England win ODI series, Australia retain Women’s Ashes
England beat Australia by 69 runs to win the ODI series 2-1 and draw the Women’s Ashes level at 8-8 but the tourists will retain the run because they held it coming into the competition.
Rain hit the series finale in Taunton but England came through to win via the D/L method, largely thanks to a Natalie Sciver-Brunt century and impressive bowling figures from the all-rounder and Kate Cross.
The result will be disappointing for England, who were one boundary away from taking a series lead on Sunday, but they have beaten Australia in both the T20 and ODI series – a feat few expected prior to the series.
Ashes drawn
This is the first Ashes draw since an 8-8 scoreline in 2017-2018 but England’s wait to reclaim the urn goes on – this year’s hosts have not won the series since 2013-14.
Australia won the Test and first T20 to go 6-0 up in the points-based series before England won two T20s and an ODI to level the series.
Australia secured the Ashes on Sunday by going 8-6 up but England ensured a draw this evening.
The ODI series win is the first bilateral series loss for Australia in the format since England beat them in 2013.
And England’s T20 and ODI series wins are not to be sniffed at with the tourists the reigning world champions in both formats.
“I think the T20 series win was the start of it and to come back, we knew we couldn’t win the Ashes after the last game but there was still a series on the line, and win and take the series 2-1, I am really proud of the girls,” Kate Cross said after the ODI.
“The fact that we are eight all at the end of it, it doesn’t really feel fair that it’s going back to Australia. We’ve played some really good cricket and gone toe to toe with the best team in the world for five weeks.”