Ashes Series – 4 The Love Of Sport

England women draw the series but Australia retain the Ashes

Jennie Powell — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 15:54:02 +0000

England won the final IT20 by four wickets at the Manuka Oval after an incredible partnership between Danni Wyatt and captain Heather Knight.

Wyatt scored a remarkable maiden international hundred while Knight reached 51 in a superb stand that brought England from likely defeat to a thrilling victory as they spearheaded a record-breaking women’s IT20 chase after Australia posted 178/2.

Wyatt’s hundred was the second of the match after Beth Mooney’s. Mooney struck a quality century – the fifth in women’s IT20 cricket and the first on Australian soil – in another exemplary outing with the bat.

It was a huge total that England looked unlikely to chase down at 30/3 in the fifth over but Wyatt and Knight combined to put on a remarkable 139 to steer England towards the win.

Wyatt and Knight fell with the target nearing but England got there with Jenny Gunn and Fran Wilson at the crease to win by four wickets.

It means the multi-format series ends tied up at 8-8 apiece.

Australia retained the Ashes with their victory in the first IT20 at the North Sydney Oval but tonight’s win means England win the IT20 series and tie the rubber overall.

Australia gave an early indication of what a good batting wicket it was after winning the toss and choosing to bat, Mooney and Alyssa Healy finding the boundary with regularity to reach 47/0 after the powerplay.

They celebrated their 50 partnership, an ominous one for England, but Katherine Brunt ended it once they reached 59, Healy mistiming her slower ball with Knight doing the rest at cover – a good catch.

Elyse Villani was nearly dismissed without scoring but her slog-sweep went over Tammy Beaumont to land for six.

Mooney looked in such fine touch that already any deliveries to her partner were a boon for the visitors.

Villani kept her company for 34 runs before she was bowled by a flatter one from Sophie Ecclestone. Mooney wasn’t to be deterred though and she maintained the attack, taking 10 off a Knight over.

The left-handed opener was enjoying her evening and it was a chanceless knock in the main, with the exception of two very tough chances in one Sophie Ecclestone over – one potential stumping and a hard chance on the mid-wicket fence.

She reached her hundred in the 19th over and after she took 17 from the final over Australia would go on to amass 178/2 from their 20 overs.

It was always going to be a tough ask for England, no team in the history of women’s cricket had ever chased more than 165 to win an IT20.

They were going to need a good start but they got the polar opposite, Beaumont caught at mid-off in the first over.

Wyatt and Sarah Taylor found a few boundaries but Taylor was unable to make it last, picking out Rachael Haynes at cover to see England two down.

Wyatt survived when she was put down by Healy but in the next over she lost her partner Nat Sciver, run out after a sharp piece of work by Villani.

Knight was then given not one, not two but three lifelines as Australia spurned some golden chances to win the Ashes outright.

She took full advantage of her luck to move on to a fine half-century, and Wyatt a truly memorable hundred, as they took the game away from Australia.

They couldn’t be there to see their side over the line but England closed out a fantastic innings to win the IT20 series and tie the overall multi-format series at 8-8.

Report courtesy of the ECB

England bounce back to win second IT20

Jennie Powell — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 15:40:25 +0000

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

Australia win first T20 and retain the Ashes

Jennie Powell — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 23:50:06 +0000

Australia chased down England’s total of 132/9 to win the first T20 and with it retain the Women’s Ashes.

England recovered from a perilous 16/4 to post a competitive target but Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 86 inspired the hosts to a six-wicket win.

It means that Australia go 8-4 up in the multi-format series points tally, an unassailable lead given they hold the trophy.

Transitioning from Test cricket to T20 can often be strange, but the harum-scarum start to England’s innings was particularly chaotic.

Heather Knight was given out off her second ball – the second of the match – only to be brought back to the middle with a reprieve after a no-ball was given.

She made her way back to the middle only for the umpires to undo their no-ball and send her back on her way much to the confusion of everyone watching.

Knight was eventually given out caught behind.

One became two shortly after when Sarah Taylor was given out lbw to Megan Schutt and what followed was a comparative period of calm, 19 balls for Nat Sciver and Tammy Beaumont before the latter was brilliantly caught by Alyssa Healy off Ellyse Perry’s first ball.

