Geoff Lemon looks at Ash Gardner’s breakthrough hundred for Australia – as well as her stunning catch – and what it could mean for the future of the side.
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Raf Nicholson was at Bellerive Oval as Australia put one hand around a certain little urn with an emphatic 86-run triumph headlined by Ash Gardner’s maiden international ton and some incredible catching. Here is Raf’s report. Thanks for following …
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Geoff Lemon and Raf Nicholson will be along any minute now with their reports and analysis of the third ODI in Hobart, but in the meantime … grab some popcorn, settle into a comfy chair, and put this clip on repeat as player of the match – Ash Gardner – takes a catch for the ages.
Outrageous stuff from Ashleigh Gardner! That's an all-timer #Ashes #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/uVl7zsLR8p
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 17, 2025
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Australia have taken a stranglehold on the Women’s Ashes with a clean sweep of the three ODIs even as England have at times had them on the ropes. The hosts this time recovered from being 59 for 4 on a tricky wicket as their middle order took command, led by Ash Gardner (102) posting her first international century while Beth Mooney (50) and Tahlia McGrath (55) returned to form with a pair of fifties. Georgia Wareham added a blazing and undefeated 38 from 12 balls on her return to the side as Australia rocketed to an imposing 308.
Megan Schutt did the damage early in the chase with Maia Bouchier sent packing in the first over and Heather Knight gone soon after. England were able to build partnerships that gave them a glimmer of hope until Wareham put Australia back in control with the critical wickets of Tammy Beaumont (54) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (61) before fellow leg-spinner Alana King (46 for 5) cleaned up the tail.
Phoebe Litchfield and Kim Garth held on to difficult chances as Australia closed in on victory but were outdone by an all-time classic from Gardner who tumbled out of – and then back into – the field of play to claim a stunning catch on the rope off Sophie Ecclestone.
Australia now lead the multi-format series with the full six points taken from the three ODIs before heading to the SCG for the first of three T20s on Monday night.
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Australia win by 86 runs
England are all out for 222 as Alana King bags her first five-for in ODIs. Charlie Dean dances down the pitch but gets nowhere near the ball before Healy lifts the bails to seal another dominant performance from Australia, this time capped by an 86-run victory.
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42nd over: England 221-9 (Dean 12, Bell 5) Schutt has her chance to pick up another but Bell survives a thick edge that flies through Healy’s legs.
WICKET! Filer c Garth b King 0 (England 215-9)
Two in an over for King and the leg-spinner has four for the match. Filer isn’t hanging around as she looks to send the third ball of her innings over the rope, but is instead heading that way herself.
41st over: England 215-9 (Dean 11, Bell 0)
WICKET! Ecclestone c Gardner b King 2 (England 215-8)
Oh, wow! We have seen some brilliant catching from the Australians across the last few overs but that has taken the cake. Gardner tracks back to claim the ball on the deep square boundary, somehow keeps her footing without touching the rope, tumbles backwards but releases the ball just in time. A dive forward with feet in the air seals the grab and one of the great days out after a maiden ton earlier on. King has three scalps, each from an incredible catch.
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40th over: England 214-7 (Dean 10, Ecclestone 2) Schutt to Dean but England are in survival mode now with only three wickets in hand and almost 100 runs to get across the remaining 10 overs.
WICKET! Jones c Garth b King 30 (England 209-7)
Another cracking catch gives King two in as many overs. Jones sweeps hard at a ball that stayed outside leg as it takes a top edge. Garth is on the move and has to dive hard and low to get fingers under the ball. A splendid take and Jones is on her way with England now out of recognised batters.
39th over: England 211-7 (Dean 8, Ecclestone 1)
WICKET! Capsey lbw b Schutt 0 (England 201-6)
Megan Schutt traps Alice Capsey in front as the ball angles into the right-hander. The Australian appeal is a touch half-hearted but the decision goes their way. Capsey reviews but the ball was taking out off and middle. England feel on the brink of a collapse.
38th over: England 207-6 (Jones 29, Dean 6)
WICKET! Wyatt-Hodge c Litchfield b King 35 (England 200-5)
Oh, what a catch! Phoebe Litchfield scampers backwards as Wyatt-Hodge’s drive clears cover. The Australian follows the flight of the ball and dives to grasp the chance at full stretch. A dangerous partnership is broken in the most spectacular manner.
37th over: England 200-5 (Jones 28, Capsey 0)
36th over: England 196-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 32, Jones 27) Megan Schutt returns to the attack with Alyssa Healy able to mix up her approach at will with so many quality options to choose from. England are looking for more creative ways to score with Jones looking to scoop over Healy as the keeper stands up at the stumps. The shot deserves more than the two that it adds.
35th over: England 189-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 31, Jones 21) After Wyatt-Hodge finished the last over with a pair of boundaries, Jones starts King’s over with back-to-back fours. The keeper looks comfortable reading the flight and sending the ball back over the leg-spinner.
