Australia retain Ladies’s Ashes as England overwhelmed by three runs in second ODI regardless of gorgeous Nat Sciver-Brunt hundred | Cricket Information

Regardless of a heroic, unbeaten hundred from Nat Sciver-Brunt, Australia retained the Ladies’s Ashes with an exhilarating three-run win over England within the second one-day worldwide at The Ageas Bowl.

England wanted a fourth-straight white-ball victory to be able to take issues to a decider on Tuesday, however Australia’s victory sees them lead 8-6 on factors and even when the hosts have been to triumph within the closing ODI in Taunton to tie the sequence, Australia retain the Ashes as present holders.

Set one other document chase of 283 to win, Sciver-Brunt struck an impressive 111 not out off 99 balls however couldn’t fairly see England over the road with 15 wanted from the ultimate over.

Sciver-Brunt, who was dropped on 97 within the penultimate over the ball earlier than citing her ton, struck Jess Jonassen’s third ball for 4 to scale back the equation to 9 wanted from three. That turned 5 from one after a pair of quickly-scampered twos, however Sciver-Brunt was unable to seek out the boundary from the ultimate ball.

Tammy Beaumont additionally struck a powerful 60 on the high of the order for the hosts earlier than being bowled by a magnificence from Alana King (3-44), certainly one of three wickets for the leg-spinner recalled to the Australian aspect for the sport. Ashleigh Gardner additionally pitched in with 3-54.

England will look again ruefully on the ultimate over of Australia’s innings specifically, with Georgia Wareham smashing Lauren Bell for 26, together with three sixes and two fours, to propel them as much as what proved a match-winning rating.

Heather Knight’s aspect had in any other case accomplished moderately properly to limit Australia after successful the toss, regardless of two pricey drops of Ellyse Perry who went on to attain 91.

Perry was put down on 50 by Sarah Glenn, off her personal bowling, and on 63 by Kate Cross at mid-off. Sophie Ecclestone additionally put down Gardner (33) when on simply 4 as errors have been once more distinguished in England’s fielding show.

Though costly late on, Bell (3-85) had given the hosts the right begin, dismissing each Australia openers cheaply, Phoebe Litchfield (4) pinned lbw and captain Alyssa Healy (13) caught at brief third.

Perry and Beth Mooney (33) rebuilt with a 61-run partnership, earlier than the latter fell to Ecclestone, top-edging an tried sweep to brief fantastic leg.

Tahlia McGrath (5) got here and went rapidly – caught behind off Glenn (1-56) earlier than Perry once more loved sizable stands with Gardner and Annabel Sutherland (50), who struck a maiden ODI fifty.

Ecclestone picked up Perry 9 in need of her hundred and added Sutherland later in the identical over as England seemed to be ending the stronger till Wareham’s essential late cameo.

In reply, the scratchy Sophia Dunkley (13) shared in a 66-run opening partnership that Beaumont dominated and was finally bowled by Wareham when trying to paddle one fantastic.

Spin was to be a relentless menace all through England’s chase, with the captain Knight (12) subsequent out lbw to King, albeit vastly aggrieved by the choice as she believed she laid some bat on it that went undetected by the umpire and UltraEdge on assessment.

Beaumont, quickly after citing an 18th ODI fifty, was bowled by a magnificence from King that pitched in line, turned away and kissed the highest of her off stump, whereas Alice Capsey (2) considerably gave her wicket away to the leg-spinner, holing out to deep mid-wicket.

It was then over to Gardner, who accounted for Danni Wyatt (8) after which Amy Jones (37) and Ecclestone (1) in the identical over after a 57-run stand between Sciver-Brunt and the England wicketkeeper.

With the hosts diminished to 203-7, with 80 nonetheless required from the ultimate 11.2 overs, it regarded like England’s probability was gone, just for Sciver-Brunt’s sensational effort and a hugely-valuable, unbeaten 22 from Glenn to take them shut.

However they finally left themselves somewhat an excessive amount of to do and England’s Ashes hopes have been dashed by an agonising three-run defeat.

Ladies’s Ashes schedule (all video games stay on Sky Sports activities)

Watch the second ODI of the multi-format Ladies’s Ashes between England and Australia on Sunday, stay on Sky Sports activities Cricket from 10.30am, forward of the primary ball at 11am. Stream this summer’s men’s and women’s Ashes series on NOW