Source: ECB

England bounce back to win second IT20

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England bounced back from the disappointment of losing the Women’s Ashes on Friday to win the second IT20 at Manuka Oval, Canberra.

After putting on 152/6, their highest T20 score in Australia, they dismissed the hosts for 112 to win by 40 runs with six balls to spare.

It was a team effort with the ball but Katherine Brunt – who also made a crucial 32 with the bat – was perhaps the star performer, taking two wickets for 10 runs from her four overs.

She was chosen as Player of the Match for her efforts.

Danni Wyatt was promoted to the top of the order following her maiden international 50 on Friday, a bright spot on a bad evening for England, and she seemed to enjoy the role.

She continued from where she finished on Friday, giving England a quick start and hitting four boundaries in a 16-ball 19 before she picked out cover to give Megan Schutt her 17th wicket of the Ashes.

Tammy Beaumont was given out lbw to Jess Jonassen but Nat Sciver and Sarah Taylor progressed the score, England enjoying a more relaxed innings than their frantic 132/9 in Friday’s fixture.

They put on 45 before Taylor was run out for 30 but Brunt – in at number five – was the perfect foil for Sciver and the two continued the momentum.

Sciver was the next to go, in the 17th over with England looking to go big – caught by Rachael Haynes off the returning Ellyse Perry. She made an important 40 from 32 balls.

In a new role at number six, captain Heather Knight could only last three balls but Brunt maintained her aggression.

She would go on to hit two huge sixes in the last three overs as she progressed to 32 and England reached 152/6.

It seemed competitive but given the way Australia chased at North Sydney Oval the outcome remained anyone’s guess.

Anya Shrubsole – who missed the first IT20 through injury – started well but Australia found their stride as the powerplay progressed, with four fours being hit in succession across the end of the fourth and start of the fifth overs.

Danielle Hazell bowled a very tidy sixth over and also brought around the breakthrough, in a roundabout way.

Mooney – Australia’s hero on Friday night – hit her to mid-off and Jenny Gunn did the rest, running her out.

She was the first of four wickets to fall for seven runs – and five for 20 – as England tightened the screw.

Brunt – so effective with the bat – demonstrated her all-round prowess by striking in her first over, Elyse Villani the player to go, brilliantly stumped by Taylor for one.

Healy followed her back, picking out Shrubsole at long-on to give the ever-parsimonious Jenny Gunn – playing her 250th international match for England – a first-over wicket.

The collapse continued in fortuitous circumstances, Brunt went back of a length and Perry managed to hit the ball back on to her stumps via the instep of her left foot.

Ashleigh Gardner fell to Hazell before Haynes and Delissa Kimmince mounted something of a comeback – an effort that was derailed by the returning Sophie Ecclestone, who accounted for both in the same over to leave Australia at 93/7.

Gunn returned to dismiss Sarah Aley, Jonassen and Molly Strano to give her figures of 4-13 and see England win by 40 runs.

It leaves the multi-format series score at 8-6 to Australia with one game left, also at Canberra, on Tuesday.

Report courtesy of the ECB