34th over: England 179-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 30, Jones 12) Wyatt-Hodge opens up with back-to-back boundaries off Gardner on either side of the wicket, the first smashed through cover and the next pulled hard and flat to the rope. The run-rate has lifted since this partnership began with 38 runs from little more than four overs.
33rd over: England 167-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 19, Jones 11) Wareham is still tossing the ball up but England can’t make her pay even from a full toss as Wyatt-Hodge finds Gardner on the rope. That’s drinks, and in the meantime here is Wareham dismissing Beaumont with just her third delivery in the series.
Into the attack and amongst the wickets ☝️
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 17, 2025
Georgia Wareham breaks the partnership with the wicket of Tammy Beaumont #Ashes pic.twitter.com/YszHNNZU54
32nd over: England 161-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 15, Jones 9) Amy Jones has come out with plenty of intent today after guiding England to within sight of their target in the second ODI before some bizarre tactics, or more likely poor decision-making under pressure, sealed their fate. The keeper-batter suggests she’s out to make amends with a cracking square drive off the back foot. Would gladly watch that on repeat this evening.
WICKET! Sciver-Brunt b Wareham 61 (England 151-4)
Georgia Wareham strikes again! And it’s the critical wicket of Nat Sciver-Brunt. The leg-spinner pitches one on middle stump and it straightens up to slide through the batter’s back-foot defence. That is Sciver-Brunt’s highest score in an ODI in Australia but her middle stump is gone along with much of England’s hopes.
31st over: England 154-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 14, Jones 3)
30th over: England 147-3 (Sciver-Brunt 60, Wyatt-Hodge 11) England look more comfortable against Garth in her second spell, while Mooney’s comments at the innings break come to mind. The Australian said that batting become much easier when the ball softened in the middle overs especially with the deck not giving the quicks too much support. Three singles and a pair of twos blow out Garth’s figures to 20 runs from eight overs.
29th over: England 140-3 (Sciver-Brunt 57, Wyatt-Hodge 8) Wareham gives the ball plenty of flight but both batters are content picking up singles to the outfield. Three from the over.
28th over: England 137-3 (Sciver-Brunt 55, Wyatt-Hodge 7) Sciver-Brunt can’t keep the ball down as a whip off her pads flies just wide of Wareham at midwicket. The Australian chases hard to prevent a boundary and limit the batters to two. This is turning into an all-round performance and a half from Wareham and, as is typical of the Australians, they keep piling on the pressure even when a batter has just passed the fifty mark.
27th over: England 132-3 (Sciver-Brunt 52, Wyatt-Hodge 5) FIFTY for Nat Sciver-Brunt and her 22nd in ODIs. She brings it up with a whip off her pads to the boundary. Sciver-Brunt has a good record of turning fifties into hundreds, with nine tons in the format, and England need their No 3 to add another in Hobart if they want to be a genuine chance of reaching Australia’s 309-run target.
26th over: England 125-3 (Sciver-Brunt 46, Wyatt-Hodge 4) Alyssa Healy turns the screw with Kim Garth brought back into the attack. England have little time for new batter Wyatt-Hodge to settle with the run-rate edging closer to eight an over but might be pleased to take three singles off the metronomic Garth.
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WICKET! Beaumont b Wareham 54 (England 118-3)
Georgia Wareham into the attack for the first time in the series after her attacking knock earlier in the day. The leg-spinner takes just three balls to double down on her impact as she skittles the set batter in Beaumont. The opener had just reached fifty and was perhaps looking to lift the run-rate as she dances down the pitch but is beaten in the flight, gets an inside edge and hears her leg-stump disturbed. Danni Wyatt-Hodge comes to the crease with England putting their faith in the experienced duo.
25th over: England 122-3 (Sciver-Brunt 44, Wyatt-Hodge 3)
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24th over: England 118-2 (Beaumont 54, Sciver-Brunt 43) FIFTY for Tammy Beaumont as the opener eases the ball to rope at third. That’s England’s first half-century of the series so far as Beaumont reaches the mark from 73 balls with plenty still to do.
23rd over: England 112-2 (Beaumont 49, Sciver-Brunt 42) The momentum is swinging England’s way as Beaumont dispatches King with a pair of sweeps for back-to-back boundaries. The opener ends the over with another sweep that would have been four if not for Perry’s desperate dive on the rope.
22nd over: England 101-2 (Beaumont 39, Sciver-Brunt 41) Sutherland takes over from Gardner and Sciver-Brunt is quickly on the attack. She whips off her pads for four through square leg then steps down the track before finding a couple at midwicket.
21st over: England 94-2 (Beaumont 39, Sciver-Brunt 34) King pulls out a ripper as the ball takes something out of the deck to rise sharply. It catches Beaumont’s glove on the way through to the body but that could be a warning of what’s to come.
20th over: England 91-2 (Beaumont 38, Sciver-Brunt 32) England keep picking up ones and twos off Gardner to keep the required run-rate in check. The pitch isn’t giving much though, as both batters are able to sweep or play off the back foot with apparent ease.