Perry struck immediately afterwards, Katherine Brunt following Beaumont back to the hutch first ball with the same mode of dismissal, caught behind.

At 16/4 in the fifth England were in a certain state of disarray.

With the knowledge that nothing but a win would do you may have expected them to go back in their shells but Sciver and Danni Wyatt combined to counter-punch and get their side back in the game.

Wyatt – playing her first game of the tour – hit two fours from Jess Jonassen’s third over, the sixth of the game, to signal that England weren’t about to shut up shop.

Wyatt and Sciver put on 64 for the fifth wicket – an enterprising partnership that had its fair share of heart-in-mouth moments but one that was exactly what England required.

Sciver was initially more watchful before bringing out some of her more enterprising strokes – she fell for a crucial 26 in the 13th over, lbw to Delissa Kimmince.

That wicket didn’t halt Wyatt’s charge and she progressed to her half-century, her first in international cricket and an ideal innings given the circumstances.

With England eyes turning towards a target of 140, she was run out in the same over, courtesy of a fine piece of work by Ashleigh Gardner.

Jenny Gunn came and went for four as England threw their bat at it across the last three overs.

An important unbeaten 23 from Fran Wilson saw England reach 132/9, a competitive total – not least given their struggles at 16/4.

Australia started their reply well – Brunt going for 14 from the first over as Beth Mooney got the scoreboard ticking.

Brunt returned to see the back of Alyssa Healy, caught well at deep-square leg by Wyatt – enjoying her international return – but Mooney hit her for another six to see Australia finish the powerplay on 45/1.

The left-hander continued attacking every bowler, getting in and out of the over with intent and when Ellyse Villani hit 10 off two balls in Alex Hartley’s first over the Australians looked well set.

Villani fell to Ecclestone just before the halfway point but the equation remained in the hosts’ favour, especially with Mooney at the crease.

Despite three more wickets falling, Australia reached their target with 25 balls to spare, securing the 2017 Women’s Ashes.

Report courtesy of the ECB

England win 3rd ODI to keep Ashes hopes alive

Jennie Powell — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 13:50:01 +0000

Half centuries from Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Taylor help England to their first win of the Women’s Ashes series.

It was a case of third time lucky for England as they got over the line in the final ODI of the Women’s Ashes series, winning by 20 runs (DLS) and keeping alive their hopes of regaining the urn.

After winning the toss England chose to bat first and Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Taylor all made half centuries in a competitive total of 284-8.

At points Australia looked well set to chase it down but England kept their head to restrict them to 257-9.

Alex Hartley took three wickets while Nat Sciver took two – and was almost impossible to score off.

The day didn’t start too positively for the visitors, losing Lauren Winfield to a 10-ball duck – but the second-wicket partnership between Beaumont and Taylor set out England’s stall.

While Beaumont was watchful, Taylor was enterprising and the two combined for England’s biggest partnership of the tour (122), separated only when Taylor chipped Megan Schutt to cover for an entertaining 69.

Replays suggested it may have come after Schutt overstepped but Taylor had to go.

Beaumont continued though, increasing the pace as her innings progressed, and she passed Taylor’s 69 before a very smart piece of work by Alyssa Healy saw her stumped after an attempted paddle sweep.

This precipitated something of a collapse for England as Sciver was clean-bowled for seven and Fran Wilson was unluckily adjudged lbw without scoring, an inside-edge perhaps having been missed.

That meant England had lost three wickets for nine runs but Katherine Brunt – who made her maiden ODI half-century in Thursday’s second ODI – joined Knight at the crease to try and take England up towards the 50-over mark.

Knight had been quietly scoring at a run a ball and she continued that trend, even when Brunt fell to Ashleigh Gardner and Jenny Gunn nicked behind.

The final 10 overs were all about the skipper, who went through the gears to ensure England got up to 284.

It was a fine effort from the captain, maintaining her side’s momentum when it easily could have been lost and marshalling the lower order towards a decent total.

Despite the presence of some rain the Australians began their reply and they started positively – Healy doing what comes naturally to her and attacking from the off.

