England Women have won the 2013 Women’s Ashes Series following a 5-wicket win in the second T20 at The Rose Bowl in Southampton today.
After winning the toss and electing to bat Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars openers Meg Lanning (60) and Alyssa Healy (9) got off to a tentative start before Healy was caught out by Arran Brindle in the fifth over off the bowling of Katherine Brunt (1-15). Jess Cameron added seven runs to her side’s total before she was run out by Jenny Gunn. Lanning batted into the 16th over, racking up six fours and one six before she was run out by Holly Colvin. Alex Blackwell was quick between the wickets as she added 25 runs before she was caught out by Brindle off the bowling of Gunn (1-33). The Australian side’s final three wickets of Ellyse Perry (11), Jodie Fields (2) and Erin Osborne (0) all fell in the final over of their innings. Rachael Haynes (3*) and Sarah Coyte (1*) were the batters not out at the end of the 20 overs, with the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars finishing 7-127.
The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars wasted no time as they worked hard to defend their total, with Julie Hunter (1-23) striking in the second over bowling Heather Knight (2). Sarah Coyte (2-29) picked up where Hunter left off in the very next over, snaring the key wickets of Sarah Taylor (1), who was caught and bowled by Coyte, and Danielle Wyatt (0) who was bowled by Coyte. England captain Charlotte Edwards (24) and Lydia Greenway (80*) steadied the innings with a 67-run partnership before Edwards was caught out by Cameron off the bowling of Holly Ferling (1-23), which was her first international T20 wicket on debut. Natalie Sciver added a vital 13 runs before she was run out by Haynes. Greenway and Brindle (0*) went on to reach the required total with six balls to spare, finishing 5-128. Greenway hit 11 fours and took 64 balls to reach her unbeaten 80 runs, which earned her the player-of-the-match award.
After the match captain Jodie Fields said: “We’re pretty disappointed, to be honest. Leading the side, I’m pretty disappointed for everyone. I know we came here today, we really fought hard but I don’t think 127 was enough, I think we were probably 20 runs short on that pitch.”
The full scorecard can be found here: http://livescores.cricket.com.au/summary_2887_2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Jodie Fields spoke to the media following the match. Audio from this media opportunity can be found on the CA Media Centre, details below.
The third Women’s Ashes T20 will be played at The Riverside Ground in Durham on Saturday as a double-header with the Australia v England men’s T20. The match will be broadcast in Australia on FOX SPORTS.