Women's Ashes: England thrashed by Australia in final T20 as hosts stay on course for 16-0 whitewash

England skittled for 90 in 72-run defeat to Australia in third women's Ashes T20 at Adelaide; score is the team's second-lowest in the format; Australia lead multi-format series 12-0 and can secure 16-0 whitewash by winning day-night Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground from January 30

Saturday 25 January 2025 21:33, UK

England's awful Ashes tour reached a new low as they were bundled out for 90 in the third T20 international at Adelaide to leave Australia on course for a 16-0 whitewash.

Heather Knight's side slumped to 48-7 amid a blizzard of rash shots in a chase of 163 before the captain's 48 from 30 balls lifted them above their worst T20 score of 87, set versus Australia in 2015.

But the tourists were eventually rolled in 17.3 overs to lose by 72 runs as Australia won their sixth successive white-ball match in the multi-format contest to extend their lead to 12-0.

Scorecard: Australia vs England, third T20 international 🟢🔴
Grace Harris: Australia want to 'embarrass' England in Ashes 😮
Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW 📺

The Southern Stars can now inflict a clean sweep on a beleaguered England by winning the series-concluding Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from Thursday.

Beth Mooney (94no off 63 balls) underpinned Australia's 162-5 at Adelaide, hitting 10 boundaries and also running 11 twos, displaying the sort of athleticism and intent England seem to have lacked.

The disparity between the sides was also seen in the field.

England were sloppy at times and Australia electric - save for a rare drop from Georgia Wareham - with Georgia Voll's stunning diving catch at backward point that removed Sophie Ecclestone a highlight.

Wareham snaffled 3-11 with her leg-spin, including Danni Wyatt-Hodge (17) - the only player bar Knight to reach double figures - and Amy Jones (0) in the same over, while Nat Sciver-Brunt (1) was bowled by a beauty from seamer Annabel Sutherland.

After the Test match, the England and Wales Cricket Board will conduct a thorough review and it is hard to see how that will end with head coach Jon Lewis still in situ, despite him insisting he remains the best person for the job.

Abject England crumble with the bat in Adelaide

This latest defeat, which means England have been swept 3-0 in the one-day international and T20 legs of the tour, was the worst yet, with the batting desperate.

Only Sciver-Brunt can really defend her dismissal - there was not too much she could have done with Sutherland's delivery that angled in and then nipped away to take her off stump - as every other recognised batter gifted their wicket to a rampant Australia.

Sophia Dunkley (5) - promoted to open with Maia Bouchier dropped - spooned to cover, while the recalled Alice Capsey (6) was caught down the leg-side on the sweep and given out on review.

Wyatt-Hodge then holed out at long-off before Jones was pinned lbw as she looked to work Wareham into the leg-side, Freya Kemp (5) slapped to mid-off and Charlie Dean (1) ballooned to square leg off a top edge as England completely subsided.

Knight's knock lessened her side's embarrassment but she was then last out, stumped off opposition skipper Tahlia McGrath midway through the 18th over after Ecclestone (5) had fallen to that sparkling Voll catch and Linsey Smith (1) was run out by Ellyse Perry's bullet throw to wicketkeeper Mooney from cover.

Mooney had earlier shown England how to bat, dispatching the bad balls and some good ones as well, while also keeping the scoreboard ticking with sprightly running.

There was a wicket apiece for all four of England's spinners - Ecclestone, Smith, Capsey and Dean - with the quartet doing well to keep Australia to what looked a gettable total.

But the tourists' dismal showing with the bat meant they got nowhere near and they must now somehow rally themselves for the pink-ball game in Melbourne as they look to avoid becoming the first side to be whitewashed in the multi-format series.