19th over: England 85-2 (Beaumont 36, Sciver-Brunt 28) Another chance for Australia but this time it’s one created in the field as Phoebe Litchfield pounces on a cover drive from Beaumont and fires the ball back at the striker’s end. She misses narrowly and Sciver-Brunt survives. The England batters are playing King more from the crease and have set out to hit with the spin rather than against it today. That’s the 50 partnership too.
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18th over: England 78-2 (Beaumont 31, Sciver-Brunt 26) Gardner continues as the runs, and chaos, dry up. A pair of singles from a Sciver-Brunt sweep and a Beaumont pull, both to deep midwicket.
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17th over: England 76-2 (Beaumont 30, Sciver-Brunt 25) Wow, that’s an incredible mix up! But rather than it being one batter barbecuing the other, this time it is two of Australia’s most experienced players burning Alana King. The leg-spinner is into the attack and almost has an immediate impact as Beaumont slogs towards midwicket. Beth Mooney comes running in from the deep, Ash Gardner strolls out of the infield, but both stop in their tracks as the ball drops to the turf. That was more likely Mooney’s to grasp, as the player coming towards the ball.
16th over: England 71-2 (Beaumont 29, Sciver-Brunt 21) Gardner continues after the drinks break but it might not be long until we see Alana King who has been the in-form bowler of the series so far. Australia have more variety and options to turn to than England, which was made all the more apparent as Heather Knight had too few answers during the hosts’ first-innings onslaught.
15th over: England 67-2 (Beaumont 28, Sciver-Brunt 18) CATCH IT! But the chance goes begging as Beaumont only just clears the infield with a mis-timed drive. A valuable four runs though as England head to the drinks break well-placed with eight wickets still in hand and the required run-rate only nudging up to 6.91 an over.
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14th over: England 60-2 (Beaumont 22, Sciver-Brunt 17) Gardner gives the England pair little room but they are able to pick up four singles if only to rotate the strike.
13th over: England 55-2 (Beaumont 19, Sciver-Brunt 15) Tidy over from Sutherland has the England duo only squeezing a single out of a risky run that relied on King missing the stumps from mid-on. Sciver-Brunt dives to make her ground and was probably just home anyway. But that’s likely a sign that the pressure of chasing 300+ is starting to tell.
12th over: England 53-2 (Beaumont 18, Sciver-Brunt 14) Australia turn to spin for the first time today with Ash Gardner given the opportunity to make her mark with the ball after earlier amassing a maiden international ton. The off-spinner tosses the ball up but can’t tempt Beaumont into doing anything rash. Sciver-Brunt is up to the challenge though and lifts a drive over cover to the rope.
11th over: England 47-2 (Beaumont 17, Sciver-Brunt 9) The first change of bowler with Annabel Sutherland taking over from Megan Schutt. Sciver-Brunt welcomes her with a scoop for four. Both batters add a single as England take the required six runs from the over.
10th over: England 41-2 (Beaumont 16, Sciver-Brunt 4) Garth to Beaumont again, and yet again the England opener struggles to turn over the strike against the Australia quick. Beaumont picks up a couple over midwicket, but Garth has only gone for six runs from five overs … all while England need another 268 runs from 40 overs.
9th over: England 39-2 (Beaumont 14, Sciver-Brunt 4) If Australia don’t get you, Tammy Beaumont will. Almost, anyway. The England opener cracks a straight drive that would have taken out her partner Nat Sciver-Brunt but for a desperate leap out of the way.
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8th over: England 34-2 (Beaumont 9, Sciver-Brunt 4) Kim Garth very nearly has her first scalp during a crafty spell. Tammy Beaumont is trapped in front trying to hit across the line off a good length and Healy is keen to review. Garth is about to agree as the time ticks down. Replays show the ball was clipping the leg-stump, so Australia would have held their review even as Beaumont survived. England’s early burning of reviews might have been a warning to Australia, because that looked out on first viewing.
7th over: England 33-2 (Beaumont 8, Sciver-Brunt 4) England have gone after Megan Schutt but the Australia pacer has a couple of wickets including the prize of the opposing captain. Nat Sciver-Brunt is carrying much of the tourists’ hopes now and starts with a cracking pull shot to the boundary.
WICKET! Knight c Healy b Schutt 14 (England 29-2)
Another start without going on to bigger things for Heather Knight but all the credit should go to the Australia skipper behind the stumps. Knight drives at a fuller ball that was there to be hit but with Healy up at the stumps the England captain is left reaching too far away from her body with her back foot planted. There is a little movement off the pitch, a faint edge, and a sharp catch sends Knight on her way.
6th over: England 28-1 (Beaumont 7, Knight 14) Like a Krautrock bass guitarist, Kim Garth has found her groove and isn’t moving away from it any time soon. Back of a length, fourth stump, that’s the spot! Beaumont waits for the bad ball that isn’t coming so finally steps out of her crease towards the final delivery to tuck away a single at square leg.
