Sydney: Australia retained the women’s Ashes with a six-wicket win over England in the first Twenty20 international in Sydney on Friday.
A career-best haul of four for 22 from Megan Schutt restricted England to 132 for nine before Beth Mooney’s 86 — the highest score in a T20 in Australia — helped reel in the target with 25 balls to spare.
The two points from the victory clinched the series for Australia with two matches to play.
It feels pretty good. A relief, said Australia captain Rachael Haynes at the trophy presentation. “It was so nice for the team to come out and play like that. We started well with the ball but fell away. For Beth to come out and make a statement like that was fantastic.
“I couldn’t watch. I was pretty nervous, the most nervous I have been watching cricket. There was a lot composure in the middle which was good and Mooney took control of that.”
In the multi-format series, the four points from two ODI wins, two points from the drawn day-night Test and the T20 victory enabled Australia take an unassailable lead and retain the trophy.
The highlight of the Ashes series was Ellyse Perry’s record-breaking 213 not out in the day-night Ashes Test last week.
The series now moves to Canberra for the final two ODIs on Sunday and Tuesday at Manuka Oval.
