England, after being clinically beaten in the one-off Test match, started the T20I series with a heart-breaking defeat on the penultimate ball of the match. With the Ashes scoreline reading 6-0, the home side had their backs against the wall, as they found themselves in a must-win situation. In this article, we will discuss how things panned out in the 3rd T20I in the Women’s Ashes.
England skipper Heather Knight won the toss and opted to field first in the series decider at Lord’s. Australia got off to a steady start, before off-spinner Charlie Dean trapped the Australian skipper Alyssa Healy (16 off 10) on the back foot to provide the first breakthrough for the home side.
Tahlia McGrath (10 off 13) soon followed her, stepping down the track trying to go over the top, and ended up mistiming the ball towards mid-off. Ashleigh Gardner joined Beth Mooney to steady the innings and just when the pair looked settled, Nat Sciver Brunt provided a much-needed breakthrough as the ball ricocheted off Beth Mooney’s (32 off 27) pads to crash onto her stumps.
Australia ended their innings with a total of 155 runs on the board, courtesy of consistent partnerships of substance right through the innings. The 32-year-old all-rounder Ellyse Perry was the top run scorer for Australia with 34 runs, including three boundaries and a maximum at a strike rate of 136. Lauren Bell (1/24) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (2/31) was the top performer with the ball for England.
🚨T20I Series Results🚨
1st T20I: Australia won by 4 wickets
2nd T20I: England won by 3 Runs
3rd T20I: England won by 5 wicketsEngland win the series 2-1#CricketTwitter #Ashes2023 pic.twitter.com/oVMAVe3wYY
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) July 9, 2023
There was a rain interruption during the innings break which delayed the start of England’s chase. The chase was eventually reduced to a 14-over game due to the rain delay. The home side had a revised target of 119 in their allotted overs.
The England openers got off to a flying start courtesy of a quick-fire knock of 26 at an impressive strike rate of 173.33. Megan Schutt got a very important breakthrough for Australia as she dismissed the dangerous-looking Danni Wyatt. And as we have seen more often, one brings two, Sophia Dunkley followed Danni Wyatt to the pavilion on the first ball of the very next over.
England win the series at Lord's!
England becomes the first team to win a series in any format against Australia women since 2017.#CricketTwitter #Ashes2023 pic.twitter.com/MkiAN5GOeE
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) July 8, 2023
Alice Capsey joined Nat Sciver-Brunt and brought the game heavily back in favor of England with a 68-run partnership for the 3rd wicket. By the time Alice Capsey was dismissed, the game was already away from Australia’s grasp. She smashed a whirl-wind knock of 46 runs, including four boundaries and a couple of maximums, scoring at an astonishing strike rate of 200. Her knock took the wind out of the run chase.
England sealed the run chase and the T20I series with a 5-wicket win over Australia to keep the Ashes series alive. The victory at Lord’s was the first time that England women had beaten Australia at Lord’s after 47 years. Their previous victory against Australia at this ground came on 4th August 1976 in an ODI, which was also the first-ever women’s match at this venue.
Alice Capsey special ❤️#CricketTwitter #Ashes2023 pic.twitter.com/yXOO9WRhNh
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) July 8, 2023
England has had an upper hand over Australia, especially in the T20I format ever since the start of the multi-format series in the Ashes. The home side has bounced back after falling behind with a 6-0 margin and for them to regain the Ashes they must whitewash Australia in the ODI series commencing from 12th July 2023.