Australia may have retained the Women’s Ashes but England punctured their air of invincibility by winning both the Twenty20 and one-day series within the multi-format contest.

The tourists’ Test win meant an overall 8-8 draw on points but against the reigning 50-over and T20 world champions, and a side with a legitimate claim as the world’s most dominant in any sport, Heather Knight’s team acquitted themselves impressively throughout – capped by a 69-run win in Tuesday’s final ODI at Taunton.

Here, the PA news agency looks at Australia’s record in recent years.

One-day internationals

Australia had not lost a bilateral ODI series since 2013, also against England, and went into the Ashes on a run of 15 straight wins in the format and 41 in their last 42 matches dating back to the start of 2018.

Even their one loss in that time came in a dead rubber, India winning the third game of a 2-1 series loss in September 2021 by two wickets with three balls to spare.

England immediately ended that run by taking the ODI series opener at Bristol by two wickets, continuing their unlikely bid to keep the Ashes alive after back-to-back Twenty20 wins. Australia snuffed out that dream with a tense three-run win at the Ageas Bowl before Nat Sciver-Brunt’s second successive century set England up for a thumping DLS victory at Taunton.

Such was Australia’s dominance in recent years, tail-ender Megan Schutt had faced just three balls in her last 30 ODIs. England ensured she matched that at Bristol alone, and again at Taunton.

Twenty20

Over the same period since 2018, Australia’s record in the shortest format read 56 wins, seven losses and two ties ahead of the England series, with seven matches abandoned without a result.

They had won 22 of their previous 23 T20s – and tied the other before losing to India in a super over – ahead of arriving at Edgbaston for the series opener.

Victory there extended the run by one and left England needing to win all five remaining matches to take the Ashes, though the hosts showed the ability to test their all-conquering opposition who needed 19.5 of their 20 overs and a superb Beth Mooney half-century to chase down 154.

England then won thrillers by three runs at the Oval and by five wickets on DLS, with just four balls remaining, on the back of Alice Capsey’s blistering 46 at Lord’s.

Test

Of course, all that English success counted for little after Australia won the one-off Test by 89 runs. Tammy Beaumont’s first-innings double hundred was in vain as Ashleigh Gardner took eight for 66 in the second.

The relative rarity of women’s Test cricket, and still more so over five days, means a comparable record to the white-ball formats is not available but Australia have not lost a Test since 2014, when England won by 61 runs in Perth.

That run extends to only six games, four of them drawn in between beating England at Canterbury in 2015 and Trent Bridge this time around. All bar one of those have been against England – indeed since 1998 Australia have played England in 19 of their 21 Tests and India in the other two.

One of those draws came in the 2021-22 Ashes, a series in marked contrast to this summer’s as Australia won 12-4 – that four-day match accounted for two of England’s points, with the others coming from a pair of T20 washouts in Adelaide.

Knight said after the draw this time around: “We felt like we were really close and had the players to compete with this very good side. Really pleased with how we’ve done, it’s been hugely impressive.”

Nat Sciver-Brunt was the hero again as England claimed a Women’s Ashes series draw with a 69-run win over Australia on the DLS method in the final ODI in Taunton.

Victory saw the multi-series format drawn 8-8, the same score as when England last avoided Ashes defeat in Australia five years ago, and meant England had won both the ODI and Twenty20 series 2-1.

Australia had retained the Ashes by winning the second ODI in Southampton on Sunday.

Fresh from her unbeaten 111 at Southampton, Sciver-Brunt made her second hundred in the space of three days – 129 from 149 balls – as Australia were set a challenging 286 for victory.

Batting of the highest order also secured Sciver-Brunt a fourth century from five ODIs against Australia, and the seventh of her England career in this format.

Australia’s target was reduced to 269 from 44 overs by rain and, despite Ashleigh Gardner providing brief hope with a bludgeoning 41 from 24 balls, England ran out comfortable winners to the delight of a capacity crowd.

England, having lost the toss, were soon in trouble as openers Sophia Dunkley and Tammy Beaumont departed with just 12 runs on the board.

Captain Heather Knight and Sciver-Brunt rose to the challenge of repairing the innings, leading England to 43 for two by the end of the first powerplay after 10 overs.