She was reprieved on four when Wilson was unable to hold on to a chance at backward point and it wasn’t until the score had progressed to 118 that she was dismissed, caught Brunt, bowled Hartley, having made 71 – her highest ODI score.

By that point her opening partner Nicole Bolton had also been given two lives, one by Sciver off Hartley and once by Gunn off Sciver.

She was eventually caught at long-on by Lauren Winfield off Sophie Ecclestone to take Australia to 159-2 in the 30th over, almost neck and neck with where England had been at the same point.

Every wicket was becoming a crucial one for England with the game in the balance and two in quick succession tipped it slightly the way of the visitors.

First Ellyse Perry chipped Anya Shrubsole straight to Gunn at mid-off before Elyse Villani picked out long-off off Hartley’s next over.

That reduced Australia to 174-4 with the Southern Stars requiring 104 from 89 deliveries.

Enter the experienced duo of Rachael Haynes and Alex Blackwell – playing her 250th international.

They accumulated well before Sciver, economical all day, broke that partnership with the first ball of the last 10 overs and the pendulum swung again.

Sciver then removed the dangerous Ashleigh Gardner before Hartley held on to a caught-and-bowled chance to put England ahead of the game.

They would hold on to claim their first victory of the tour and reduce the deficit in the multi-format points series to 4-2.

Report courtesy of the ECB

England lose second ODI

Jennie Powell — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 21:45:19 +0000

Australia triumphed under the lights at Coffs Harbour to take the second ODI of the Women’s Ashes and go 4-0 up in points in the multi-format series.

Having opted to bowl first England struggled to make regular breakthroughs and Australia were able initially to set a promising platform, and eventually an imposing total of 296-6.

Captain Rachael Haynes was the star of the show, putting together an enterprising 89 from just 56 balls, although she was well supported by Nicole Bolton, Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry – all of whom passed 50.

It would have been a record chase for England, but their reply struggled to gain momentum after losing early wickets and they were dismissed for 209, losing by 75 runs (DLS).

With Australia needing a further four points to regain the Ashes, England will be desperate to get on the board. The third ODI is also at Coffs Harbour, underway at 00.15 BST on Sunday.

England started the day well, Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole keeping things tight with the new ball and restricting Australia’s run-rate.

It was a trend continued initially by first-change bowlers Jenny Gunn and Nat Sciver – with the score just 44-0 after 13 overs – but in the 14th Alyssa Healy went on the front foot and scored 17, shifting the momentum the way of the hosts.

That over broke the shackles and Australia greeted the spin of Alex Hartley and Sophie Ecclestone with similar aggression.

When Healy fell to the last ball of the 20th over – bowled by Ecclestone, who showed good control on her Ashes bow – Australia had raced along to 98-1.

At Brisbane England were able to stem the flow of runs with wickets but Nicole Bolton was enthused by the arrival of Ellyse Perry and the hosts continued to push for runs.

Bolton began to add a bit of invention to her strokeplay, particularly against the spin, but that proved her undoing when she was bowled by Hartley trying to sweep having moved over to the off-side.

That brought Elyse Villani but her stay was brief, courtesy of a fine diving catch by Knight. Villani was the first of four wickets that would fall to Jenny Gunn, and on a day when England struggled to stem the flow of Australian runs Gunn was a modicum of control.

It was Villani’s departure that brought Haynes to the crease, and Australia began to accelerate further away.

Two quick wickets had given England hope of putting the brakes on but Haynes attacked from ball one, and with Perry at the other end Australia began to punish the visitors.

It wasn’t until the 46th over that the pair could be split, and only after they had put on 86 runs for the fourth wicket.

Gunn dismissed Perry – smartly stumped by Sarah Taylor – and although England were able to take a few wickets in the closing overs of Australia’s innings Haynes continued her assault to take her side to an imposing total of 296-6.

England knew they had a lot to do – their highest second-innings score ever was 272 and their highest successful chase 243-1, against New Zealand in 2008.

On that occasion keeping wickets in hand was crucial but it wasn’t to be the case this time round, with Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont both departing with the score under 20.

