Raf Nicholson’s report from the Oval has landed:
The match report is coming up shortly – meanwhile here’s Ali Martin on the men’s Ashes, that recommences at Headingley tomorrow morning:
Well that was a humdinger! Just a perfect nail-nibbling night’s cricket for the 20,000 who turned up at The Oval on a balmy July evening. Sixes! Fours! Catches! Spills! Stumps a-go-go. An England win for good measure and the Ashes alive.
A cracking performance by England, led by Danni Wyatt’s powerful innings, wrestling back the initiative after that middle order implosion. Then wickets for the spinners, Sophie Ecclestone holding her nerve at the end. As Healy admitted, Australia were a bit off pace today: so-so in the field, 21 extras and their own middle-order crumple. They’ll be back.
That’s all from me here today. We’ll be here for the first day of the men’s Headingley Test tomorrow, and the third women’s IT20 on Saturday. Till then, good night!
Heather Knight: “What a game. Packed house at The Oval. I took a look around at the end and soaked it up….Still got more in the tank and areas where we can get better. Danni managed to get balls from outside leg through point. Her maturity and experience came to fruition. She doesn’t get the credit she deserves for being a really smart cricketer.
“Good striking by Sophie at the end. Deano can bowl at all stages of the innings. We definitely think that is our strength. Really nice to see Nat back and able to contribute a little bit [with the ball]. To win at only 80% is a very good effort. One game at a time. The equation is very simple. Hopefully another good crowd at Lord’s for the next game. We’ve really felt the support and people on our side.”
Alyssa Healy: “I’m not sure we were great in all three facets, bits to tidy up, the bowling at the back end, a heap of extras and …. . We’re allowed to lose games of cricket we play that many of them, I think getting that close was a pretty good effort. An outstanding surface, hopefully we get another one on Saturday.
“To have 20 odd thousand people here is super special.”
As the crowds drift away at The Oval we move to the presentation on the pitch. The player of the match goes to Danni Wyatt.
“ I found it a bit tricky early on, we did really well to make 186. ITs’ T20 you’ve just got to keep being brave and backing yourself. The crowd has been so good, theyve really got behind us, hopefully they can come again at Lord’s”
This is Australia’s first T20 defeat since the spring of 2021! England now trail Australia 6-2, with four games to play. The final T20 is at Lord’s followed by three ODIs at Bristol, the Rose Bowl and Taunton.
England win by three runs and the Ashes are alive!
20th over: Australia 183-8 (Perry 51 , Schutt 0) What. A. Thriller. Perry finishes the game with two successive sixes but only when the die was cast. England hold on by the skin of their teeth and we move to Lord’s with the Ashes still in the balance.
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WICKET! Jonassen c Capsey b Ecclestone 6 (Australia 168-8)
Ecclestone loops it, Jonassen goes high and long but not long enough. Capsey swallows the catch in front of the Australian dug out.
Australia need 20 from the last over to retain the Ashes
19th over: Australia 156-6 (Perry 36, Jonassen 6) Jonassen shovels Bell into the leg-side for four. The last ball goes skywards but falls safely and they take two. Perry to face the last over.
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WICKET! Wareham b Bell 19 (Australia 160-7)
A beauty! Bells slips out a slower ball, Wareham doesn’t spot it and swings, losing her off stump. Bell punches the air. That’s it. Surely?
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18th over: Australia 156-6 (Perry 33, Wareham 19) Wareham: pingo! FOUR. SIX. SIX! The Oval holds its breath. They take a single and Perry sweeps but just for two despite a fumble on the rope. 19 from the over. 31 needed from 12. Still England’s to lose.
17th over: Australia 137-6 (Perry 31, Wareham 2) Back to back fours for Perry off Ecclestone, but she loses the strike and Wareham only manages a single from the last two balls. A packed Oval looks on as the sun starts to slip away. 50 needed from 18 balls.
16th over: Australia 127-6 (Perry 22, Wareham 1) Just one big gun left now
WICKET! Sutherland c Knight b Glenn 20 (Australia 125-6)
Extra-cover snaffle by Knight as Sutherland tries to reach the rope.
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15th over: Australia 120-5 (Perry 20, Sutherland 16) Australia sniffing for boundaries here. Searching. They need them. Sutherland plays an air shot off Bell. Then the penultimate ball is pinged straight down the ground for four, just bouncing before the rope. The second is slung across the grass to the same spot and Ecclestone can’t get round in time.
