Australia retain Women’s Ashes after 57-run defeat of England in first T20

Australia have retained the Women’s Ashes after winning the first T20 at Sydney by 57 runs, taking an unassailable 8-0 lead on points after Beth Mooney slammed 75 off 51 balls and England were bowled out for 141.

Australia’s leg-spin duo of Georgia Wareham and Alana King ran through the England batters, taking five wickets between them, while – in an act which epitomises quite how poor England have been this series – Sarah Glenn was run out for a diamond duck (without even facing a legal ball) – allowing Australia to celebrate retaining the Ashes in front of a 9,000-strong crowd at the SCG.

The loss continues a miserable series for Heather Knight’s England team, who have so far failed to win a match. Serious questions should now be asked about the long-term future of coach Jon Lewis, for whom this is just the latest in a string of failures, following England’s early exit from the T20 World Cup in October.

Heather Knight’s position as captain will also come under scrutiny, though the problem for England is the lack of ready replacements waiting in the wings: current vice-captain Nat Sciver-Brunt struggled when she was forced to take on the role during the 2022 Commonwealth Games, while England looked rudderless when Knight was unable to take the field during England’s World Cup match against West Indies.

England’s fielding performance here brought back uncomfortable memories of that match: within the first three overs, Freya Kemp had sent down two wides, Sophia Dunkley had let the ball through her legs at point, Sciver-Brunt had cost an overthrow and Lauren Bell had tripped over her feet at short third and shelled the top-edge offered up by Georgia Voll. Minutes later, Bell trapped Voll leg-before, but not before the debutant had calmly slog-swept Charlie Dean for three consecutive boundaries.

Mooney struck the ball firmly and moved her feet well, but was also the beneficiary of England’s woeful fielding: Amy Jones put her down behind the stumps on 16 not out, before Sciver-Brunt and Dean were left looking at each other blankly after Mooney skied one out into the cover region on 23 not out and neither fielder went for the catch.

Australia’s win came despite the unexpected absence of their captain Alyssa Healy, who was ruled unfit to play just hours before the match, due to a recurrence of the foot injury she sustained during the World Cup. Ash Gardner was also ruled out due to a calf strain, but Australia’s depth is such that T20 debutant Georgia Voll proved a ready replacement.

Heather Knight of England looks on after the game. Photograph: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Voll’s 21 off 11 balls got Australia off to a rollicking start, while Phoebe Litchfield – promoted to No 3 – pulled out the perfect switch-hit slog-sweep for six against Glenn. But it was Mooney and Tahlia McGrath’s partnership for the fifth wicket which really motored Australia towards a winning total. It took just 17 balls for the pair to add 45 runs: McGrath’s 26 runs came at a strike rate of almost 300, as she and Mooney repeatedly pulled and swept the ball past a diving (and increasingly exhausted-looking) Sophie Ecclestone behind square on the ring.

The one bright spot for England on Monday was an unexpectedly imperious innings from Dunkley, who has sat impatiently on the bench during the three ODIs and – handed the opportunity to bat at No 3 in the T20s – bludgeoned a 24-ball half-century, the quickest for England against Australia.

England motored to a 62-run powerplay and reached 96 for three at drinks, but Dunkley was bowled by McGrath trying to smash another leg-side boundary, sparking a collapse of seven wickets for 45 runs as England limply surrendered.