Sarah Taylor and Heather Knight rebuilt – a task made slightly easier after Ellyse Perry was removed from the attack for bowling two successive beamers above waist-height – but when Taylor nicked Tahlia McGrath behind to hand her her first ODI wicket there remained an awfully long way to go.

Nat Sciver followed soon after, chipping Jess Jonassen to mid-on, and she was joined by Knight, who was trapped in front to give Wellington a well-deserved first wicket of the series.

The middle order rallied in part but England’s fight was always in vain. Fran Wilson made 37 in putting on 68 with Katherine Brunt, and a slim silver lining was Brunt reaching 52 – her maiden ODI half-century.

England women announce Ashes squad

Jennie Powell — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 21:30:29 +0000

England Women announced their squad for the Ashes tour of Australia today with Lancashire’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone named as part of the 15.

The ICC Women’s World Cup champions depart for Brisbane on October 7, where they’ll attempt to regain the Ashes across a multi-format series that takes in three one-day internationals, a Test match and three T20 internationals. In 2015 in England, Australia ran out 10-6 winners after winning two ODIs, the one-off Test match and one T20I.

The inclusion of Ecclestone is the only change from the squad that triumphed in front of a sell-out crowd at Lord’s on July 23. It’ll be the first time that Heather Knight has led her side into an Ashes series.

Heather Knight (captain, Berkshire)
Tammy Beaumont (Kent)
Katherine Brunt (Yorkshire)
Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire)
Georgia Elwiss (Sussex)
Jenny Gunn (Warwickshire)
Alex Hartley (Lancashire)
Danielle Hazell (Yorkshire)
Laura Marsh (Kent)
Anya Shrubsole (Somerset)
Nat Sciver (Surrey)
Sarah Taylor (wicketkeeper, Sussex)
Fran Wilson (Middlesex)
Lauren Winfield (Yorkshire)
Danni Wyatt (Sussex)

Coach Mark Robinson said: “It’s a hugely exciting tour and one we are really looking forward to. Australia on their home soil will be a further test of the progress we have made.

“We said before the World Cup that the final at Lord’s was never going to be our destination, it was just part of the journey, and that journey continues with this tour.

“Sophie Ecclestone has finished school now and has had a great summer domestically. Her selection will provide another option to our attack.”

Captain Heather Knight said: “Ashes tours don’t come around all too often so it’s always a special opportunity. Australia are going to be very strong opponents on their home soil so we’ll have to be at our best, across all three formats.

“Winning the World Cup was a dream come true but it doesn’t get much bigger than the Ashes. We weren’t able to win in 2015 so I know that the whole group will be intent on regaining the trophy this time round.”

October 22 1st ODI Brisbane – Allan Border Field
00:15 BST 2 points
October 26 2nd ODI – Coffs Harbour
04:40 BST 2 points
October 29 3rd ODI – Coffs Harbour
00:15 GMT 2 points
November 9-12 Only Test (d/n) Sydney – North Sydney Oval
03:30 GMT 4 points
November 17 1st Twenty20 International Sydney – North Sydney Oval
08:10 GM 2 points
November 19 2nd Twenty20 International – Canberra
03:35 GMT 2 points
November 21 3rd Twenty20 International – Canberra
08:10 GMT 2 points

Report courtesy of the ECB

ECB and Cricket Australia announce 2017 Women’s Ashes Schedule

Jennie Powell — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 23:05:58 +0000

ECB and Cricket Australia announce 2017 Women’s Ashes Schedule including an historic inaugural day-night Test

England start bid to regain Ashes on 22 October 2017 in Brisbane
North Sydney Oval to host first ever women’s Day-Night Test from 9-12 November
Multi-format series to feature three One-Day Internationals, one Test and three Twenty20 Internationals

Just two days before International Women’s Day, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia have confirmed the 2017 Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series, with England and Australia to make history when they contest the first ever Day-Night Ashes Test from 9-12 November 2017.

The teams will contest three One-Day Internationals, one Test match and three Twenty20 Internationals, with the team that accumulates the most points across the series to be crowned the winner of the 2017 Women’s Ashes Series. The multi-format points system awards teams two points for an ODI or T20 win and four points for victory in the four-day Test match.

