Melbourne: Australia defended the ash women against England with two Luang matches following their 27-run victory in an international match one day on Thursday.
Two weeks after the men’s team slid to 4-0 Abu Triumph against Joe Root’s England, Australian holders defended a total of 205-9 which was simple in Manuka Oval Canberra to lead 8-4 in multi-format series.
With two points to win, and two ODIS remaining, England can still draw a series, but Australia ensures they will defend ash as holders.
Put in bats, Australia experienced the destruction of the middle to decline from 60-1 to 67-4 with Meg Lanning captain among falling goal.
Beth Mooney saved Australia with 73 of 91 balls and was the last dough to fall to the final delivery of an innings.
For England, Kate Cross and Katherine Brunt evenly divided the six numbers between them.
England gasped at the beginning of their reply when Darcie Brown (4-34) dismissed Tammy Beaumont and toured the captain Heather Knight Off successively.
Nat SCiver made 45 but Brown took an amazing return catchment to deny him fifty and England was finally elevated to 178 in 45 overs.
“We came to this series with one job to do – retain ash and we have done it,” Mooney said, named the match player.
“We have other jobs to do now and win it.” England’s optimistic knight can still raise the series in Melbourne which hosts two days last day on Sunday and Tuesday.
“We are still with the chance to draw a series and it must be our focus now,” said Knights.
“We did not get a partnership together …
we lost the goal at the usual moments and they biking well.
They save the stump in the game and it made it difficult to print the picture on the goal.”