The race for the Women’s Ashes trophy might be over, but England will be out for redemption and a drawn series when they take on Australia in the final T20 at Manuka Oval. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:10pm (AEDT).
Because Australia won the last series, they only needed eight points to retain the trophy, which they secured with two ODI wins, a drawn Test and victory in the first T20.
England hasn’t been up to scratch throughout their tour, but a dead rubber win in the last match was somewhat positive for the tourists.
The key for the home side throughout has been Megan Schutt. While everyone has contributed at some point, Schutt has nearly always struck with the new ball. In the first T20, she took another four wickets, helping restrict England to just 9-132, which was chased down in just 15.5 overs as opener Beth Mooney smacked England’s lacklustre attack around the park for 86 off 56.
The tourists have had too many games like that. They seem to be competitive for a chunk, then go downhill in a hurry.
There is no better example of that than the Test match. They had Australia on the ropes at the end of Day 2, before Ellyse Perry scored a double hundred and ensured the worst result the hosts could achieve was a draw.
If England were consistently on the money, stopping runs like that from Perry, or the wicket-taking of Schutt combined with accurate spin, they would have been a lot closer to winning this series.
There is still plenty on the line for them in the final match though. A drawn series overall and victory in the T20s would give them something to take home. If that’s going to be the case, then Sarah Taylor, batting at first drop, will be the key.
Australia will be keen to finish on a winning note though. Perry has shown what she can do throughout the series with both bat and ball, and working with in-form captain Rachael Haynes and Mooney, they will be looking to take down England’s attack again in a fast start which could set up the result.
Prediction
Australia should bounce back and pick up a win to close the series, even taking into account it’s another dead rubber. They won’t want to retain the Ashes on a drawn series result.
Australia in a close one.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the final women’s Ashes match from 7:10pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Maggie
Guest
Should really have been Beth Mooney whose innings was chanceless (while Wyatt was dropped twice). But after the Australians’ dismal fielding performance it would have been a bit embarrassing to give the award to an Australian. And Wyatt’s innings was certainly both superb and pivotal to the English win.
Maggie
Guest
Thanks Scott, I’ve enjoyed both your and Dylan’s blogs. (Though I thought you were a bit too harsh about the test match, particularly as you wrote your article before the match was finished.) I’ve enjoyed the series, we’ve seen some wonderful individual performances. Also some disappointing efforts such as tonight’s Australian fielding. I have also enjoyed and admired the spirit in which the women played these matches. None of the childish public sledging that the men have already started. And the TV coverage and commentary have been excellent: Channel 9 should be congratulated. But why didn’t they learn from this and include a couple of the women commentators on the panel for the men’s Ashes? The women commentators have been both expert in their knowledge and highly professional in their delivery without all the banale nonsense we hear in commentary during the men’s matches. They also seemed to have a positive influence on the male commentators who called the games in a more mature fashion than we usually hear from Channel 9.
Scott Pryde
Expert
That'll wrap up The Roar's live coverage of the Women's Ashes. Three ODI's, a Test and three T20's with Australia retaining the Ashes in an eventual draw. On behalf of Dylan Carmody who has covered plenty of this series, thank you for joining us and I hope you have enjoyed all of the coverage. We now shift our attention to the Men's Ashes series. Australia and England are getting ready to square off for the biggest prize in international cricket. That starts on Thursday at 11am (AEDT). I'll be in the chair for Day 1, so be sure to join me then. Bye for now!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Heather Knight has been announced as player of the Women's Ashes. Not 100% sure that's the right option, given the bowling of Megan Schutt, but certainly, she was England's best.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Danielle Wyatt has just been announced as player of the match.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Yeah dreadful fielding. The T20 World Cup is just around the corner, so they have a lot of work to do the Aussies.
Scott Pryde
Expert
AUSTRALIA BOWLING SCORECARD Again, nothing to write home about. Jonassen bowled well early, but it didn't amount to much with Australia dropping four absolute sitters.
Maggie
Guest
Congratulations to the English, both for this incredible win and for their strong rebound in the series. But a dreadful fielding performance by the Australians, very disappointing. The Australians will get the trophy but not the plaudits. They’ve got a lot of work to do.
Scott Pryde
Expert
ENGLAND BATTING SCORECARD Superb chase in the end. They were scratchy early, but Wyatt eventually hit herself into form for the highest ever run chase in a women's T20I, Wyatt the first English woman to score a hundred in T20 cricket.
Scott Pryde
Expert
ENGLAND BOWLING SCORECARD Nothing to write home about for the English bowlers on a flat track in Canberra...
Scott Pryde
Expert
AUSTRALIA BATTING SCORECARD Beth Mooney's century the reason they were able to score so many runs, but some good late batting from Ellyse Perry and platform building from Alyssa Healy also contributed to the huge score for Australia.
TOTAL: 2/178 (20)
Scott Pryde
Expert
ENGLAND WIN BY 4 WICKETS! That's an incredible run chase, and really, an incredible game of cricket. Beth Mooney first played probably the best T20 innings I've ever seen - men's or women's with 117 off 70 balls. Then, Australia came out and dropped four absolute sitters, putting Danielle Wyatt and Heather Knight down. They put on 116 runs in a ten over period to bring England back into the game, the tourists eventually taking what will go down as a famous victory. Australia retains the Ashes in a drawn series, but this presentation is going to lack anything really positive. Full match scorecards to follow in just a moment. England 6/181 (20) Australia 2/178 (20)
Scott Pryde
Expert
FOUR! England win! What a chase! Jenny Gunn comes to the crease and well, that's probably not the shot I'd be playing, but it'll work nonetheless. Ramps a full one from Kimmince and it goes over the top of Healy, running away to the fence for England to complete the highest every Women's T20 international run chase. What an effort from England. They win the T20 series and draw the Ashes. England 6/181 (19) Australia 2/178 (20)
Scott Pryde
Expert
WICKET! Katherine Brunt, Caught Ellyse Perry, Bowled Delissa Kimmince 5 (4) Well, it might not mean much - at least, it shouldn't mean much at this late stage - But Brunt has tried to go the big drive again and hit it uppish, not getting it at all. Perry at mid off runs around and completed the easy catch. England 6/177 (18.5) Australia 2/178 (20)
Scott Pryde
Expert
FOUR Brunt isn't going to do this in singles. We know that for a fact. Comes charging down the wicket, looks to drive over mid off and it runs off the edge, straight through the gap and away for a boundary. England 5/177 (18.4) Australia 2/178 (20)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Kimmince with a wide, then a dot outside off as Wilson plays and misses. The next is outside off, swung at and the edge lands safe, the batters picking up a single. 6 from 9 required. England 5/173 (18.3) Australia 2/178 (20)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fran Wilson in at 7 for England. Pressure on.
Scott Pryde
Expert
WICKET! Danni Wyatt, Bowled Delissa Kimmice 100 (57) And so, this superb innings from the English opener comes to an end. She looks to back away and drive a straight one through the off side, but has missed everything, the ball beating her and going on to take the stumps. Maybe a twist? England 5/171 (18.1) Australia 2/178 (20)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Brunt punches the ball back at Perry here who fields it in her follow through. Good over, only going for four and causing that run out, but you have to question why they left it so long to bring her back. The game is gone. England 4/171 (18) Australia 2/178 (20)
Scott Pryde
Expert
There it is! Century for Wyatt Wonderful innings from Danni Wyatt. She has been superb here. Off just 56 balls and she becomes the first English woman to hit a century in an international T20. England 4/171 (17.5) Australia 2/178 (20)