of the series. But that brought Ellyse Perry, who had top-scored at Taunton, to partner Lanning.
The pair racked up a 132-run partnership in 23 overs to put Australia on course for a mammoth total.
Lanning went to her eighth format fifty in the 35th over in fortuitous circumstances, getting a bottom edge that crept under wicketkeeper Taylor and away to the boundary for a seventh four.
She immediately followed that up by sweeping Heather Knight to the boundary, a shot much more in keeping with the rest of the Australia captain’s innings.
England had impressed with their fielding, gaining four run-outs at Taunton. Georgia Elwiss tried her luck to force another one and, while her aim was true, Perry’s dive made sure she was safe.
Lanning was dropped on 72 when a thick edge off Katherine Brunt was shelled by Taylor, who had gone down to her right one-handed.
Lanning survived again on 83 when she fizzed a shot straight back at bowler Cross, who was unable to keep hold of the ball. And she made sure England were punished fully by racing to a ton.
At the other end, Perry was denied a seventh successive ODI fifty as she was bowled by Heather Knight’s spin when on 48.
Lanning followed in the next over and England’s fightback continued when Alex Blackwell dragged on against Knight to go for eight, while Jess Jonassen was stumped after charging down her crease and missing a wide one from Sciver in the final over.
England women won the toss and elected to bowl
Australia women – 259-6 (Meg Lanning 104, Ellyse Perry 48, Natalie Sciver 2-27, Heather Knight 2-44)
50 overs
England women – 196 (Charlotte Edwards 58, Sarah Taylor 43, Megan Schutt 4-47, Jess Jonassen 2-34, Sarah Coyte 2-38)
43 overs
Australia women won by 63 runs
Australia women secure 2 Women’s Ashes points and 2 ICC Women’s Championship points
Women’s Ashes score line after two matches: England 2 – 2 Australia
Women’s Ashes Series 2015:
| Date | Format | Venue | Points for a win | Points for a tie / draw | Points for no result |
| July 21 | Royal London ODI* | The County Ground, Taunton | 2 points | 1 point | 1 point |
| July 23 | Royal London ODI* | Bristol County Ground | 2 points | 1 point | 1 point |
| July 26 | Royal London ODI* | New Road, Worcester | 2 points | 1 point | 1 point |
| August11 – 14 | Kia Women’s Test | The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence | 4 points | 2 points | 2 points |
| August 26 | NatWest T20I# | The Essex County Ground, Chelmsford | 2 points | Super Over | 1 point |
| August 28 | NatWest T20I# | The BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground, Hove | 2 points | Super Over | 1 point |
| August 31 | NatWest T20I+# | The SSE SWALEC, Cardiff | 2 points | Super Over | 1 point |
*ICC Women’s Championship fixture
#In the event of a draw in the NatWest T20I matches, a super over will be played
+Double-header with men’s NatWest T20I (England v Australia)
