England captain Heather Knight has said her side were "really unlucky" after Australia retained the Women's Ashes with a 27-run victory in the first one-day international.
The victory saw Australia take an 8-4 lead in the multi-format series with two ODIs left to play, as England were bowled out for 178 as they chased a below-par 206.
Beth Mooney was the standout batter for Australia, scoring 73, while Katherine Brunt and Kate Cross both picked up three wickets each.
In response, Nat Sciver top scored for England with 45 and Brunt made 32 not out, with teenage sensation Darcie Brown taking 4-34.
It was just the second game in the series to have a winner, with two of the three T20Is abandoned due to poor weather and the sole Test a rain-affected draw.
Speaking after the defeat, Knight said: "I thought we bowled outstandingly and we were actually really unlucky. We really took the game to them and bowled perfectly to the plan, we adapted to the pitch.
"I thought Kate Cross, Katherine Brunt, Anya Shrubsole at the top were all outstanding and then we just kept losing wickets in that chase.
"You'd back yourself to chase that. I think the Aussies bowled really well but we just couldn't string that partnership together and kept losing wickets and I guess in the three games that we've played we haven't been able to string batting and bowling together and put in that complete performance.
"I'm proud of the way the girls fought, the lower order kept is in it a little bit and kept the hope life but unfortunately the Ashes have gone."
Reflecting on the series as a whole, Knight said she feels England are "good enough" to beat Australia but simply "haven't been able to quite get over the line".
"We're still in with the chance of drawing the series which has obviously got to be our focus now," Knight added.
"I think we're really not that far away, we've gone toe-to-toe with them, I think our mentality in the series has been really good.
"We haven't been able to quite get over the line, which is a shame, but we believe we're good enough to beat them.
"When you let a couple of things slip, they are the sort of team that can make you pay for it and not give you a second chance."
