England women grab consolation victory

England have won the final match of the Women’s Ashes, taking the third T20 International by five wickets but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars from regaining the prized urn.

Allrounder Natalie Sciver claimed 4-15 and top-scored with 47 to guide England to a consolation victory after Australia wrapped up the series with a stunning 20-run win in Hove on Friday.

The Southern Stars won the multi-format campaign 10-6 on points after claiming the one-day international series 2-1 and the one-off Test by 161 runs.

'Our strength is our depth'

Ellyse Perry was named player of the series for her 264 runs and 16 wickets – the most for either team across all formats.  

The batting issues that have dogged the tourists throughout the T20 leg of the multi-format series continued today as Anya Shrubsole dismantled Australia with the new ball, levelling the powerful batting order with figured of 4-11 from four overs.

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Shrubsole grabs the key wicket of Meg Lanning // Getty Images

Only a late cameo from powerful allrounder Grace Harris, which included three sixes, rescued the Stars from a sub-100 total.

In reply, early strikes by Rene Farrell (2-10) and Perry (1-26) kept the hopes of Hove repeat alive, but a 55-run stand between Sciver and Katherine Brunt (17) thwarted Australia’s attack, collecting the winning runs in 19th over.

For the third straight match, Charlotte Edwards won the toss and elected to bowl as the venue’s light towers brightened a gloomy morning in the Welsh capital.

Extended highlights (Australia only)

Australia shuffled their misfiring batting order for the series finale, promoting captain Meg Lanning to opener as Perry slotted in at second-drop.

But before two overs were completed, Perry was in the heat of battle as Shrubsole removed the new opening combination within four balls.

Lanning was bowled by a curling inswinger that straightened and clipped off-stump, while Villani’s advancing swipe produced a top-edge to Lydia Greenway at point.

'We've got a full trophy cabinet now'

More carnage followed eight balls later when Jess Cameron found Dani Wyatt on the square-leg boundary and Jess Jonassen was out to a sharp catch by Edwards at short third man to give Shrubsole four wickets inside the powerplay.

Perry and Alex Blackwell put on 26 for the fifth wicket before Sciver captured both their wickets to heave the momentum back in the home side’s corner.

Harris, known for her power hitting, enhanced her reputation with three monster blows over the boundary rope, but a piece of innovation went awry to end her innings on 24.

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Grace Harris launches one of her three sixes // Getty Images

Late lower-order hitting failed to produce the desired outcome as Sciver and Rebecca Grundy (2-28) wrapped up the innings.

While Australia’s poor batting continued, so did Perry’s knack of taking a wicket in the first over, this time beating Wyatt all ends up to bowl the opener for a golden duck.

Farrell backed up her player of the match in the Ashes-sealing win on Friday with another sterling performance with the new ball, taking the two key wickets of Edwards and Sarah Taylor to reduce England to 3-22.

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But that’s where the joy ended as Sciver and Brunt picked the gaps, ran hard between the wickets and when the opportunity presented itself, hit the bad ball to the boundary.

Having no luck with her core group of bowlers, Lanning brought herself on and found success with her slingy action, trapping Brunt to halt the England momentum momentarily. 

Sciver matched Harris with a straight six in her match-winning knock which ended three short of her half-century as England cruised to victory with 11 balls to spare.

Watch: Schutt misses run out chance from close range

While the Women’s Ashes are over it won’t be long until these players square off again, with seven English players travelling to Australia to play in the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League this summer.

AUSTRALIA
Elyse Villani, Meg Lanning (c), Jess Cameron, Ellyse Perry, Jess Jonassen, Alex Blackwell, Alyssa Healy, Grace Harris, Sarah Coyte, Megan Schutt, Rene Farrell

ENGLAND
Charlotte Edwards (c), Danielle Wyatt, Sarah Taylor, Natalie Sciver, Katherine Brunt, Lydia Greenway, Heather Knight, Georgia Elwiss, Anya Shrubsole, Danielle Hazell, Rebecca Grundy