England’s miserable Ashes campaign continues with heavy defeat in T20 final – Irvine Times

England have already lost the Women’s Ashes and their latest defeat in the third and final T20 saw Australia take a 12-0 lead in the multi-format series, leaving them on target for a remarkably clean sweep of 16-0 with one Test to follow at the MCG next week.

Beth Mooney starred for the hosts to hit 94 off 63 balls as England totaled 163 to win. But the visitors fell apart with only captain Heather Knight (40) offering any sort of fightback as they were dismissed for 90 after 17.3 overs.

Australia got off to an ominous start as they finished the power play on 44 for no loss.

Mooney and Georgia Wall then brought up half-centuries for their side in the seventh over.

England finally got a breakthrough in the next over when Woll fell for 23 after failing to make good enough connection from the returning Alice Capsey with Danny Wyatt-Hodge taking a good catch.

Mooney responded with a four in the ninth over – ending the hosts’ 33-ball wait for a boundary – before England took their next wicket in the 12th over.

Phoebe Lichfield (12) tried to sweep Sophie Ecclestone but she failed to make any contact as the ball hit her off stump. The impressive Mooney reached her half-century – her 27th in T20s and eighth against England – after 41 balls as Australia then crossed 100 in the 14th over.

But England struck again with Ellyse Perry (12) caught at cover by Freya Kemp off the bowling of Charlie Dean. Grace Harris was then dismissed for 11 after hitting Kemp’s delivery to Capsey, with Annabelle Sutherland managing just three runs before being caught by Nat Siver-Brunt in the penultimate over.

England needed a strong early response but lost their first wicket on just the seventh ball of their innings when Sophia Dunkley (five) cut Lichfield’s Darcy Brown at extra cover.

The visitors trailed by two in the third over after Capsey (six) edged Alanna King’s delivery to Mooney.

Sciver-Brunt was out for just one after being bowled by Sutherland in the fourth over and Wyatt-Hodge (17) fell in the seventh to leave the visitors 39 for four.

England were crumbling and Georgia Wareham, who finished with three for 11, took her second wicket in three balls when Amy Jones was sent packing for a two-ball duck.

Kemp (five) was the next to fall as the visitors continued to capitulate and Dean’s limp catch by Alanna King left them at 48 for seven in the ninth over.

Knight and Ecclestone put up some resistance before Woll took the latter’s wicket with a fine catch in the 14th over.

Linsey Smith was then run out for one before Knight was stumped to end the latest chapter of their hot tour.