The International Cricket Council’s press release could not have been better timed: it landed at 3pm on Tuesday, midway through England’s innings at Taunton, proclaiming that (for the first time since September 2022) Nat Sciver-Brunt was sitting back atop the list of the world’s one-day international all-rounders.
Twenty minutes later, she brought up her second century in three days, and her fourth in her past five ODI innings against Australia. No other woman has scored more tons against them. The crucial difference from the preceding three was that, at last, this one came in a winning cause, as England bowled Australia out for 199 to secure a thumping 69-run victory via the DLS method.
The final series score sits at 8-8: Australia retain the Ashes by virtue of being current holders of the trophy, but Heather Knight heralded the result as “a hugely exciting time for this team” and said their 2-1 victories in the Twenty20 and ODI legs of the series proved there was no longer a “gap” between the two sides.
“We’ve experienced a lot of hurt against Australia,” Knight said. “The character in the side to turn it around today was brilliant.”
By contrast, Alyssa Healy said the series would serve as a “reset moment” for her side. “We’ve lost two of our most senior players [Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning] in the space of 12 months,” she said. “We’re not sure if or when one of those [Lanning] might be coming back, so we’ve had a little bit of chopping and changing.
“For us, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on what this group is, what we look like now and what we want to achieve over the next five years.”
Sciver-Brunt had headlined the England total of 285 for nine, surviving a fumbled caught-and-bowled from Tahlia McGrath when on 54 to remain unbeaten until the 48th over, when she was finally caught in the deep trying to slog yet another six. She walked off to a standing ovation.
Initially, she shared a crucial partnership of 147 with Knight – England’s highest for any wicket in ODIs against Australia – before a bristling 43 from 25 balls by Danni Wyatt at the back end propelled England above par. Then, with the ball, it was Kate Cross who made the key intervention, in two spells either side of a 55-minute rain delay.
In the first, Cross sent down a wobble-ball which moved off the pitch to take out Healy’s middle stump. Then, after Australia’s target was adjusted to a DLS-calculated 269 from 44 overs, she sent Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney packing in successive overs. Perry had smashed a six over long-on to bring up a half-century shortly after the resumption, but sent up a leading edge to point five balls later. From there, Australia lost their final five wickets for 79 runs – Sciver‑Brunt chiming in with the ball to have Georgia Wareham stumped.
Earlier, after being put in, England had lost Sophia Dunkley and Tammy Beaumont in the opening four overs, before Sciver-Brunt’s and Knight’s partnership steadied English nerves. The pair brought up their half‑centuries within seven balls of each other in the 24th and 25th overs; in between times, Knight struck Wareham for a sweet six over long‑on to bring up the century stand, looking more comfortable at the crease than she has done for months.
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Knight eventually fell for 67, bowled by Alana King after swinging and missing at a straight one, while Alice Capsey came and went in a hurry. But Sciver-Brunt progressed calmly, leg-glancing McGrath for a boundary to take her to 99, before clipping a single into the leg side to bring up three figures, raising her bat to the crowd.
Wyatt then took on the Australian spinners, as England added 87 runs in the last 10 overs – a bridge too far for a chastened Australian side.
