Pitch-perfect Perry cracks open England

Ellyse Perry has taken the best ever ODI bowling figures by an Australian woman to put her team on the cusp of retaining the women's Ashes in Canterbury.

Perry's remarkable spell of bowling reaped 7-22 from 10 overs as England were bowled out for 75 – their lowest-ever total against Australia – in the third Ashes one-day international at the St Lawrence Ground, sealing a 194-run win for the tourists and leaving the hosts' campaign in tatters.

Her efforts bettered the previous best one-day figures for an Australian woman; the 7-24 taken by current assistant coach Shelley Nitschke in 2005.

After half-centuries to Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning took Australia to 7-269, Perry – assisted by Megan Schutt – ripped through England's top-order to leave them reeling at 6-21.

England avoided being bowled out for their lowest ever ODI total of 50, but with three wins from three ODIs under their belts, Australia now hold a 6-0 points lead in the multi-format, points-based series.

The hosts now need to win the one-off Test and all three T20Is to win back the Ashes held by Australia.

After England captain Heather Knight won the toss, Australia's efforts with the bat left the hosts needing to better their best-ever ODI chase to collect their first points of the multi-format Ashes.

But few could have predicted the destruction that would follow.

For the third time in as many matches, Perry struck in her opening over and, for the third time in as many matches, it was Amy Jones who fell victim to the Aussie speedster, chipping a simple catch to substitute fielder Nicola Carey at mid-on, out for a three-ball duck.

Perry thought she had England captain Heather Knight caught behind next delivery but her appeal was denied and replays showed it had clipped her pad.

But Perry didn't have to wait long for a second, trapping Tammy Beaumont – who scored a century in Thursday's second ODI – plumb lbw, the in-form right-hander gone for four.

Next ball, Sarah Taylor – who returned to the England XI after missing the previous game through injury – edged behind, leaving Perry on a hat-trick at the end of the third over and England 3-5.

Image Id: FB73EEFEC5D145D1A402D9879CD29205 Image Caption: Perry's 7-22 the best ODI figures by an Australian woman // Getty

Knight fended off the hat-trick ball but then Schutt joined in the action, trapping Natalie Sciver (0) on the pads.

The England captain then became Perry's fourth, jabbing at a wide-ish delivery to depart for five. She appeared unhappy with the decision, but snicko showed a clear noise as the ball passed the bat.

It took just five legal deliveries for Perry to complete the five-fa, Danni Wyatt (1) gone lbw, leaving England in all sorts at 6-21 after nine overs and Perry with figures of 5-12 off her five.

Fran Wilson (17) resisted the Australians for 41 deliveries before being bowled by Schutt, and when Perry rattled Anya Shrubsole's stumps England were 8-45 and in serious danger of being bowled out for their lowest-ever ODI total, eclipsing their previous nadir of 50 against India in Silchar in 2005.

They avoided that piece of history, but there was no cause for celebration as Sophie Ecclestone (0) became Perry's seventh wicket, caught by Ashleigh Gardner, before Jess Jonassen wrapped up the England innings for 75 in 32.5 overs.

Schutt finished with figures of 2-21 from her nine overs, Jonassen with 1-15 off 6.5.

Earlier, Australia opener Nicole Bolton (4) was dismissed for her third single-digit score of the series when she was adjudged lbw to Shrubsole in the seventh over, but replays suggested the Western Australian was unlucky, with the ball missing leg.

Healy's free-flowing form continued, the opener bringing up her second half-century of the series from just 44 balls, reaching the milestone with her 10th boundary.

Image Id: 4D07A75AE62F4D9EBE4DEAF81A4DFFC2 Image Caption: Alyssa Healy salutes her ODI fifty // Getty

She shared in a 109-run second-wicket stand with captain Lanning, who made a circumspect start with her first seven runs coming from 20 deliveries, but as she worked into her innings the boundaries started to flow.

Her half-century came at exactly a run a ball, only her second ODI score above fifty since returning from a shoulder reconstruction in March last year.

With England spearhead Katherine Brunt out of the match – the pace ace ruled out after injuring ligaments in her right ankle while celebrating the wicket of Lanning the previous match – the pressure was on allrounder Sciver to step up.

After her first three overs went for 26 runs, she turned it around when reintroduced to the attack in the 23rd over – although the Australians would no doubt question their choice of shots – to pick up 3-9 in the space of 20 deliveries.

First, Healy was left the rue a miscued pull shot off Sciver that gifted a simple catch to Danni Wyatt, with the opener out for 68, before Lanning departed in similar fashion, caught by Fran Wilson on 69.

Image Id: 6A4998AF88FC48C5B2E4DFA819E3C41E Image Caption: Meg Lanning returned to form with a fifty // Getty

Perry (7) then became Sciver's third victim, dismissed slashing at a wide delivery for the second time in as many matches, as Australia lost 3-31.

From 2-141 at the halfway mark with a total in excess of 300 beckoning, the regular loss of wickets curtailed the Australian run rate, with Beth Mooney (19), Rachael Haynes (12) and Gardner (29) unable to make the most of their starts.

A late cameo from Delissa Kimmince (18no off 12) and handy runs from Jonassen (24no) pushed the Australian total behind 250.

Australia now head to Swindon, where they'll begin preparations for the one-off Test match.

They'll meet an England Academy team in a three-game encounter at Marlborough School from July 11, before day one of the Test in Taunton on July 18.

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Nicole Bolton, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Rachael Haynes, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt.

England XI: Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones, Sarah Taylor (wk), Heather Knight (c), Natalie Sciver, Fran Wilson, Danni Wyatt, Anya Shrubsole, Sophie Ecclestone, Laura Marsh, Kate Cross.

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia lead England 6-0

July 2: Australia won by two wickets

July 4: Australia won by four wickets

July 7:  Australia won by 194 runs

July 11-13: England Academy v Australia, Marlborough College, Swindon

July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol

A Test victory is worth four points (two each for a draw), two points are awarded for ODI and T20 wins