No idea what I’m talking about? Probably fair enough. Here is one the Guardian prepared earlier.
5th over: England 27-1 (Beaumont 6, Knight 14) SHOT! Knight punishes a shorter delivery from Schutt that drifts too wide to threaten the England skipper as she leans back and hammers a square drive to the rope. Knight finds a couple more twos with a pair of back-foot drives. Dare I say, but she is looking quite comfortable against Schutt and a change of bowler could be on the cards.
4th over: England 19-1 (Beaumont 6, Knight 6) The England pair seem wary of Garth’s guile. Knight finally finds runs off the bat against the Australia pacer from the final delivery of the over as she steps down the wicket with intent until merely whipping away to square leg.
3rd over: England 16-1 (Beaumont 6, Knight 5) A fruitful over for England starting with Beaumont riding her luck as a thick edge off a flailing drive bounces between slip and gully to the rope; then Schutt hands the tourists a gift as she drifts too far down leg for five wides with Healy up at the stumps. Knight saves the best for last with a textbook cover drive for four. The England skipper has looked in good touch so far in this series, at least until giving her wicket away cheaply, and knows these conditions well from her time with Hobart Hurricanes.
2nd over: England 2-1 (Beaumont 1, Knight 1) Kim Garth did much of the damage early in England’s chase in the second ODI and Heather Knight is taking few risks this time with 308 runs still to get and already one less wicket in hand. Garth has two slips in place with her outswinging quickly on point. Knight leaves what she can in a maiden over.
1st over: England 2-1 (Beaumont 1, Knight 1) All but the perfect start for Australia with a wicket in the first over as Megan Schutt gets the ball talking. England will need their more experienced batters to set the tone from here.
WICKET! Bouchier c McGrath b Schutt 0 (England 1-1)
Oh dear, oh dear. That has not taken long. Just five balls, in fact. England will need to score quickly to chase down the 309-run target but surely they need to build a foundation first. Megan Schutt has the ball swinging about in but Maia Bouchier is still keen to get on the front foot early, as is her usual way. The opener tries to clear mid-off but without perfect timing there is a simple catch for Tahlia McGrath jogging around to her left.
The perfect start! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/WXkfKlUKBA
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) January 17, 2025
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Tammy Beaumont is lining up her two-centres with Maia Bouchier at the non-striker’s end for England, waiting for Megan Schutt to complete her warm-up with the chase about to begin. Let’s see whether the tourists can pull one of out the bag to breathe fresh life into this Women’s Ashes series …
Thanks Rob. What an exhilarating batting performance that was from Australia, particularly in unhelpful conditions and after a reasonably sketchy start.
Ash Gardner put together the sort of innings that she has promised since making her international debut almost eight years ago, and finally has a ton for the national side. Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath certainly brushed aside any hurried concerns for their form with a fifty apiece, and Georgia Wareham’s fireworks at the end may well be enough to have seen England off.
But the England batting line-up has its own firepower and they will start their innings with little to lose as expectations plummet for of a successful chase in Hobart. However, there is hope … in all previous women’s ODIs at Bellerive Oval, the side batting second have been victorious! So, as they say in the classics, game on! This is the sort of knock England will need:
MAIDEN TON!!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 17, 2025
Ash Gardner brings up three figures for Australia for the first time, what a knock! #Ashes #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/fC3zeyQjy6
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That’s all from me for today. Martin Pegan is on hand for the England run-chase (sic); thanks as always for your company. But not the emails, as I didn’t receive any. See you soon!
England need 309 to win
You never know in cricket, or sport, or life, but Australia are in total control of this game. Their total isn’t just over par; it’s in a different postcode to par. Australia batted marvellously to recover from 59 for 4, picking their moments to attack on what, believe it or not, is an awkward pitch.
The highlight was Ash Gardner’s maiden international century, an innings that was both coruscating and mature. But she had admirable, occasionally outrageous support from Beth Mooney (50), Tahlia McGrath (55) and Georgia Wareham (38 from 12 balls).
England weren’t particularly bad with the ball, although Heather Knight was probably too predictable with her bowling changes. Even so, this is more a story of Australian brilliance than English uselessness.
If England are to win this game, somebody – probably Nat Sciver-Brunt – will have to play the innings of their life.
50th over: Australia 308-8 (Wareham 38, Garth 1) Wareham ends an astonishing cameo by smacking Ecclestone for 16 off the last four balls of the innings. There were two fours through extra cover and back over the bowler’s head, then a mighty slog sweep for six off the last ball of the innings.
Wareham finishes on 38 not out from 12 balls.
WICKET! Australia 291-8 (King c Capsey b Ecclestone 9)
England are behind the clock so they can only have three fielders out for the final over. One of them, Alice Capsey, takes a terrific running catch at deep square to dismiss Alana King. Five balls to go.
49th over: Australia 291-7 (Wareham 22, King 8) Wareham was brought into the side for her bowling but she is also such a dangerous hitter. She picks Bell’s slower ball and dumps it over mid-off for four, then launches the next delivery down the ground for six. She has 22 from only 8 balls.
