• Australia women 203-8, England women 176
• Australia win by 27 runs
Gutsy, dogged and determined to fight to the last, Australia's women cricketers seem to be everything the men are not. At 99-1 in the 28th over, England were apparently coasting to victory but this is one Australia team who are never beaten.
"We stuck at it because I always felt if we got a wicket or two we'd be right back in it," said Jodie Fields, who took a catch behind the stumps to dismiss Charlotte Edwards for 61 when the England captain seemed set to guide her team to victory.
Even on a slow Lord's wicket Australia's score of 203 for eight had looked distinctly under par, Erin Osborne admitted. It was Osborne's off-spin that accounted for Edwards, cutting at a delivery that bounced a little higher than expected and her 3 for 39, along with left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen's 4 for 38, resulted in England losing their last nine wickets for only 87 runs.
"We'd have liked another 20 runs or so. We got bogged down a little bit in the middle overs," Osborne said. "But I thought we were very disciplined in our bowling and getting the wicket of Charlotte really changed the match in our direction. We got a roll on."
Edwards could not hide her disappointment at seeing the continuation of what is in danger of becoming a trend. In the World Cup earlier this year England bowled out Australia for 147 but were then bowled out for 145.
She acknowledged she would have happily taken an Australia score of 203 after Fields had won the toss and decided to bat. The Southern Stars, as Australia are known, lost wickets regularly in an attempt to force the pace – four of them holed out to mid-off attempting to hit over the top – and only Meg Lanning, who hit eight boundaries in going to 56 off 68 balls, ever really came to terms with the nature of the pitch.
The England pace bowlers, set an admirable example by Katherine Brunt, bowled intelligently, not trying to bowl too fast and giving Australia as little as possible to score from. Brunt's 3 for 29 from her 10 overs was an entirely accurate reflection of her effort but Australia's younger fast bowlers Elysse Perry and Holly Ferling struggled, giving away far too many runs early on. Edwards, opening with Arran Brindle, prospered, and the two raised the 50 partnership in the 15th over.
Once Brindle was dismissed, lofting Osborne high towards long-on, where Sarah Coyte took an excellent running catch, Sarah Taylor picked up the scoring. Some of her pick-ups through the leg-side off Perry oozed class but once again the Sussex player failed to go on, pushing feebly across the line at Jonassen and departing plumb leg before.
Lydia Greenway went quickly, sweeping at Osborne and gloving a simple catch behind but Edwards was coolness personified, keeping the ball on the ground and picking up her ones and twos until disobeying one of the golden rules and cutting at an off-spinner.
Thereafter the collapse was precipitous, the sense of panic palpable. "The bowlers were outstanding, led by Katherine and we'd have happily taken their total but we played some really naive cricket when we were batting," Edwards said "But there's a lot of cricket to be played in the series."
With two points going to the winners of this match, and each of the two remaining ODIs and three T20s which follow, the victory means Australia lead England by four points to two in the Ashes series. Reported by guardian.co.uk 47 minutes ago.
• Australia win by 27 runs
Gutsy, dogged and determined to fight to the last, Australia's women cricketers seem to be everything the men are not. At 99-1 in the 28th over, England were apparently coasting to victory but this is one Australia team who are never beaten.
"We stuck at it because I always felt if we got a wicket or two we'd be right back in it," said Jodie Fields, who took a catch behind the stumps to dismiss Charlotte Edwards for 61 when the England captain seemed set to guide her team to victory.
Even on a slow Lord's wicket Australia's score of 203 for eight had looked distinctly under par, Erin Osborne admitted. It was Osborne's off-spin that accounted for Edwards, cutting at a delivery that bounced a little higher than expected and her 3 for 39, along with left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen's 4 for 38, resulted in England losing their last nine wickets for only 87 runs.
"We'd have liked another 20 runs or so. We got bogged down a little bit in the middle overs," Osborne said. "But I thought we were very disciplined in our bowling and getting the wicket of Charlotte really changed the match in our direction. We got a roll on."
Edwards could not hide her disappointment at seeing the continuation of what is in danger of becoming a trend. In the World Cup earlier this year England bowled out Australia for 147 but were then bowled out for 145.
She acknowledged she would have happily taken an Australia score of 203 after Fields had won the toss and decided to bat. The Southern Stars, as Australia are known, lost wickets regularly in an attempt to force the pace – four of them holed out to mid-off attempting to hit over the top – and only Meg Lanning, who hit eight boundaries in going to 56 off 68 balls, ever really came to terms with the nature of the pitch.
The England pace bowlers, set an admirable example by Katherine Brunt, bowled intelligently, not trying to bowl too fast and giving Australia as little as possible to score from. Brunt's 3 for 29 from her 10 overs was an entirely accurate reflection of her effort but Australia's younger fast bowlers Elysse Perry and Holly Ferling struggled, giving away far too many runs early on. Edwards, opening with Arran Brindle, prospered, and the two raised the 50 partnership in the 15th over.
Once Brindle was dismissed, lofting Osborne high towards long-on, where Sarah Coyte took an excellent running catch, Sarah Taylor picked up the scoring. Some of her pick-ups through the leg-side off Perry oozed class but once again the Sussex player failed to go on, pushing feebly across the line at Jonassen and departing plumb leg before.
Lydia Greenway went quickly, sweeping at Osborne and gloving a simple catch behind but Edwards was coolness personified, keeping the ball on the ground and picking up her ones and twos until disobeying one of the golden rules and cutting at an off-spinner.
Thereafter the collapse was precipitous, the sense of panic palpable. "The bowlers were outstanding, led by Katherine and we'd have happily taken their total but we played some really naive cricket when we were batting," Edwards said "But there's a lot of cricket to be played in the series."
With two points going to the winners of this match, and each of the two remaining ODIs and three T20s which follow, the victory means Australia lead England by four points to two in the Ashes series. Reported by guardian.co.uk 47 minutes ago.