| Women’s Ashes, one-off Test, Manuka Oval (day 4 of 4) |
| Australia 337-9 dec & 216-7 dec Mooney 63; Brunt 3-24 |
| England 297 & 245-9 |
| Match drawn |
| Scorecard |
England and Australia drew the one-off Women’s Ashes Test in Canberra in one of the vital incredible finales cricket has seen.
Chasing a report 257, England had been heading in the right direction for a shocking win and required 45 runs from 60 balls with seven wickets left.
But as the stress grew to a crescendo, England misplaced six wickets for simply 26 runs, Australia combating again to shut in on a win that may have seen them retain the Ashes.
When two wickets fell with three overs to go, England’s instantly switched to survival mode in an try and preserve the sequence alive.
Number 11 Kate Cross confronted 12 balls on the finish, blocking out the ultimate over to make sure the 4 factors on supply for the Test had been shared.
The end was solely doable as a result of Australia declared on 216-7 half an hour earlier than tea, leaving England 48 overs to succeed in their goal.
The end result leaves Australia main 6-4 in the multi-format points-based sequence. They will solely need to win one of many three one-day internationals that comply with to retain the Ashes.
The first ODI begins at 03:10 GMT on Thursday, additionally at Manuka Oval.
Canberra witnesses certainly one of cricket’s best finishes
At the top, extremely, each units of gamers will in all probability have left the sector feeling dissatisfied. Both might have received a recreation that beggared perception.
Had England been victorious it could have been the very best profitable chase in girls’s Tests – and they started by making a vastly troublesome job look comparatively easy.
But all-rounder Nat Sciver pulled to sq. leg for 58 and because the stress swung – England now feeling the warmth of being favourites – so did the momentum.
Australia had resorted to defensive bowling and field-placings however instantly a world-class staff sensed their second.
Beth Mooney, enjoying with metallic plates in her jaw, pulled off a shocking catch at long-on to dismiss Sophia Dunkley, who had taken England to inside 24 runs of their goal by smashing 45 from 32 balls.
Debutant leg-spinner Alana King and seamer Annabel Sutherland, enjoying her second Test, capitalised as panic struck in the England camp, a determined run-out of Anya Shrubsole including to the incredible drama.
Until that time England had nonetheless been going for the win however with 14 balls remaining, Cross got here out with solely defence in thoughts.
Surrounded by catchers, she one way or the other stored her cool to navigate the ultimate over bowled by King to make sure the sequence goes on yet one more recreation at the very least.
More to comply with.