Runs came freely with Knight finding gaps in the field with ease and Sciver-Brunt, who survived a stumping review off Gardner on 25, landing a six on the boundary cushion with imperious precision.

But with McGrath spilling a return chance off Sciver-Brunt, then on 54, the third-wicket partnership was worth 147 when Knight advanced down the wicket to Alana King and was bowled for 67, her 72-ball stay containing six fours and a six.

Alice Capsey dragged Jess Jonassen to long-on for five but huge roars greeted Sciver-Brunt as she reached three figures off 126 balls.

England entered the final 10 overs seeking to accelerate and Danni Wyatt played the perfect cameo with a whirlwind 43 from 25 balls before being bowled attempting to cut a full-length ball from Gardner.

Amy Jones was run out for six and Sciver-Brunt’s resistance finally ended in the 48th over as Jonassen tempted an airborne pull into the safe hands of Gardner.

The latter then won an lbw review against Charlie Dean to finish with three for 39 and Jonassen also collected a third scalp by castling Kate Cross as England closed on 285 for nine.

Australia, as England had done, lost two early wickets. Phoebe Litchfield fell for one to Lauren Bell, with Sophie Ecclestone accepting a low chance at first slip, and Alyssa Healy was cleaned up by a beauty from Cross as Australia slipped to 15 for two.

Tahlia McGrath appeared well set on 26 as Australia steadied the ship, but Ecclestone’s flight deceived her and Jones completed a smart stumping.

The players were forced off by rain with Australia 97 for three after 19.2 overs, with England facing potential heartbreak as they needed to bowl 20 overs to constitute a completed match.

But the players were back on the field 54 minutes later, with Australia’s revised target asking them to score at seven runs an over.

Ellyse Perry, having reached her half-century with a free-hit six, provided a steepling catch to Capsey off Cross on 53, and Beth Mooney drove straight to Ecclestone at mid-off to give Cross a third victim.

Australia were given hope as Gardner went on the offensive, taking 17 from a Bell over, but her acceptance of a risky second after Sutherland drove through the covers proved fatal as she was just short of her ground when Cross took the bails off from Wyatt’s throw.

Australia never recovered as Jones produced another excellent stumping to remove Wareham for 14 and Dean, called up with Sarah Glenn needing surgery for appendicitis, bowled Sutherland for 18.

King went for nought as Jones held a towering catch and England’s win was completed as Bell held a thick edge from Jonassen at short third.

Nat Sciver-Brunt feels drawing the Women’s Ashes series would reward the progress that England have made this summer.

Australia, the world’s number one side, retained the Ashes on Sunday with a tense three-run victory in the second ODI at the Ageas Bowl, taking an unassailable 8-6 lead in the multi-format series.

But England would level matters by winning the final ODI game in Taunton on Tuesday and secure a second series win to boot after prevailing 2-1 in the T20 matches.

“For the series to be drawn on points it would bring some pride to our performances and the way we’ve gone about things,” said all-rounder Sciver-Brunt.

“It would definitely be (consolation for not winning the Ashes) and another series win would certainly have a nice ring to it.

“The way we’ve gone about things has been positive and our mindset doesn’t change too much from that.

“We’ll make sure we’re in a good place and park our feelings from Sunday, using that ODI series win potentially as a motivator.”

England captain Heather Knight described this Women’s Ashes battle as the “best ever series” after England’s heart-breaking defeat in Southampton.

Sciver-Brunt, who almost got the hosts over the line on Sunday with an unbeaten 111 from 99 balls, believes the series has left a lasting legacy on women’s cricket in England.

She said: “It’s the first time we’ve played at big grounds and there has been a new strategy of going about marketing. It has been a bit of a game-changer.

“Hopefully that can continue when it’s not such a big series on the line and we can draw that same excitement about our team and the way we play, not just depending on the opponent.”

Australia’s Alana King responded to the tourists retaining the Ashes by saying she did not see the gap between the two sides “closing any time soon”.

Sciver-Brunt insists the margins are smaller – “we’re not that far apart but on the pressure moments they’ve got the edge on us a little bit” – and believes England have exceeded the public’s expectations, if not their own, by making the series such a competitive affair.