ECB Director of Women’s Cricket Clare Connor said: “We are thrilled to be taking part in the first ever women’s Day-Night Test and hope that this innovation will be exciting for players and spectators alike. After we initiated the first ever multi-format Women’s Ashes in England in 2013, we are proud to see our sport continue to develop and break new ground.

“We will ensure that the England women’s team is fully prepared for the unparalleled challenge of an Ashes series down under, with the sole intention of bringing the trophy back home.”

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said: “We’re excited to confirm the Ashes schedule in what is going to be a historic summer for Women’s cricket and we’re thrilled to be hosting the inaugural women’s Day-Night Test match at North Sydney Oval.

“The venues that have been confirmed are a result of a strategic decision to give this series the opportunity to gain as much exposure as possible and continue to build women’s cricket as a mainstream sport as we look toward the World T20 in Australia in 2020, of which the final is just three years away.”

Australia is the current holder of the Women’s Ashes, having reclaimed the trophy in 2015. Prior to 2013, the Women’s Ashes was decided on the outcome of Test matches only.

2017-18 Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series, Australia v. England

First ODI – AB Field, Brisbane – 22 October 2017

Second ODI – Coffs Harbour International Stadium – 26 October 2017

Third ODI – Coffs Harbour International Stadium – 29 October 2017

Test match (Day-Night) – North Sydney Oval – 9-12 November 2017

First T20 – North Sydney Oval – 17 November 2017

Second T20 – Manuka Oval, Canberra – 19 November 2017

Third T20 – Manuka Oval – 21 November 2017

Women’s Ashes Points System

Test: Win – 4 points

ODI: Win – 2 points

T20: Win – 2 points

Report courtesy of the ECB

England women win T20 series against Australia

Jennie Powell — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 19:25:50 +0000

England women win the 3^rd Women’s Ashes NatWest International Twenty20 against Australia at The SSE SWALEC, Cardiff

England women won the toss and elected to bowl

Australia women – 111 (Alex Blackwell 24, Grace Harris 24, Anya Shrubsole 4-11, Natalie Sciver 4-15, Becky Grundy 2-28)

20 overs

England women – 114-5 (Natalie Sciver 47, Lydia Greenway 20*, Rene Farrell 2-14)

18.1 overs

England women won by 5 wickets

England women win the NatWest IT20 series 2-1 securing 2 Women’s Ashes points

Final Women’s Ashes score: England 6 – 10 Australia

England women secured a 2-1 victory in the NatWest International Twenty20 series against Australia today by recording a 5 wicket win in the closing contest of the seven match multi-format Women’s Ashes series. The result at the SSE SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff this morning means that the final 2015 Women’s Ashes score line is England 6 – 10 Australia. England’s 2-1 NatWest IT20 series win ended Australia’s world record run of 16 women’s IT20 victories.

CARDIFF, WALES – AUGUST 31: The Australia squad pictured before the 3rd NatWest T20 of the Women’s Ashes Series between England and Australia Women (photo Getty Images for ECB)

Speaking immediately after the match today, England women’s captain, Charlotte Edwards said: “I am proud of the way that we have come back out here today as a team, and shown some fight to win this NatWest IT20 series. But there is no hiding the fact that we are all still bitterly disappointed that we have lost our grip on the Women’s Ashes.”

“We haven’t been consistent enough across the seven matches, especially as a batting unit. But I know that this isn’t through a lack of passion or hard work. We have worked on our skills with more intensity than ever before, but some of our execution and decision making has been poor during this series. We simply have to front up to that and address it as we embark on our winter programme.”

“Next year is absolutely massive for us, with tours to South Africa, the West Indies and Sri Lanka, a home series against Pakistan, and the ICC World T20 in India. We will take a lot of confidence from the way we played in Chelmsford and here today in Cardiff to that World T20 competition – we shouldn’t ignore the fact that we have just beaten the current World T20 champions and ended their unbeaten run.”

