England wasted a golden opportunity to level the Women’s Ashes as they failed to chase 181 for victory in a nail-biting finish at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.
With one wicket remaining, England needed 22 runs to win from the final two overs when Lauren Bell was bowled by Megan Schutt for one, completing a collapse from 68-2 and 120-5 to 159 all out.
England were given a lifeline when Annabel Sutherland was taken out of the attack for bowling two no-balls in the 48th over, but Amy Jones – who was left unbeaten on 47 – failed to recognise that she should have run from the free hit which was the final ball of the over.
That left number eleven Bell with six balls of Schutt to face, and she perished to hand Australia a potentially series-defining win and inflict a morale-sapping defeat on England.
It was a gut-wrenching blow for England’s bowlers who performed magnificently to bowl Australia out for 180 inside 45 overs, with spinner Sophie Ecclestone taking 4-35 and Alice Capsey 3-22.
The hosts suffered a similarly woeful collapse of their own, losing their last eight wickets for just 49 runs after Capsey removed Ellyse Perry for a sublime 60.
But England are unlikely to be given a better chance of getting back into the series against such a dominant side, and the lack of tactical awareness as soon as the pressure started to increase was particularly alarming.
The ODI series concludes in Hobart on 16 January, before three T20s which are also worth two points apiece and a one-off Test match which is worth four.
More to follow.