Her heroics on Sunday almost kept England’s hopes alive and she said of that fabulous knock: “I’m not really sure it’s sunk in for me yet.

“When you get a good score and end up on the losing side it’s a bit of a weird feeling, you’re not really sure how to respond to it.

“I looked up at the scoreboard and suddenly I was on 40. It felt like it was just happening, I wasn’t focused on the score or anything like that.

“I was just in the moment. It seemed to pass me by until the last 10 or 12 overs when I needed to switch on to the scoreboard a little bit more.

“We want to put on a performance like that in such a big moment, so I was happy in that context. But you’re pretty disappointed not to get over the line being so close and not to win back the Ashes is another layer of that.”

Captain Heather Knight urged England to bounce back to draw the “best ever series” after Australia retained the Women’s Ashes with victory by three runs in the second ODI at the Ageas Bowl.

Nat Sciver-Brunt hit an unbeaten 111 in Hampshire but it was not enough to guide England to victory in pursuit of 283 with the hosts finishing on 279 for seven after a thrilling sixth encounter of the multi-format series.

After trailing 6-0 following defeats in the one-off Test and opening T20, England had stormed back to win three matches in a row and keep alive their faint chances of winning back the Ashes for the first time since 2014.

Only victory in the final two ODIs would be enough for Knight’s team, but the tourists proved too strong with Ellyse Perry’s 91 and a game-changing knock of 37 not out from Georgia Wareham, with 26 runs coming off the final over bowled by Lauren Bell, helping Australia make 282 for seven.

Sciver-Brunt was able to produce more heroics against Australia, after she hit 148 not out in last year’s World Cup final, but with 15 runs needed from the last six deliveries, Jess Jonassen held her nerve and England will aim to level the series at 8-8 in Tuesday’s final ODI in Taunton.

“God it was an unbelievable game again wasn’t it? It has got to be the best series there has ever been in the history of the women’s game,” Knight reflected.

“Two sides going toe-to-toe, fighting it out and every game has been pretty close. Yeah, obviously disappointment but real pride as well over the fact we got so close.

“The way Nat played was unbelievable. To nearly marshal the tail in that chase was brilliant, but probably left a little bit too much to do.

“Overall, we’ve put in another thriller of a performance, but the Ashes are gone which is disappointing.”

Before Sciver-Brunt’s third ODI century against Australia, the big momentum-swinger occurred in the final over of the tourists’ innings.

With Australia on a below-par 256 for seven after 49 overs, England would have fancied their chances but Wareham proceeded to hit seamer Bell for three maximums, two over midwicket, and another brace of fours.

The 26-run over went a long way to deciding the latest nail-bitter in the series, but Knight backed her young bowler to learn from the experience.

“No, not for me (the most decisive moment). Lauren has been outstanding at the death for us all series, but she is a young bowler, she will make mistakes and have days like that sometimes where it doesn’t quite go right,” Knight added.

“I think she will learn a lot from that experience.

“There is a one-day series victory on the line and it would be a really good achievement to win the T20 series and ODI series to draw the series 8-8.

“We have to rally around people, it is obviously quite a quick turnaround and there will be some emotion in that dressing room.

“But we head to Taunton tonight, down to the Holiday Inn and we have a day to regroup and go again. I think if we can end the series on a high, we can have huge pride in how we’ve played throughout the series.”

Knight had got England over the line in Wednesday’s opening ODI match in Bristol and admitted it was “horrific” to have no control in this chase.

Reflecting on Sciver-Brunt’s innings, Knight added: “It was kind of written in the stars for her to do it today.

“Unfortunately just a little bit too much but great character by her to get us even anywhere close.

“It was another unbelievably entertaining game of cricket and unfortunately we’ve been on the wrong side of this one.”

Australia spinner Alana King, who claimed three for 44, was delighted to retain the Ashes but insisted they want to win the series 10-6.

She said: “We have retained it, which is awesome but as we have said all along, we have come to win it so we have one more game to win the Ashes.”

Australia retained the Women’s Ashes after Nat Sciver-Brunt’s excellent innings of 111 not out could not prevent England suffering an agonising three-run defeat in the second ODI at the Ageas Bowl.

