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23 January 2025

Australia Dominates England, Secures Women’s Ashes T20 Series Win

Aussie women claim victory, showcasing depth and resilience at Manuka Oval.

Australia continued its dominance over England, securing their second consecutive victory of the Women’s Ashes T20I series with a commanding performance at Manuka Oval, Canberra. After comfortably winning the first T20 match by 57 runs, Australia entered the second T20I with the confidence of having already retained the Ashes. If they won this match, they would clinch the series outright.

The match began with England winning the toss and opting to bowl, as they aimed to chase down the target effectively, especially considering the potential for rain later in the game. The Australian squad, missing notable players like captain Alyssa Healy due to foot soreness and Ash Gardner due to injury, showcased impressive resilience and depth.

Australia's innings commenced with explosive batting. Beth Mooney opened aggressively, quickly scoring runs and applying pressure on the English bowlers. Her initial partnership with Georgia Voll set the tone, as they raced to 36 runs within the first four overs. Mooney's exceptional form saw her accumulate 44 runs before being stumped off Sophie Ecclestone's bowling, which illustrated England's intent to seize opportunities.

One of the standout moments came courtesy of Tahlia McGrath, who, after admitting she was unsure of her role, stepped up to lead the Australian fightback post the fall of early wickets. With Grace Harris supporting her, McGrath executed some remarkable shots, including back-to-back boundaries which propelled Australia to 137 runs within 17 overs.

"We’re aiming for the clean sweep," McGrath shared with reporters, emphasizing the team's collective ambition. The impact made by Australia’s bowlers could not go unnoticed either, with Georgia Wareham contributing with notable bowling figures including 3 wickets for 25 runs, highlighting their effectiveness against the England batting lineup.

England faced significant challenges, struggling to maintain momentum throughout their innings. They lost key wickets early, including the promising partnership between Dunkley and Knight, which never materialized as expected. The most significant blow came with the departure of Sophia Dunkley, who had been England’s leading scorer during the series, compounding their struggles on the field.

Kelly Jones's wicketkeeping skills also came to the forefront as she executed flawless stumping off Ecclestone's delivery. Her awareness behind the stumps was clearly reflected when she expertly took out Mooney, signaling England's hopes of staging a comeback.

Despite their efforts, England couldn’t manage to establish any partnerships substantial enough to chase down Australia’s total. The bowling attack from the hosts proved much too formidable. Australia’s bowlers continued to chip away at England’s lineup, leaving them reeling at 66 for 2 after just seven overs.

The match was peppered with moments of concern, as the injury to Lauren Bell added another layer of tension. She appeared unwell after chasing down the ball, creating temporary uncertainty over England’s fielding composition. Fortunately, after medical assessment, she returned to the field to contribute to England's attempts at containing Australia’s scoring.

During the later overs, Australia’s innings reached its closing stages, with McGrath’s boundaries and Sutherland’s quickfire contributions bringing the final score to 137-5. The home team displayed not just skill but also the strategic prowess needed to maintain control over the match.

After the innings break, the challenge now fell to England. Their battle began on turbulent ground, losing wickets early with Amy Jones playing not only as the wicketkeeper but as one of the anchors with the bat. Their chase faltered as they faced immense pressure from Australia's bowlers, who held their lines and created wicket-taking opportunities consistently.

By the close of play, England's batting lineup had struggled significantly against the Australian bowling, culminating in their loss and sealing the series for Australia. With their aspirations to draw the series diminished, conversations now shifted to the upcoming pink-ball Test at the MCG, where England hoped to salvage pride against the formidable Australians.

The final score stood with Australia thrashing England both on the field and on the scoreboard, as they moved closer to achieving something truly historic: the first whitewash in Women's Ashes history. “We couldn’t get our game going, but we’ll fight and look to finish strong at the Test,” remarked Heather Knight. The stakes have undoubtedly risen higher for England, making the final matches of this Ashes series even more pivotal.