Lauren Bell finishes a tough day’s work with figures of 10-0-72-2.
48th over: Australia 279-7 (Wareham 11, King 7) Australia’s lower order are swinging with freedom. Wareham slaps Ecclestone over cover for succssive boundaries in an over than goes for 15. That’s not a misprint. Australia have scored 100 from the last 11 overs.
47th over: Australia 263-7 (Wareham 2, King 1) Sciver-Brunt ends a spell of two halves: 5-1-11-1, then 5-0-40-1.
WICKET! Australia 262-7 (McGrath LBW b Sciver-Brunt 55)
McGrath misses, Sciver-Brunt hits the back leg and the finger goes up. McGrath reviews, mainly because Australia have two left. Her only hope is that she was hit outside the line.
She wasn’t and that’s the end of a superb knock: 55 from only 45 balls.
46th over: Australia 257-6 (McGrath 53, Wareham 0) That was the bast ball of the over.
WICKET! Australia 257-6 (Gardner c Beaumont b Bell 102)
A century and out for Ash Gardner, who hoicks a slower ball towards deep midwicket and is superbly caught by Tammy Beaumont. She gets a standing ovation from the crowd and her teammates after the innings of her life. Well, her life to date; I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot more of her batting ability in the next five years.
Ash Gardner's maiden century in international cricket!
45.2 overs: Australia 255-5 (Gardner 101, McGrath 52) Gardner pulls Bell for two reach her first century in international cricket off exactly 100 balls. That’s brilliant. Absolutely brilliant batting. She came in with Australia in trouble, knowing one more quick wicket would probably mean defeat, but right from the start she took control of the innings with a calculated counter-attack that was full of authority and intelligence.
45th over: Australia 253-5 (Gardner 99, McGrath 52) McGrath cuts Sciver-Brunt for four to reach a defiant and brilliant half-century from 37 balls. Gardner is approaching a greater milestone; she hits successive boundaries off Sciver-Brunt before taking a single to move within a single of her maiden international century.
England are done.
44th over: Australia 239-5 (Gardner 90, McGrath 47) McGrath cracks four more off Bell to continue what has been a brilliant innings. On a slow pitch, and after making three runs in the first two games of the series, she has a strike rate of 127.
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43rd over: Australia 230-5 (Gardner 87, McGrath 41) McGrath sweeps Ecclestone firmly through square leg for four. It feels a long time ago that Australia were 59 for 4 and in trouble; in fact it was less than 30 overs ago. One of the most impressive thing about their fightback has been the clarity of thought. For much of the time their run-scoring has felt almost risk-free.
42nd over: Australia 223-5 (Gardner 86, McGrath 35) McGrath is dropped by Ecclestone, a tough chance at mid-off. She took a lovely catch in that position earlier but was slightly slow to reach to her left when McGrath smashed Bell towards her. Ecclestone hurt her right thumb while fielding the ball in the previous over, which might have been a factor. She looks in quite a lot of pain.
So do England. Gardner moves to 86 with a classy back cut for four. She’s never made a century in international cricket but you’d put the farm on it here, or at least the paddock.
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41st over: Australia 213-5 (Gardner 80, McGrath 31) Ecclestone returns to the attack. McGrath, whose poor form feels so last night, pulls for four with superb placement. She’s playing with such certainty; a thump through the covers for four more takes her to 31 from 27 balls.
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40th over: Australia 204-5 (Gardner 79, McGrath 23) Bell replaces Filer, a Lauren-for-Lauren replacement, and is immediately clipped through midwicket for four by McGrath. That’s a marvellous shot; both the timing and placement were immaculate.
Gardner picks Bell up over the leg side for a couple. It sounded so good off the bat but it bounced just short of the boundary and Beaumont was able to field.
Ten overs to go, and England are in all sorts. Australia may already have enough runs.
Ash Gardner's highest ODI score
39th over: Australia 195-5 (Gardner 76, McGrath 18) After McGrath hammers Dean for four, Gardner slashes two past backward point to go to her highest ODI score. Like I said, she should have come in at No7. Sometimes it’s nice to be wrong, especially when you get to watch an innings as good as this.
Dean ends a mixed day’s work with figures of 10-0-53-2.
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38th over: Australia 188-5 (Gardner 73, McGrath 13) Gardner smashes Filer down the ground for four to move into seventies. Filer falls over for the first time today although she was partly taking evasive action.
This has been such an accomplished innings from Gardner; she’s now one short of her ODI best.
It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way
37th over: Australia 178-5 (Gardner 66, McGrath 12) McGrath, who has been under a bit of pressure, has started her innings with a calm confidence. Three runs from Charlie Dean’s penultimate over.
36th over: Australia 175-5 (Gardner 65, McGrath 10) Filer, who bowled Tahlia McGrath in the second ODI, replaces Sciver-Brunt. McGrath plays and misses at the first delivery; Gardner is hit on the chest when she misses an attempted pull at a slower bouncer.