Victory in Bristol on Wednesday had levelled the multi-format series at 6-6, but Heather Knight’s side knew only a fourth consecutive win over the world champions would keep alive their hopes of winning back the urn.

Put into bat first in Hampshire, Australia posted 282 for seven with Ellyse Perry hitting 91 and Annabel Sutherland adding 50, but it was Georgia Wareham who changed the momentum with 24 runs off the final over.

Tammy Beaumont ensured England’s chase started strongly with 60 but wickets fell regularly with the recalled Alana King claiming three for 44 from her 10 overs.

Sciver-Brunt’s presence kept alive England’s faint hopes and she reached another century against Australia, but could not get the required 15 runs from Jess Jonassen’s final over.

It puts Australia 8-6 up in the series with only one ODI left to play in Taunton, which means the urn will remain with Alyssa Healy’s side.

England captain Knight had won the toss and saw her decision to bowl first immediately pay dividends with Lauren Bell able to claim the early wickets of Phoebe Litchfield and Healy in windy conditions in Hampshire.

Litchfield was pinned in front lbw and Healy inexplicably cut straight to Alice Capsey, but Perry and Beth Mooney rebuilt the innings and put on 61 for the third wicket.

Spin duo Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn kept Australia in check with Mooney sweeping the former to Bell at short fine leg for 33 and Tahlia McGrath out cheaply after edging behind.

The outlook could have been even better for England with Perry dropped on 50 when Glenn put down a tough caught-and-bowled chance, which occurred the ball after the Aussie number three had survived a close lbw appeal.

Perry was given another life on 63 when she chipped Ecclestone to Kate Cross at mid-on, but the England seamer put down the opportunity and injured her right leg as a result.

Ashleigh Gardner was already out for 33 to Bell by this point, but Australia were able to kick on from 158 for five with Sutherland improving their tempo.

An important 81-run partnership for the sixth wicket was broken in the 47th over by Ecclestone, who claimed Perry for 91 and Sutherland for 50 with substitute fielder Charlie Dean and Capsey taking smart catches on the boundary rope.

Wareham crucially swung the momentum back in Australia’s favour though with a scintillating onslaught on Bell, smashing two sixes over midwicket after an earlier maximum in the last over of the innings to help her side post 282 for seven from their 50 overs.

It left England facing another record ODI chase, after achieving the same feat in Bristol on Wednesday, but Beaumont ensured they made a strong start with 66 put on with Sophia Dunkley, who was then bowled after a scratchy 13.

Beaumont had already celebrated fifty before four runs initially awarded to her were later changed to leg byes but the milestone was officially reached in the 14th over.

England’s progress was quickly ground to a halt by leg-spinner King after she won her battle against Knight, who was unhappy to walk off given out lbw for 12 after reviewing immediately.

King was in full flow now and Beaumont was bowled for a fine 60 with a wonderful spinning delivery that clipped off stump before Capsey holed out to deep midwicket where Gardner took the catch.

When Danni Wyatt succumbed to Gardner’s off-break with a slog sweep straight to Sutherland, England had gone from 107 for two to 144 for five.

The presence of Sciver-Brunt, who successfully reviewed an out lbw call on three, retained some hope and she moved to another half-century off 53 balls with a sweep for two.

Sciver-Brunt desperately needed a partner to stick around and wicketkeeper Jones started to take the attack to Australia, hitting back-to-back fours against Wareham, but soon after being dropped on 34, she was out.

After putting on 57 for the sixth wicket to take England past the 200-mark, Jones top-edged her attempted reverse sweep and Ecclestone lasted just two balls – with Gardner picking up two wickets from the 39th over.

England still needed 80 runs for victory but Sciver-Brunt continued to get success with the sweep shot.

Glenn stuck around to bring the equation down to 15 off six balls, but Sciver-Brunt, who reached her century in the previous over, was only able to hit one boundary.

England fell short on 279 for seven after her attempted slog-sweep for six from Jonassen’s last delivery only went for one.

England levelled the Women’s Ashes series with a thrilling two-wicket win over Australia in their opening ODI at Bristol.

The multi-format series now stands at six points apiece with remaining ODI matches at Southampton and Taunton to play.

