Despite Wyatt-Hodge and Knight’s fighting knocks, England fell short by six runs
Andrew McGlashan23-Jan-2025Australia secured Ashes outright despite a fine hand from Heather Knight when the skies in Canberra parted for long enough for the game to resume after England had been ahead of the DLS target. But the conclusion was dramatic with the umpires ruling the rain had become too heavy again with Knight having got the equation down to needing 18 off five balls.As the umpires took the players off, Knight threw the bat to the ground in frustration and remonstrated with the officials although later said there was no anger towards them and it was the correct decision to end the game. The requirement would still have been tough, but Annabel Sutherland was bowling with a wet ball. It ended England’s hopes of a drawn series in a way befitting of a campaign they would want to forget.Megan Schutt made the key breakthroughs to push England behind the requirement, ending a second-wicket stand of 52 when Danni Wyatt-Hodge picked out mid-off for a 40-ball 52, and then removing the well-set Sophia Dunkley. But Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt added 65 off 37 balls to just about give England a chance only for Australia to again take the honours.Related
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Either side of the rain break it had been nip-and-tuck, rarely more than a run between England’s total and the DLS target. The last two deliveries before the players left the field in the ninth over showed how tight it was: had Australia completed a run-out chance with both batters mid-pitch they would have been ahead, but then Dunkley lofted the next delivery from Alana King for four.Having been put in, Australia’s innings went through a number of phases. Beth Mooney gave them a positive start but there was a wobble against England’s spinners. However, they were handed a powerful finish with stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris added a record sixth-wicket stand of 71 off 35 balls.England fell just short despite Heather Knight’s efforts•Getty Images
A ball-by-ball chaseEngland began their chase confidently. After a quiet opening over that went for four, 11 came from Kim Garth’s first and ten off King when she was introduced in the third over. As the rain started to approach, England were ahead of the DLS target although often not by more than a run or two.In the fifth over, the last needed to make it a match, Ellyse Perry bowled for the first time in the Ashes. A boundary for Maia Bouchier kept England on track and the batters clearly knew it because, after a lightning strike, they started to walk off the field at the end of the over but were called back by the umpires as played continued. Australia were clearly not impressed by England taking matters into their own hands.Bouchier then gave Australia an opening when she fell trying to scoop Sutherland and a tight over from Georgia Wareham left England behind. But then things changed again when Dunkley sent Perry for a four followed by a six straight down the ground to leave the score tied on DLS.Shining KnightWhen Schutt struck twice in the space of four balls in the 13th over, it left England with a tall order, but their two best players – the captain and the vice-captain – were in. The equation ballooned out to 84 needed off 36 when Wareham went for 13 followed by ten off a Garth over. Schutt’s figures were spoiled when her last over was dispatched for 17, leaving 44 needed off 18.McGrath bowled five excellent deliveries but Knight was just able to clear Perry at deep square for six. When Sciver-Brunt dragged Garth onto the stumps, Australia had breathing space in the last over, but no one will know whether Knight could have pulled off a spectacular finish.Beth Mooney was quickly into her stride•Cricket Australia via Getty Images
Dean’s doubleMooney dominated Australia’s powerplay, to the extent that after four overs Georgia Voll had faced two balls for zero runs before being run out by some good work in the deep from Bouchier. Mooney continued to enhance her spectacular record at Manuka Oval until she was smartly stumped down the leg side by Amy Jones off what appeared to be a plan that had come together with Sophie Ecclestone signalling to Jones before the delivery.Mooney’s wicket caused Australia to stall as Perry tried to play herself in and in the tenth over she skied to cover off Charlie Dean. Two balls later, Dean had Litchfield as well when the left-hander moved across her stumps and missed a sweep. All of a sudden Australia had lost 3 for 9 and needed to rebuild.McGrath and Harris finish bigSutherland threatened before picking out deep square to continue what has been a frustrating series for someone who came into the Ashes in such fine form. But not for the first time, the depth of Australia’s batting order was on show as McGrath and Harris dominated the latter stages of the innings.Harris clubbed her fourth ball for six and in the 18th over against Sarah Glenn collected two more off consecutive deliveries. At this point McGrath was 30 off 29 balls and, notwithstanding the need to prevent a more serious wobble, needed to finish strongly. She did just that with three consecutive boundaries off Ecclestone and another to close out an over that cost 18 and included another drop to England’s tally when McGrath was given a life by Dean at long-off.Lauren Bell was unable to bowl her full four overs having left the field due to illness but returned for the last with Harris twice finding the boundary. It made the difference.