After losing their first match against Australia in the T20 leg of the 2024-25 Women’s Ashes series, England advanced to the second T20 at Manuka Oval, hoping for a redemption. However, there was a twist to the tale. A dramatic rain interruption brought their efforts to a grinding halt, culminating in a moment of raw frustration from England skipper Heather Knight.

Winning the toss, England chose to bowl first. The Australian batting line-up piled on a daunting 185 runs. Beth Mooney’s opening knock of 44 runs set the platform for Australia’s innings, powered by captain Tahlia McGrath’s 48 off 35 and Grace Harris’s 35 off 17.
England’s chase, too, had begun on a good note as the opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge laid a solid foundation, scoring 52 runs in 40 balls. Furthermore, Sophia Dunkley and Nat Sciver-Brunt carried on the momentum. But it was Heather Knight, with an unbeaten 43 off 19 balls who seemed destined to orchestrate a memorable chase.
The weather intervention dashed England’s hopes of securing their first win in the series. England needed 18 runs from the final five deliveries, Knight had the momentum on her side hitting a four on the first ball of the over. However, as rain began to pour, umpires decided to halt the match. The delay turned out to be decisive, with play eventually abandoned and Australia handed a six-run victory via the DLS method.
As the decision was confirmed, Knight was at her wit’s end. Visibly angry, she threw her bat to the ground in a rare display of emotion from the otherwise composed captain. Her reaction symbolized not just the heartbreak of a close defeat but also the culmination of England’s struggles throughout the Ashes series.
She later admitted, “It was the right decision by the umpires. I was really in the zone to try and win us that game, and obviously frustrated that we were going off, but it wasn’t at the umpires at all. It was pretty wet, even when we were running it felt pretty slippy, and it was quite hard to attack those twos. So yeah, it was the right decision, 100%.”
This rain-soaked evening at Manuka Oval was a bitter reminder of the fine margins that have consistently gone against England throughout the series. This result secured Australia an invincible 10-0 lead in the multi-format series, reinforcing their dominance and ensuring that they retained the Ashes. It will be a bitter pill for England to swallow, but with one match remaining, they still have an opportunity to break Australia’s unbeaten streak.
(Quotes sourced from ESPN Cricinfo)

Loves all things female cricket