Teenager Darcie Brown was the pick of Australia’s bowlers as they retained the Women’s Ashes
(Picture: Getty Images)Australia retained the Women’s Ashes with a comfortable victory over England in the first ODI at Canberra’s Manuka Oval.
The ODIs represent the final leg of a multi-format series. Australia won the only one of three T20s that was not washed out, before a dramatic drawn Test left them needing just a single victory in the three ODIs to retain the Ashes, which they have held since 2015.
They secured the required victory at the first time of asking, beating England by 27 runs despite scoring just 205 having been asked to bat first.
England captain Heather Knight said her team’s focus was on drawing the series – as they did in 2017 down under – by winning the final two ODIs in Melbourne on Saturday and Monday.
England will have been pleased to limit Australia to that score, but their chase got off to a bad start with the wickets of Tammy Beaumont and Knight in successive balls and never truly recovered.
The run-rate never got away from England, but wickets fell regularly, with the highest partnership being just 35. Nat Sciver top-scored with 45, while Amy Jones was given out in controversial fashion by a Tahlia McGrath full toss that was adjudged to be below waist height. Darcie Brown, 18, was Australia’s outstanding bowler, picking up four for 34.
Australia’s innings was underpinned by 73 from 91 balls by Beth Mooney, who did not field due to a quad injury.
“I thought the bowlers did outstanding job, bowled in good areas, adapted to the pitch,” said Knight.
“We bat well in one game, bowl well in the next, but we haven’t quite strung it together. We didn’t get partnerships together, lost wickets regularly and they bowled well.”
