England dramatically denied by weather as Australia seal Ashes

Women’s Ashes: Second T20, Canberra

Australia 185-5 (20 overs): McGrath 48* (35), Dean 2-28

England 168-4 (19.1 overs): Wyatt-Hodge 52 (40), Schutt 2-32

Australia won by six runs (DLS), lead series 10-0

Australia’s dramatic win in the second T20 ensured an unbeaten series by winning England, who are currently winless in the Women’s Ashes.

England needed 18 from the final five balls, with Heather Knight being unbeaten on 43 before heavy rain fell and it was impossible to play any more until the match was over in Canberra, which had a challenging 186.

England finished on 168-4, an agonising six runs short of the required score set by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.

The result sees Australia take a 12-0 lead in the points-based multi-format series, which ends England’s hopes of a draw.

After 8.4 overs, the tourists’ chase was also halted because England was two runs clear of DLS at 69-1, but the rain eased enough to allow play to resume with no overs lost.

Before the final result was taken out of the players’ hands and the captain walked away visibly upset, Knight’s brilliant partnership of 65 in 6.5 overs with Nat Sciver-Brunt kept England in the lead throughout.

Opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s 52 from 40 balls at the top of the order kick-started England’s brave effort, supported by Sophia Dunkley’s 32, but ultimately they were left to rue a sloppy final three overs of their bowling innings which conceded 48 runs.

After 17 overs, the hosts sputtered to 137-5, but only Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris could bludgeon their way to 185-5.

Due to a foot injury, McGrath substituted for captain Alyssa Healy and smashed an unbeaten 48 from 35 balls, while Harris launched three sixes from her 17-ball 35.

With two more bad catches, Lauren Bell and Freya Kemp putting down chances against Georgia Voll and Annabel Sutherland, who were not particularly costly in terms of runs, but it will still be a big issue for Knight’s side going forward, with Off-Spinner Charlie Dean being the pick of the bowlers with 2-28, but she dropped McGrath on 42.

Beth Mooney scored 44 of Australia’s 47-0 overs, but England’s spinners dragged things down and the hosts fell to 75-4.

Maia Bouchier and Ecclestone had Mooney stumped before Charlie Dean removed Ellyse Perry for two and Phoebe Litchfield for 17 to turn the momentum England’s way in the 10th over.

Australia looked at 114-5 when Freya Kemp dismissed Sutherland, but they were in danger of chucking it because of it, and one of their elite players, Freya Kemp, is always ready to step up. However, as they have shown throughout the series, they are the masters of finding a way to win in difficult circumstances.

In this instance, McGrath led from the front with her counter-attacking knock as England’s familiar fielding mistakes began to creep in under the pressure.

Because they could only watch the ball sail over the ropes and into the gaps with alarming frequency, Harris provided the firepower and sucked the wind out of England’s sails.

After mediocre performances in the one-day international series that Australia won with a score of 3-0, Knight frequently called for more “bravery,” and Knight finally came out in this matchup with a batting record of her own.

With the rain threatening, England’s task was clear when faced with a huge target and the clarity appeared to help the batters, who came out full of confidence.

Australia regained control of the match on DLS until Dunkley reached the middle and continued her form from her half-century in Sydney when the latter softly chipped one back to Sutherland for 13.

After the first rain delay, McGrath and Dunkley had to play a difficult chance, but seamer Megan Schutt delivered the hammer blow in the 13th over to save her and Wyatt-Hodge.

When the umpires made the final decision, Knight batted with the steely resilience of a captain with a point to prove and showed the grit that England have been missing throughout the series. She dropped her bat on the floor and unbeaten after only 19 balls.

England captain Heather Knight: “Shame, it was set to be a really thrilling game.

The weather obviously arrived at the worst possible moment, and we were unable to witness the final product. “I felt like it was on, I felt like I was set.” Although it was going to be a challenging task, I still believed I was determined to succeed.

Ex-England spinner Alex Hartley:” For three-quarters of the game, England were better. There are still things to be improved, there were misfields, there were dropped catches. You are going to drop catches, we saw Australia do the same.

“But England was unquestionably superior to who they were.”

Ex-Australia batter Michelle Goszko: “It feels a bit hollow – this is not a great way to win the Ashes for Australia.