14th over: Australia 109-5 (Perry 18, Sutherland 7) REVIEW for a caught behind off Glenn– as Perry steps back to slash the ball away and Jones appeals for a caught behind. It goes upstairs and there is a spike but at the wrong time. Perry who had started walking off, returns. Shrugging in apology. It’s the Australian way.
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13th over: Australia 101-5 (Perry 16, Sutherland 1) Sutherland almost goes straight away, beaten by some wicked bounce; Perry snatches four with a top-edged sweep.
WICKET! Harris b Dean 9 (Australia 96-5)
Harris beaten by a quicker ball from Dean as she prepares to shimmy the ball legside. She shakes her head as she strolls off, the custard yellow pyjamas fast diminishing in potency.
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12th over: Australia 95-4 (Harris 9, Perry 11) Glenn drifts legside and Harris takes advantage, Glenn screws up her face in annoyance. A fistful of singles follows.
Graham writes from Helsinki. “Tanya: Any idea of TMS links? “ I can’t help but hopefully the hive mind can.
11th over: Australia 87-4 (Harris 3, Perry 9) Australia may be four down, but Ellyse Perry is at the crease. She cover-drives Gibson most gloriously for four before wellying Gibson down the ground.
10th over: Australia 77-4 (Harris 2, Perry 0) That was Ecclestone’s 100th T20 wicket – the fastest woman ever to collect it too, beating Anya Shrubsole. She’s fired up, and exhorts her teammates onward.
WICKET! Gardener c and b Ecclestone 9 (Australia 75-4)
The ball after Gardner pulls her for four, Ecclestone collects a dolly sent with a first-class stamp straight back at her.
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9th over: Australia 71-3 (Gardner 5) Er could someone please slow this down a bit? Australia doing most un-Australian things,
Mooney c Wyatt b Gibson 22 (Australia 71-3)
And another! Gibson’s first wicket in internationals is a huge one. Mooney strides and flicks but Wyatt is waiting on the rope and collects with both hands. Roaring along with the crowd.
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8th over: Australia 66-2 ( Mooney 21, Gardner 1) Two huge overs for England! This is what they need to haul Australia back after Healy had pressed the accelerator.
WICKET! McGrath run-out Dean/Jones 4 (Australia 66-2)
Chaos! Mooney is first dropped by Dean at mid-off then run-out as Dean throws on her knees to Jones, who collects and dives, throwing the ball at the stumps. McGrath is out by a rolling pin.
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7th over: Australia 63-1 ( Mooney 20, McGrath 2) Mooney’s exit brings in McGrath – the World’s No. 1 female T20 batter. Relentless these Aussies.
WICKET! Healy b Glenn 37 (Australia 59-1)
The big one! Healy is eager to attack but is foxed by a slow one as she goes to swipe. She punches her bat in frustration as she hurries off.
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6th over: Australia 58-0 (Healy 37, Mooney 18) Nine from Dean’s over feels miserly – no sixes but two more eggs-over-easy powerful fours from Healy -one through cover another flying back over Dean to the rope.
5th over: Australia 49-0 (Healy 29, Mooney 17) Who to stem the flow? NSB. Not so fast says Healy slapping two mega sixes with such a free swing of her arms.
4th over: Australia 33-0 (Healy 15, Mooney 16) An expensive set of six from Bell. Beginning with a hoopla on the leg side for four by Mooney and ending with a Healy toe end to deep third for four more. Seventeen big runs. At this stage England were 35-0 so nowt in it.
3rd over: Australia 16-0 (Healy 11, Mooney 5) Knight plumps for off-spinner Dean. She’s got a touch of Dom Bess about her, baggy trousers and scampish hair. Australia can’t get her away until a full doughnut which Healy sends flying over cover.
2nd over: Australia 9-0 (Healy 6, Mooney 3) In springs Bell, long legs floating across The Oval, untucked shirt. Keeps it tight till the last ball when Mooney uses the angle of the bat to squeeze the ball away to the point boundary.
Australia's innings
1st over: Australia 2-0 (Healy 1, Mooney 1) It’s NSB, knee creaking back into action. It is full and tight, Mooney edging just short of Knight’s paws at slip. Just an old-style two from the over.
Australia need 187 to win
20th over: England 186-9 ( Dean 2) Ecclestone survives an lbw shout, only to fall to the last ball. Five squeezed off the over and in the end a superb effort for England – despite the middle-order malfunction. It will – if I’ve heard this right – be Australia’s highest chase in a T20. Time for a quick glass of water, back shortly.
WICKET! Ecclestone run out Gardner/Healy 22 ( England 186-9)
Quick thinking by Gardner who collects the ball at the bowler’s end and fires it down to Healy, who whips the bails off just before Ecclestone arrives.