35th over: Australia 172-5 (Gardner 64, McGrath 9) McGrath chips Dean for a stylish one-bounce four.
34th over: Australia 165-5 (Gardner 64, McGrath 2) Gardner pushes a slower ball back towards Sciver-Brunt, who just can’t reach it as she changes direction in her follow through. Gardner is really starting to hurt England.
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33rd over: Australia 159-5 (Gardner 60, McGrath 1) I still think Australia are on top but that wicket gives England a chance – but only if they get Gardner soon. She moves into the sixties with a thumping drive over extra cover.
Gardner has faced 64 balls, which equals her longest white-ball innings for Australia. She’s batted like a high-class No4 rather than a hard-hitting allrounder.
WICKET! Australia 154-5 (Mooney c Sciver-Brunt b Dean 50)
Another twist in this intriguing game. Maybe the box seat was getting a bit too comfortable for Australia. Mooney danced down to Dean and lofted the ball high in the air towards mid-off. It was a pretty awkward catch for Sciver-Brunt but she took it beautifully as the ball came over her shoulder.
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32nd over: Australia 154-4 (Mooney 50, Gardner 56) Mooney works Sciver-Brunt for a single to reach a skilful, level-headed fifty from 63 balls. She’s just a class act. This is getting away from England now and even Sciver-Brunt can’t stem the flow. In her first spell she conceded 11 runs from five overs; in this one she’s conceded seven from both overs.
31st over: Australia 147-4 (Mooney 47, Gardner 52) Dean comes on for Capsey, who was being taken for a run a ball without risk, and concedes a couple. Time for drinks.
This partnership, worth 88 from 100 balls, is Australia’s highest for the fifth wicket in an ODI against England. I’d have to check to be sure but I think the previous best was 79 between Sharon Tredrea and Jen Jacobs at Christchurch in the Hansells Vita Fresh Women’s World Cup on 2 February 1982.
30th over: Australia 145-4 (Mooney 46, Gardner 51) Sciver-Brunt returns to the attack, the right answer to the wrong question. Gardner pulls her first ball for four and then takes a single to bring a superb, initiative-seizing fifty from 53 balls. I’ve rarely seen her play better than this.
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29th over: Australia 138-4 (Mooney 45, Gardner 45) Capsey is milked for six more low-risk runs.
Tammy Beaumont, who is mic’d up on the field, says England would be happy chasing 250/260, a comment that brings to mind the rule of three from American Pie 2. (Clip contains adult language.)
28th over: Australia 132-4 (Mooney 43, Gardner 41) Gardner chips Ecclestone over mid-off for four. No issues with timing that one; it was a lovely shot.
England need a change of pace, either Bell or Sciver-Brunt. As frustrating as this is for England, who are in danger of death by deja vu, Mooney and Gardner’s skill and management of risk have been outstanding.
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27th over: Australia 123-4 (Mooney 40, Gardner 36) Australia are milking Capsey pretty comfortably for now: five singles and a two from the second over. England really, really, really need a wicket.
26th over: Australia 116-4 (Mooney 36, Gardner 33) Gardner hit Ecclestone for six in her first over but since then pretty much every attacking stroke off Ecclestone has been mistimed. Another fine over yields just a single.
25th over: Australia 115-4 (Mooney 36, Gardner 32) The offspinner Alice Capsey comes on for Lauren Filer. She should be full of confidence, at least with the ball, after taking 3 for 22 in Melbourne. Her first over is milked for four singles.
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24th over: Australia 110-4 (Mooney 34, Gardner 29) Ecclestone sees Mooney coming and darts the ball very wide outside off. Mooney just about manages to reach it and avoid being stumped off a wide. Given the quality of Amy Jones’ glovework, Ecclestone could probably have gone even wider.
A single brings up the fifty partnership from only 54 balls, an outstanding rate of scoring on this surface. My suggestion that Tahlia McGrath should have come in at No6 was complete nonsense.
23rd over: Australia 108-4 (Mooney 33, Gardner 28) Three singles and a two from that Filer over. As well as the occasional big shot, Gardner and especially Mooney have been really busy between the wickets. The ball hasn’t really turned, certainly not as much as expected, but the lack of pace and low bounce still make it awkward to bat on. Also: England have to bat last.
22nd over: Australia 103-4 (Mooney 31, Gardner 25) Gardner has two escapes in Ecclestone’s third over, mistiming attacking shots that both fall between two fielders. The second, a straight drive, went miles in the air but plopped just in front of the fielder running round from long on. This is in danger of getting away from England.
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21st over: Australia 96-4 (Mooney 30, Gardner 19) Filer replaces Dean, the wrong answer to the right question IMHO. Mooney drives superbly through extra cover for four and chips a couple more over midwicket. This excellent partnership – 37 from 40 balls – has put Australia on top.
Heather Knight has had a mixed day as captain. Her fields have been admirably proactive but her bowling changes have been by numbers and her reviews a bit desperate.