Australia need to win only one of those games to retain the Ashes, but the momentum is very much with England after three successive victories.

Back-to-back T20 wins had revitalised England but crossing this particular line against opponents who had won 41 of their last 42 ODI matches will generate huge belief that they can upset the odds.

Australia’s 263 for eight was overhauled with 11 balls to spare, thanks largely to captain Heather Knight’s unbeaten 75 from 86 balls and a brilliant late cameo from Kate Cross, and their fate would have been worse had England not dropped four catches and shelled a stumping opportunity.

Six England bowlers shared the wickets as bowlers as Beth Mooney, reprieved on 19 and 39, top scored with an unbeaten 81.

England were always ahead of the required rate after Tammy Beaumont and Alice Capsey brought up a rapid hundred in the 12th over, but Australia’s ability to take wickets at regular intervals left the contest in the balance.

Australia chose to bat as morning showers and overcast conditions gave way to blue skies but captain Alyssa Healy – who made 170 against England at the 2022 World Cup final – fell third ball after opening up with two boundaries.

Cross’ lbw review was upheld and England rejoiced knowing a major blow had been struck.

England should have built on that but Ellyse Perry was dropped on six driving Cross to Sophie Ecclestone at first slip, an initial sign that Australia would ride their luck.

Perry and Phoebe Litchfield were quick to punish anything pitched short as Australia reached 62 for one off 10 powerplay overs.

Litchfield – 36 from 34 balls – saw her innings end in spectacular style as she targeted a seventh boundary off the bowling of Nat Sciver-Brunt.

The ball looked as if would clear Ecclestone but the spinner thrust out a left hand above her head and celebrated the dismissal by putting a hand over her mouth in amazement.

Perry survived again on 36 attempting to hit Ecclestone over the top and Sarah Glenn spilled a presentable chance at mid-on.

But Perry did not have a third life on 41 as Glenn the bowler atoned and Sciver-Brunt accepted the chance at short mid-wicket.

England were left to rue careless hands again as Tahlia McGrath flashed Cross hard to point and Beaumont failed to hold on diving to her left.

Mooney was also fortunate as she miscued a Glenn full toss and Cross put it down diving forward at mid-off. Those errors ended up costing England 79 runs.

McGrath, dropped on seven, reached 24 before Capsey beat her defensive prod for a first ODI wicket and Mooney breathed again after striding down the pitch to Ecclestone only for Amy Jones to miss a stumping wide down the legside.

Australia’s progress was slowed by losing two wickets in the space of three Lauren Bell deliveries.

Ashleigh Gardner departed to an excellent Sciver-Brunt catch over her shoulder running towards the mid-wicket boundary, while Annabel Sutherland lost her off stump for nought as Australia slipped to 185 for six.

But Mooney and Jess Jonassen prevented a late-innings collapse by sharing a seventh-wicket partnership of 55 as England were set a challenging target on a slow surface.

England’s reply was aided by wayward bowling which saw the amount of extras in the first three overs exceed the entire number of the Australia innings.

Darcie Brown and Perry sent down two no-balls and 10 wides as England sped away, despite the early departure of Sophia Dunkley for eight.

Beaumont and Capsey went on the offensive to such an extent that 84 runs came from the opening 10-over powerplay.

Three figures were brought up by Beaumont smashing Sutherland for a six over long-off, but she soon holed out after making 47 from 42 balls.

Capsey contributed 40 from 34 before picking out Sutherland on the long-on boundary off Gardner and it was often a case of poor shot judgement as Australia profited and piled on the pressure.

Sciver-Brunt (31) top edged a reverse sweep off Jonassen, Danni Wyatt (14) drove Megan Schutt to backward point and Amy Jones gave Georgia Wareham a return catch.

England’s self-destruct button was pressed again as Ecclestone found Wareham on the boundary and Gardner claimed a third victim as Glenn drove straight to Litchfield at short cover.

But Cross made a superb 19 not out from 20 balls, including an audacious ramp shot as she provided the cameo Knight craved to get England home.

Sarah Glenn said there was still room for improvement after England defeated Australia by three runs in a thrilling finale at the Kia Oval to keep alive their hopes of regaining the Ashes.

