The International Cricket Council’s press liberate may now not had been higher timed: it landed at 3pm on Tuesday, halfway thru England’s innings at Taunton
n, proclaiming that (for the primary time since September 2022) Nat Sciver-Brunt used to be sitting again atop the checklist of main one-day global all-rounders on this planet.
Twenty mins later, she introduced up her 2d century in 3 days, and her fourth in her final 5 ODI innings in opposition to the mighty Australia. No girl has ever scored extra heaps in opposition to them. The a very powerful distinction from the previous 3 used to be that, ultimately, this one got here in a successful purpose, as England bowled out the vacationers for 199 to seal a thumping 69-run victory by means of DLS.
Australia retain the Ashes by means of distinctive feature of being holders of the trophy however, with the general issues totaling 8-8 and England having received each the T20 and ODI legs of the sequence 2-1, Australia’s celebrations might really feel reasonably hole.
Sciver-Brunt had headlined England’s general of 285 for 9, surviving a fumbled caught-and-bowled from Tahlia McGrath when on 54 to stay unbeaten till the forty eighth over, when she used to be in spite of everything stuck within the deep looking to slog but every other six. She walked off to a status ovation from the sellout Somerset crowd.
She had fortify, in fact: a a very powerful partnership of 147 with Heather Knight – England’s best for any wicket in ODIs in opposition to Australia – prior to a bristling 43 from 25 balls by means of Danni Wyatt on the again finish propelled England above par. Then, with the ball, it used to be Kate Cross who made the important thing intervention, in two spells both sides of a 55-minute rain prolong.
In the primary, Cross despatched down a wobble-ball which moved off the pitch to take out Alyssa Healy’s center stump. Then, after Australia’s goal used to be adjusted to 269 from 44 overs, she despatched Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney packing in successive overs. Perry had smashed a six over long-on to convey up a half-century in a while after the resumption, however despatched up a forefront to indicate 5 balls later. From there, it used to be far and wide in a flash, as Australia misplaced their ultimate 5 wickets for 79 runs – Sciver-Brunt chiming in with the ball to have Georgia Wareham stumped.
Earlier, after being installed, England had misplaced each Sophia Dunkley and Tammy Beaumont throughout the opening 4 overs, prior to the Sciver-Brunt and Knight partnership steadied English nerves. The pair introduced up their half-centuries inside seven balls of one another within the twenty fourth and twenty fifth overs; In between instances, Knight struck Wareham for a candy six over long-on to convey up the century stand, taking a look extra comfy on the crease than she has carried out for months.
Knight in the end fell for 67, bowled by means of Alana King after swinging and lacking at a directly one, whilst Alice Capsey got here and went in a rush, sending one down the throat of Annabel Sutherland at long-on having added simply 5 to England’s general. But Sciver-Brunt improved flippantly on, leg-glancing Tahlia McGrath for a boundary to take her to 99, prior to clipping a unmarried into the leg facet to convey up 3 figures, elevating her bat to the gang.
Wyatt then took at the Australia spinners, production a sq. power from nowhere over the rope, prior to sweeping King for a 2d most 5 balls later, in an over that she and Sciver-Brunt jointly punished for 18 runs.
King needed to go away the sector quickly afterwards, after failing to box cleanly a ball at quick 3rd which bounced up and hit her within the face. Ash Gardner (3 for 39) and Jess Jonassen (3 for 30) mixed on the demise to york Wyatt, see off Sciver-Brunt, and make additional dents within the England lineup; however with 87 runs added within the final 10, it proved a bridge too a ways for a chastened Australia facet.