20th over: Australia 88-4 (Mooney 23, Gardner 18) Ecclestone restores some order with a good second over, just a single from it.
19th over: Australia 87-4 (Mooney 23, Gardner 17) Mooney hits Dean down the ground for two fours in three balls – one lofted, one along the floor. This is good from Australia, who are putting pressure back on England and Dean in particular. England need to get Sciver-Brunt back on I think.
18th over: Australia 76-4 (Mooney 14, Gardner 16) So much for NSB bowling straight through; she’s been replaced by Sophie Ecclestone. Ash Gardner plonks her third ball over long on for six, a shot of the purest brilliance. Told you they should have demoted her.
In other news, WHY THE HELL DIDN’T I KNOW THERE’S A Q LAZZARUS FILM! This has made me so happy. If you don’t know Goodbye Horses, you’re welcome.
17th over: Australia 68-4 (Mooney 14, Gardner 8) A full toss from Dean is treated appropriately by Gardner, who belts it back over her head for four. Three singles on top make it a good over for Australia.
16th over: Australia 61-4 (Mooney 13, Gardner 2) Big shots look inherently risky on this pitch, and Callum Ferguson in the commentary box suggests they may have set their sights too high: 250+ rather than 200.
Ferguson was a really good white-ball player wasn’t he? I remember being so impressed with him during the 2009 series in England; I thought we’d see a lot more of him but he barely played another game for Australia.
More thrift from Sciver-Brunt, who has outstanding figures of 5-1-11-1. Fitness permitting she could bowl straight through because she’s giving the batters nothing.
15th over: Australia 60-4 (Mooney 13, Gardner 1) Ash Gardner comes in at No6; I’d have been tempted to promote the more orthodox Tahlia McGrath in this situation. Gardner can be so dangerous but ideally you don’t want her at the crease inside the first 30 overs, never mind the first 15.
WICKET! Australia 59-4 (Sutherland c Ecclestone b Dean 10)
Another one gone! Sutherland blasts Dean towards mid-off, where Ecclestone stoops to take a very good low catch. Australia are lurching towards trouble.
14th over: Australia 58-3 (Mooney 12, Sutherland 10) Another fine shot from Sutherland, a perfectly placed flick behind square off Sciver-Brunt, brings her second boundary. Those are the only runs from the over.
13th over: Australia 54-3 (Mooney 12, Sutherland 6) Sutherland gets off the mark with a fine shot, dancing down to blast Dean back over her head for a one-bounce four. That brings up the Australia fifty and ends a run of 12 successive dot balls.
This is intriguing stuff, not least because it’s really hard to know what would be a par score. 220 maybe? 200?
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12th over: Australia 47-3 (Mooney 11, Sutherland 0) Sciver-Brunt is bowling wicket to wicket, the perfect approach on a used surface as long as you are accurate. Sciver-Brunt is certainly that and gives Mooney nothing to work with during an excellent third over. It’s the first maiden of the innings; Sciver Brunt has terrific figures of 3-1-6-1.
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11th over: Australia 47-3 (Mooney 11, Sutherland 0) Charlie Dean comes into the attack and starts with a quiet over, just from it. No extravagant turn to report yet.
10th over: Australia 46-3 (Mooney 10, Sutherland 0) That was the last ball of the over, and a pretty good Powerplay for England. I don’t think Australia are that far behind the game though; this is an awkward pitch.
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WICKET! Australia 46-3 (Healy c Beaumont b Sciver-Brunt 15)
That’s the big wicket! Healy flicks Sciver-Brunt straight to deep midwicket, where Tammy Beaumont takes the catch and clenches her fist in delight. If anything Healy, who played a superb short-arm pull for four earlier in the over, timed it too well.
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9th over: Australia 42-2 (Healy 11, Mooney 10) Mooney, who has started beautifully, drives Bell through the covers for his first boundary. She has 10 from 8 balls, Healy 11 from 22.
There’s a brief scare for England when Bell starts limping after making a good stop in her follow through but she seems fine. She hasn’t been at her best this morning, though, and will probably take a break after a spell of 5-0-27-1.
8th over: Australia 33-2 (Healy 8, Mooney 5) After a pretty good spell of 3-0-13-1, Filer is replaced by Sciver-Brunt. She should bowl well on this pitch – and she could have had Alyssa Healy with her third ball!
Healy skied a lofted straight drive – that’s a risky shot on this pitch – but Filer misjudged the flight of the ball for a crucial split-second and couldn’t reach it as she ran back from mid-on.
7th over: Australia 31-2 (Healy 7, Mooney 4) England have no slips, a reflection of a Hobart pitch that is a bit sticky and stoppy. Just before her dismissal, Perry got off the mark with a mistimed lofted drive that only just cleared mid-on.
The new batter Beth Mooney gets going with a pair of twos on the leg side.