WICKET! Glenn c Brown b Gardner 10 (England 182-8)
Beautifully caught at short third where a diving Brown gathers with both hands. Glenn danced to conquer, but it was a top edge too far.
19th over: England 181-7 ( Ecclestone 20, Glenn 10) Ecclestone wants to bat up the order – and pushes all the right buttons, pulls all the right levers: 4/6/4 off the last three balls from McGrath’s over with a scything bat. After the small implosion, England have slathered 62 from the last four overs.
18th over: England 165-7 ( Ecclestone 5, Glenn 9) A close run-out call against Ecclestone goes upstairs, but Sue Redfern can’t find definitive proof – so she is reprieved. . Glenn, immaculate eye make up, sweeps Jonassen for four. Tries it again and picks up four byes as the ball bypasses bat, leg and Healy’s gloves.
17th over: England 154-7 ( Ecclestone 3, Glenn 4) Glenn picks up four straight away with a lean and thread through to deep third. A warm standing ovation for the disappointed Wyatt from a sunny Oval crowd.
WICKET! Wyatt c Wareham b Sutherland 76 (England 150-7)
A standing ovation for Wyatt who goes for another big shot, throwing her weight behind her, but this time can’t reach the rope. A magnificent 76 off just 46 balls and kept England sewn into this contest. Especially that last over acceleration against Schutt.
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16th over: England 144-6 (Wyatt 71, Ecclestone 2) Wyatt on a mission! Schutt gets flambeyed – 25 off the over. Her first ball is a bouncer, slapped for four, and is a no ball for good measure. The free hit is also dispatched. Two more fours follow, then five wides. And more. Some not-perfect Aussie fielding, they’ve been slightly off their game today in the yellow pyjamas.
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Fifty for Danni Wyatt!
15th over: England 119-6 (Wyatt 54, Ecclestone 0) Someone put the numbers into a machine and Perry was the answer – so here she is. Wyatt goes to fifty with a slam on the leg side, a modest work-to-do acknowledgement. Then the wicket pops England’s balloon.
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WICKET! Gibson c Brown b Perry 1 (England 119-6)
Not one for the family album. Perry digs one short and Gibson plays a surprised sister on the tennis court shot straight to mid-off.
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14th over: England 114-5 (Wyatt 49, Gibson 1) England have lost four for 12 in 13 deliveries.
WICKET! Jones c Sutherland b McGrath 3 (England 112-5)
Oh dear. A divine diving grab by Sutherland at long on, at full stretch, landing on her belly. The girl can do no wrong.
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13th over: England 110-4 (Wyatt 48, Jones 1) All of a sudden, someone switched off the light.
WICKET! Knight b Sutherland 0 (England 109-4)
Happy 100th Test Heather! The England captain pushes forward but a beauty from Sutherland waves at the outside edge and tips back off stump.
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WICKET! Capsey c Healy b Sutherland 5 (England 109-3)
Short ball suckered! Sutherland spots her dancing down the pitch, makes it short, Sutherland top edges and Healy collects the swirling prize.
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12th over: England 109-2 (Wyatt 48, Capsey 5) NSB looked deeply frustrated to have holed out, but she whisked along at high pace, setting the scene for Alice Capsey at her home ground – who reverse-sweeps her second ball for four. Easy as you like. A thick edge from Wyatt reaches the rope.
WICKET! Nat Sciver-Brunt c Sutherland b Gardner 23 (England 101-2)
Sutherland waits at long on as NSB launches into a full ball from Gardner – it goes high, but not long , and drops straight into her hands.
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11th over: England 96-1 (Wyatt 44, Sciver-Brunt 19) Healy brings back Brown for the breakthrough and immediately England are slightly befuddled. A lucky inside edge squeezes past the stumps for four. Nine from it.
Good atmosphere here tonight. pic.twitter.com/DLAIsXL8AR
— Elizabeth Ammon (@legsidelizzy) July 5, 2023
10th over: England 87-1 (Wyatt 37, Sciver-Brunt 17) McGrath, she of the slippery fingers, gets her first bowl of the day. England can’t quite get her away until the last ball when Wyatt chinks her through mid on to the rope . We pause for drinks – good to see England using reusable bottles. At half way, England are rocking.
9th over: England 77-1 (Wyatt 30, Sciver-Brunt 15) Just a gorgeous touch-play reverse-sweep by NSB. We glance at the crowd – it is BIG! And sunkissed.
