Beth Mooney
England’s misery against Australia continued as they were bowled out for 90 in a shambolic 72-run defeat in the third Women’s Ashes T20 in Adelaide.
Chasing 163 to win, England slumped to 39-5 inside seven overs and only Heather Knight’s 40 provided any resistance in the chase with Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s 17 the only other score in double figures.
England, who are 12-0 down in the multi-format points-based series, have now lost all six white-ball games on the tour, and are staring down the barrel of an Australian clean sweep with four points on the line during next week’s Test match in Melbourne.
Such was the sorry state of England’s batting that they were outscored by Australia opener Beth Mooney alone, who made a sublime unbeaten 94 from 63 balls in the hosts’ 162-5.
The score did not feel beyond England on a good pitch and after their batting had improved in the previous match in Canberra where they came within six runs of chasing 186.
But they were thoroughly outplayed in all aspects of the game as only Nat Sciver-Brunt, who was bowled by an Annabel Sutherland beauty, could realistically say she fell to a good delivery.
Of the top order, Sophia Dunkley was promoted to open and chipped one to cover in the second over, Alice Capsey was caught behind sweeping for six and Wyatt-Hodge and Amy Jones both fell to loose shots off Georgia Wareham in the seventh over as England’s hopes of a first win were crushed.
The Test match begins on January 30 as England aim to avoid the first clean sweep of the multi-format Ashes, which has been in place since 2013.
(BBC sport)
