Australia Secure Women’s Ashes with Comprehensive T20I Victory
Australia successfully retained the Women’s Ashes with a commanding 57-run win over England in the opening T20 International at Sydney’s North Sydney Oval. The result, coming with three matches still to play, extended Australia’s lead to 8-0 in the multi-format series, ensuring the Ashes stay in their possession regardless of upcoming results.
Australia’s Strong Batting Display
After being sent in to bat, Australia posted a formidable total of 198 for 7. Opener Beth Mooney led the charge with a superb 75 off 51 deliveries, anchoring the innings despite a mid-innings collapse that saw the hosts lose three quick wickets. From a solid 91 for 1, they stumbled to 122 for 4 before captain Tahlia McGrath’s 26-run cameo steadied the ship. McGrath and Mooney added a valuable 45-run partnership, helping Australia reach a total that proved well beyond England’s grasp.
England’s Struggles with the Bat
England’s chase got off to a disastrous start as both openers, Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, were dismissed without scoring. Sophia Dunkley fought back with a spirited 59, but her efforts alone weren’t enough to revive the innings. Georgia Wareham’s impressive spell of 3 for 13 applied the brakes on England’s scoring, as the visitors could only manage 141 all out, falling well short of their target.
Series Context and Reactions
Although England can no longer win the Ashes outright, they still have a chance to level the series by winning the remaining two T20Is and the single Test match. Australia, however, have already secured the trophy by virtue of holding the Ashes and winning the points required to retain it.
Reflecting on the victory, Australia’s Georgia Wareham praised Mooney’s batting and acknowledged Dunkley’s resilience. “The girls are pretty pumped,” Wareham said. “Mooney was so good with the bat, kicked us off really nicely. Dunkley whacked them today, that was a bit nerve-wracking.”
Meanwhile, England’s Sophia Dunkley expressed disappointment in her team’s performance. “We wanted to bring a lot of energy and we fell quite short,” Dunkley said. “We can still draw the Ashes, it’s not completely gone, so we’ll focus on that.”
What’s Next
The two sides will meet again for the second T20I in Hobart, followed by the third in Melbourne. The final Test match in Canberra offers England their last chance to salvage a drawn series, though the Ashes themselves remain firmly in Australia’s hands.