8th over: England 67-1 (Wyatt 26, Sciver-Brunt 9) Sciver Brunt arrives in determined mood. The first ball from Sutherland is a friendly full-toss which get dispatched through the covers by NSB, then a series of dots, before NSB pancakes another to the rope.
7th over: England 58-1 (Wyatt 26, Sciver-Brunt 1) A booming innings from Dunkley that put Australia on the back foot.
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WICKET! Dunkley c McGrath b Brown 23 (England 57-1)
Dunkley powers a top edge and it flies up and down to McGrath at cover who leans back to take it, hands over her head but drops it, then juggles three times, hot potato style, before holding on with her left hand, Looks extremely relieved.
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6th over: England 54-0 (Dunkley 25, Wyatt 21) The Aussies turn to Gardner ‘sspin. England continue to attack. It’s spicy stuff – Wyatt hitting two successive fours – one slam over mid-off and an outside edge through where slips might lurk (though don’t).The run rate over nine at the end of the power play.
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5th over: England 43-0 (Dunkley 21, Wyatt 14) Dunkley swats Sutherland away to the rope like an irritant fly on a cheese toastie.
4th over: England 35-0 (Dunkley 15, Wyatt 12) Eventful. First a short wide one. Then a run-out chance as Waytt sends Dunkley back, then Dunkley is dropped as a she top-edges into the stratosphere and the ball flies high but McGrath makes a horlicks of the catch – hotstepping this way and that but eventually totally missing the ball. Then five wides and a boundary as Wyatt leaps to cut. 13 from the over.
3rd over: England 22-0 (Dunkley 13, Wyatt 8) On comms they point out how much Dunkley bends her back leg when playing a shot and now I can’t unsee it. She almost kneels as she throws the bat. Escapes a wild swing which flies skyward. A peachy. four for Wyatt through the covers.
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2nd over: England 14-0 (Dunkley 10, Wyatt 3) The cameras pan over to Izzy Wong in the dugout – who hasn’t played a game in this series so far. A full, on point, over from Schutt – a handful of singles and a wide keep the score ticking over.
1st over: England 10-0 (Dunkley 9, Wyatt 1) Apologies all, my computer chose an importune moment to die. But half see a full-blooded outside edge go for four from Dunkley and another angled over the slips. Darcie Brown the bowler.
Just off to make a quick last-minute cuppa, back in five.
A reminder of what happened during the first T20:
England XI
England: Sophia Dunkley, Danni Wyatt, Alice Capsey, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight (captain), Amy Jones (wk), Dani Gibson, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Charlie Dean, Lauren Bell.
One change, Charlie Dean for Freya Davies. Nat Sciver is fit to bowl and England are hoping to squeeze a few overs out of her.
Australia XI
Australia: Alyssa Healy (captain/wk), Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ash Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Grace Harris, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Jess Jonassen,Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown.
An unchanged team from the first T20.
A hundred T20 games for Heather Knight
She’s modest, of course: “I think T20 is the format I’ve had to keep evolving most. But tonight’s not about me, it’s about the team.”
Australia win the toss and will bowl!
Alyssa Healy says it looks like a good wicket and then… the mic cuts out….but over the last few days the team have chilled and watched “a pretty incredible” Test. Australia are unchanged from the last game.
Heather Knight would have bowled as well. “Losing three in a row thought I was due one. There’s a great crowd in, I hope we can put on a show.” England are making one change – Charlie Dean in for Freya Davies
Twenty-two thousand in at The Oval! A few empty seats at the moment but I guess they’ll fill up over the next half hour. Tammy Beaumont looks gorgeous in a vibrant pink shorts suit, like a strawberry souffle. She’s talking Nick Knight through her double century in the Test. Lydia Greenway thinks Beaumont should be in this squad. Me too.
Preamble
Roll up, roll up! Everyone in to see Australia retain the Ashes/England lose them, within forty overs. It might not happen, of course, but England must be at their very best to prevent the Ashes travelling over the southern oceans again. Balls polished, hair plaited, gloves fastened: this is it.
Australia already hold a 6-0 lead in the multi-format series, a Test and the first T20 under their belts – with ten points still up for grabs in the remaining two T20s and three ODIs. Oh and Australia haven’t lost a T20 game since March 2021.
Sophie Ecclestone still believes:
“We’ve seen weirder things happen than that in cricket. We’re up for the challenge, we know exactly what we need to do. We’re really not far away from them. They’re a great team and we compete with them a lot, but we have to go one better.”
“It’s obviously going to be a really hard task to beat the Aussies, five out of five, but we know what we need to do and the girls are up for it.”
The crowd do too. Let’s zip over to The Oval.
