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That brings us to the end of our coverage of the Women's Ashes for today. Australia have retained the Ashes with one game left in the series, which'll be played on Tuesday at Taunton. Join us right here on Sportskeeda for our coverage of the same, and keep an eye on our tabs for a lot more! This is Rajarshi, signing off on behalf of my friend Pradeep. Good night!
Alyssa Healy, Australia captain: It was a really good game of cricket. Both sides really hung in there, Nat Sciver played an incredible innings and thought it was going to get away from us. Full credit to the girls, they showed their grit and determination, and got us over the line. Georgia Wareham's knock swung the momentum back towards our changing room at the break. We took a buzz out of their plans. Darcie's good, the way (Alana) King bowled today showed the depth that we have. We still haven't played our best cricket yet, which I think is a little bit scary at times. We're chuffed, we just came here to win the Ashes. We retained them so far, but there's still one game to go. So we're looking forward to put our best foot forward again, the fact that the Ashes are coming back is exciting. Full credit to the group for getting it done!
Heather Knight [England captain]: Nat was outstanding, got us so close, need to get better in those kind of situations but outstanding fight by the girls, I thought we had it in the end, but credit to Australia, another brilliant game and ODI series is on the line still. It's been an outstanding series, best series in the Women's game of cricket, unfortunately on the wrong side of it. We've probably conceded way too many in the end, but we pulled things back in the middle, could've taken a few wickets at the end, they got away but it was a chaseable total in the end, lots of moments in the close game and sometimes you accept it's a good game of cricket, girls will learn a lot from it. Disappointed, we fought hard in the series, the momentum and the way we played, we had the belief we would win, we can still win the ODI series, that'll be a massive achievement. Australia played well, we're two evenly matched teams, it's all about how we handle big moments, we got close but an opportunity to win the series on Wednesday.
Alana King is the Player of the Match! Here's what she has to say: Big relief for the Aussie girls, all to play for in this one and we stoked came away with the win and retain the Ashes. It all comes down to match ups, we got a pretty strong unit over the years and I was ready as I can, I grabbed it with both hands. Got to control the controllables, I can't control my selection, my team-mates ensure if I can do my work with the team management. We have a discussion at the innings break, talked about getting the rhythm, the wind played it's part but it's all about assessing the conditions quickly, communicate that with all the bowlers in the group. [On Beaumont's dismissal] May be, as I said, I'm stoked to be back in the side and play for my role to this side. [On how long the bottle of champagne is going to last] I don't know, ask the captain (chuckles)!
Match summary:
Australia win by 3 runs
Ellyse Perry 91(124) | Alana King 3/44 (10) Natalie Sciver-Brunt 111*(99) | Sophie Ecclestone 3/40 (10)
The 37-run cameo from Georgia Wareham in the first innings proves to be decisive at the end! It was a see-saw battle throughout the run-chase, and the Australia bowlers, their spinners in particular, get the job done for them! Natalie Sciver-Brunt dragged the game to the last over, keeping the hosts in the hunt, but the lack of boundaries against Jess Jonassen proved to be fatal for the hosts.
England will have their batting order to blame, partly, for the lack of application and shot selection from some of their batters at various stages of the game. They lost wickets at stages where they needed a partnership to take control of the game, and that turned out to be their undoing eventually. Tammy Beaumont and Sophia Dunkley got them off to a bright start, with the former doing the most of the scoring.
Beaumont took a liking to Gardner and King's spin in the powerplay, and brought up a half-century in quick time. The wicket of Sophia Dunkley, down to a rather ordinary paddle sweep from the opener against Wareham's leg break, brought about a much needed opening for the visitors. The boundaries began to dry up after that as Heather Knight and Beaumont looked to consolidate.
Alana King, who took a bit of beating in her first couple of overs, came back in grand fashion, dismissing Knight, Beaumont and Capsey in the span of five overs. The wicket of Beaumont was one for the ages - the ball spun right past the blade of the well-set batter and crashed onto the top of off stump. England were in desperate need of some stability, and they found so in the form of Natalie Sciver-Brunt.
The veteran England all-rounder paced her innings really well, finding the ones and twos frequently. She found a handy partner in Amy Jones, who looked to get going right away, playing her dabs and cuts behind the wicket effectively. The duo brought up a 50-run partnership with 13 overs remaining, and it seemed like England had a foothold in the run-chase once again.
Ashleigh Gardner then turned things around, swinging the tide towards the hosts with back-to-back wickets. Sarah Glenn then gave company to Natalie Sciver-Brunt, but the lack of boundaries in the slog overs came back to haunt the hosts. The fact that Sarah Glenn was stuck at the striker's end, unable to rotate strike on numerous occasions, didn't do the hosts any favours either. In the end, the Australian spinners bowled 8 out of the 10 overs at the death, and got the job done.
She couldn't! It was the most admirable, the most stupendous effort from Natalie Sciver-Brunt, but she and England fall short in the end! Jess Jonassen whacks the stumps out at her end, having sealed the deal this time! The Women's Ashes stay with Australia!
50
overs
279/7score
1
1
4
2
2
1
runs
Natalie Sciver*
111(99)
Sarah Glenn
22(35)
Jess Jonassen
0/43
49.6 Jess Jonassen to Natalie Sciver-Brunt, AUSTRALIA HOLD ON TO THEIR NERVE! Australia retain the Ashes!! What a game we've just witnessed, Natalie Sciver-Brunt is down on her haunches but take a bow, what an innings that was. Length delivery on the off-stump, Sciver-Brunt needed to clear the boundary but she mistimed it down to long and all she gets is a single. Australia level the ODI series!
One big hit to keep England in the Ashes. Can Natalie Sciver-Brunt do it?
49.5 Jess Jonassen to Natalie Sciver-Brunt, length delivery on the off-stump, Sciver-Brunt smacked it down to wide long-on. Fielder gets around with a dive and parries it to Gardner and they come back for a brace.
Healy is taking her stance far back from the stumps.
49.4 Jess Jonassen to Natalie Sciver-Brunt, OH! Good length on the fourth stump, Sciver-Brunt went for a wild slog, doesn't get the timing right but they hare back for the brace, brilliant running aided by some wayward throw from the fielder in the deep.
It didn't come off the previous occasion, but Sciver-Brunt found the boundary having shuffled across this time! Alyssa Healy walks towards her bowler and has a chat, slowing the game down in the process. 9 from 3...
49.3 Jess Jonassen to Natalie Sciver-Brunt, FOUR! Yes, she does. Good length on the leg-stump, Sciver-Brunt gets inside the line and swept it to long-leg, fielder gets around but too late and can't stop it as it goes one bounce into the ropes.
49.2 Jess Jonassen to Sarah Glenn, loopy full toss outside the off-stump, Glenn taps it down to long-off and brings Sciver-Brunt back on strike. Can she find a boundary now?
Four fielders in the ring on the off side, saving the single.
49.1 Jess Jonassen to Natalie Sciver-Brunt, good length on the off-stump, Sciver-Brunt walks across off-stump and swept it hard, finds the deep square-leg fielder and they get just a single.
Despite their best efforts, neither Sciver-Brunt nor Sarah Glenn were able to put Ashleigh Gardner away. Tremendous stuff from the off-spin all rounder! England have to find a way to chase 15 off the last over against Jess Jonassen!
49
overs
268/7score
1lb
2
1
1
1
0
runs
Sarah Glenn*
21(34)
Natalie Sciver
101(94)
Ashleigh Gardner
3/54
48.6 Ashleigh Gardner to Sarah Glenn, fires a full delivery outside the off-stump, Glenn drilled it straight to extra-cover for no run.