WICKET! Australia 27-2 (Perry c Filer b Bell 2)
Gotter! Perry flicks Bell round the corner and straight to Filer at short fine leg. It’s not, as Mitch Starc says on commentary, how Bell would have envisaged getting Perry, but she won’t mind one bit.
6th over: Australia 25-1 (Healy 7, Perry 0) Filer beats Healy with a terrific delivery, possibly a cutter. One step forward, one step back: the next ball is too short and pulled emphatically for four. Healy plays that shot so well.
Filer, whose speed is up at 76mph, follows back-to-back wides with four consecutive dot balls to Healy.
5th over: Australia 19-1 (Healy 3, Perry 0) Bell starts with a wide but the rest of the over is really accurate and costs just a single. Healy has been restrained so far, making three from nine balls. She was happy to play second fiddle to Litchfield but might start to go after Lauren Filer now. That said, the pitch looks very slow and not particularly conducive to strokeplay.
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4th over: Australia 17-1 (Healy 2, Perry 0) Well that was an eventful over. Litchfield’s beautiful straight drive feels about half an hour ago.
Perry is not out! England are all out of reviews. Perry pushed at a wide delivery from Filer but missed it by an inch or two. I think England based their review on a rogue noise; no idea what it was but it’s not great captaincy from Heather Knight either way.
England review against Elysse Perry! This is turning into a DRSfest. Heather Knight went upstairs with about 0.5 seconds remaining.
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WICKET! Australia 17-1 (Litchfield c Jones b Filer 15)
The gamble pays off! Litchfield started walking before UltraEdge confirmed the ball brushed the glove on its way through to Amy Jones. That’s a big wicket for England – mainly because Litchfield was looking so good but also because it means they still have a review.
3.2 overs: Australia 17-0 (Litchfield 15, Healy 2) That’s a gorgeous stroke from Litchfield, a perfectly timed push straight down the ground for four.
England appeal for a catch down the leg side when Litchfield tries to pull. Heather Knight has reviewed it. That’s a huge gamble because England only have one left.
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3rd over: Australia 12-0 (Litchfield 11, Healy 1) Litchfield, on the walk, clips Bell just over square leg for four. Capsey was at full stretch and couldn’t quite reach it.
Bell replies with a lovely slower ball that cuts past the edge. But Litchfield is looking dangerous and ends the over with a handsome drive over mid-off for four more.
2nd over: Australia 3-0 (Litchfield 3, Healy 0) Lauren Filer shares the new ball. She’s been expensive so far, going at almost six an over; England can’t afford that today in what is likely to be a relatively low-scoring game. Filer starts pretty well, hitting a full length and conceding just a couple to Litchfield.
1st over: Australia 1-0 (Litchfield 1, Healy 0) I’m not sure Heather Knight would have reviewed that were it anybody other than Healy. She looked a little reluctant but was talked into it by Jones.
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Healy is not out! She missed an attempted pull outside leg stump and Amy Jones was convinced it had brushed the glove. There was a noise, but the technology confirmed it hit Healy’s shirt rather than the glove.
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England review for caught behind against Healy! My hunch is not out, but who cares about my hunches.
The players are ready. Lauren Bell, who bowled majestically in the first two ODIs, will open up.
Lauren Bell chats to TNT Sports
We can take a lot from the two games – we were close in both of them. I’ve learned some new skills over the last 12 months and I’ve had to work really hard to make them consistent; I guess I’m getting the rewards now.
We’ve definitely been here before [in the 2023 Ashes]. Australia are an amazing team but hopefully we can do something similar. We know what we got a bit wrong in the last two games so we just need to reset and go again.
It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way
Team news
As expected, the legspinner Georgia Wareham replaces Darcie Brown in the Australia XI. England are unchanged; Heather Knight says Kate Cross was “pretty close” to playing.
Australia Litchfield, Healy (c/wk), Perry, Mooney, Sutherland, Gardner, McGrath, King, Garth, Wareham, Schutt.
England Beaumont, Bouchier, Knight (c), Sciver-Brunt, Wyatt-Hodge, Jones (wk), Capsey, Dean, Ecclestone, Filer, Bell.
Australia win the toss and bat
“The wicket looks a little bit dry and could get hard later on,” says Alyssa Healy. It’s a used pitch and England would also have batted first; it feels like a really good toss to win.
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England, who were undone by spin in Melbourne, may have even more to deal with today. The Hobart pitch is drier than expected and Australia may recall Georgia Wareham in place of Darcie Brown. England’s Kate Cross will have a fitness test this morning; if she passes it you’d expect her to replace Lauren Filer.
Preamble
The deciding game of a series isn’t always the decisive one. Australia can’t officially retain the Ashes tonight, but realistically it will be a done deal if they win the third ODI in Hobart. A series that has been criticised for being too compressed is in danger of becoming an anticlimactic waste of time.
Australia’s thrilling comeback at Melbourne has left England not only 4-0 down in the multi-format series but also dealing with the scars of a botched run-chase. They simply have to win today.
The match starts at 10.05am AET, 11.05pm GMT.
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