CARDIFF, WALES – AUGUST 31: Anya Shrubsole of England celebrates bowling out Meg Lanning of Australia (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images for ECB)

“Thank you to everyone who has come out and supported us during the series – the team has been overwhelmed by the level of encouragement that we have received. The record crowds across all of the grounds have been fantastic, and it has always felt like we have had an extra player out there with us. We all love playing cricket for England, and regardless of the final result, it is brilliant that this Women’s Ashes series has given us the platform to hopefully inspire, excite and encourage women and girls to love the game as much as we do.”

“Thanks also to all of our partners for their ongoing support. Women’s cricket has been on an incredible journey over the last year or so, and the infrastructure and backing that we now get is superb. The broadcast and media coverage throughout the series has been unprecedented, and looking ahead to the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup in England, I hope that we can continue to build on this incredible summer for English cricket.”

It is the third time that the Women’s Ashes have been played as a multi-format contest – one Test, three ODIs and three IT20s – with England triumphing in 2013 on home soil 12-4, and in the 2014 series Down Under 10-8.

Since 1934-35, England and Australia have now competed for the Women’s Ashes (in different guises) on 21 occasions, with Australia claiming eight series victories, England six, in addition to seven drawn contests.

Australia Women regain the Ashes

Jennie Powell — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 21:38:18 +0000

England women v Australia women – 2^nd Women’s Ashes NatWest International Twenty20, The BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground, Hove

England will be bitterly disappointed that after their sparkling performance with the ball, and limiting Australia to just 107 runs they dismally failed to even get close to that total with the bat. Lydia Greenway was the pick of the batsmen with just 29 runs and Katherine Brunt a valiant 20. Bad enough to lose the match, much worse to lose the Ashes too.

Unfortunately, throughout the series England have been unable to play with any great consistency and the usually reliable players have sadly under-performed, Australia have worked hard for their victory and deserve it, on this occasion. Although at times Australian openers have not on form either, there has always been someone within the team that has stood up and made a difference. Most significantly Jess Jonassen, a great new talent for the Australian side.

England women won the toss and elected to bowl

Australia women – 107-7 (Jess Cameron 21*, Jess Jonassen 21, Meg Lanning 21, Anya Shrubsole 2-9, Rebecca Grundy 2-20)

20 overs

England women – 87 (Lydia Greenway 26, Katherine Brunt 20, Ellsye Perry 2-13, Rene Farrell 2-X, Megan Schutt 2-X)

19.1 overs

Australia women won by 20 runs

Australia women secure 2 Women’s Ashes points

Current score: England 4 – 10 Australia

Australia women win the Ashes with one match to play

Record crowds for Women’s Ashes series

Jennie Powell — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 19:50:52 +0000

Sell-out crowds for the Women’s Ashes NatWest IT20s at the County Ground, Chelmsford, and the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground, Hove, have helped to set a new record attendance figure for an international women’s cricket series in England.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has today revealed that nearly 22,000 fans have attended a Women’s Ashes match between England and Australia this summer. The total includes peaks of 3,450 and 5,750 in Chelmsford and Hove this week, over 5,000 across the four-day Kia Women’s Test in Canterbury, and nearly 8,000 during the three Royal London One Day Internationals at the start of the series.

The previous best was set during the 2013 Women’s Ashes, when 18,000 spectators attended the multi-format series.

ECB Director of England Women’s Cricket, Clare Connor, said: “It’s absolutely brilliant news that every summer more and more people are buying tickets to watch the England women’s team play. This represents a clear measure of how the women’s game is continuously growing, and I hope that the thousands of women and girls who have come along and watched a Women’s Ashes match this summer have been inspired to play cricket themselves.”

“The quality of some of the cricket that has been on show during the series has been world class. Increasingly international women’s cricket is becoming a real spectacle, and my thanks to all the host venues for their hard work in delivering the matches to such a professional level.”

“Women’s sport across the board is winning over more hearts and minds than ever before, and it is exciting that cricket is at the forefront of this movement. In 2016 we have the launch of the new ECB Women’s Cricket Super League, followed by England hosting the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2017 – so the large crowds experienced during this Women’s Ashes series bode well for the success of those two events. We have a huge amount to look forward to and we will all strive to take the women’s game to new heights, both on and off the field.”