Danni Wyatt hit 76 with the bat as the hosts racked up a first-innings lead of 186 to leave the tourists with a target that proved just our of reach, despite a brilliant late flourish from Ellyse Perry who hit sixes off the final two balls.

Both sides suffered from collapses midway through their innings with England losing four wickets in 13 balls before Sophie Ecclestone smashed 22 from 12 balls to ensure a strong finish.

Australia’s middle order fared little better as they found themselves requiring 112 from their final 10 overs to secure the victory that would have sealed the series.

Glenn admitted that emotions were running high after her side inflicted Australia’s first loss in any format since 2021, but said improvement was still required if they are to find the four wins still needed to reclaim the Ashes.

“So many emotions, really happy, some of us are a bit emotional as it’s been a long time coming,” said Glenn. “We’ve had lots of really close calls and we’ve always known we can beat them as well.

“It’s just actually getting over the line against a top line-up who have had momentum for a long time, so we’re really proud.

“We’ve taken out that frustration and little things we could work on and implement it into this game which I thought we did really well.

“There’s still room for improvement as always, but we were really clear in the pressure moments.”

England still need to win the final T20 international at Lord’s on Saturday before attentions turn to the three ODIs that will conclude the series.

Defeat in the Test at Trent Bridge plus last Saturday’s four-wicket T20 loss at Edgbaston means nothing short of a perfect record will do in spite of the heroics at the Oval.

“We’re just really humble as a team,” said Glenn. “We really enjoy that victory for each wicket but we really switch on quickly to what we need to do next. That’s what we’ve done really well as a unit with the bat and the ball.

“We’re really confident. It’s super exciting, we really improved from the last game but there’s still a lot to come form us as well.

“We’ll celebrate the win definitely, but they’re a top-class side and they’ll come back just as hard or harder. We need to try and get over the line again and keep that momentum with us.”

Australia’s Alyssa Healy reflected on a success for women’s cricket after a crowd of 20,000 packed into the Oval for the occasion, but said her side had only themselves to blame for allowing England back into the game.

“It was a great game of cricket at one of the most iconic grounds in England, which a great showcase for women’s sport,” said Healy. “You see what you can do when you play on a good ground with a good wicket, people want to turn up and watch.

“We were slightly off in every facet of the game. We mentioned it after the last game and we were probably a little bit worse again tonight.

“We didn’t quite execute with the ball and probably let them back in at the back end. With the bat we probably had a little bit of a handbrake on at times and and couldn’t get ourselves going.”

England’s hopes of regaining the Women’s Ashes are on a knife edge but Sarah Glenn insisted there is no mental block on them despite Australia continuing their stranglehold in this series.

In both the lone Test at Trent Bridge and the first of three T20s at Edgbaston, England had their moments but it was all-conquering Australia who prevailed in both to establish a 6-0 lead on points.

There is now no more margin for error if England are to win this multi-format series for the first time since 2013/14 – with two T20s and three ODIs still to play against the double world champions.

Heather Knight’s side have not defeated Australia in any format since February 2020 but leg-spinner Glenn is keeping the faith and asserted there is no psychological hurdle for England to clear.

Glenn told the PA news agency: “I feel like we already believe we can beat them. If you look at the T20 the other night, it was so close so I don’t think if we win we’ll go ‘oh wait, we can beat them’.

“We know we can beat them, we’ve got the potential to but we also know they are a top-class side and they’ve been winning for a long time. When you have that momentum, it can be very hard to break.

“The momentum shift can work in crazy ways so we’re still really hopeful. But a win or loss doesn’t define us. It’s about how we play our cricket.

“We were naturally disappointed and coming so close you do have that frustrating ‘what if’ feeling. But it’s still quite a positive camp and we’re just taking it day-by-day and enjoying the journey.”

The message from Knight and head coach Jon Lewis has been to entertain and inspire this summer and was repeated by Glenn, whose two wickets threatened an unlikely England comeback in Birmingham on Saturday.

Australia were cruising on 130 for two in pursuit of 154 but Glenn snared Ashleigh Gardner and the dangerous Grace Harris with her last two deliveries before the match built towards a grandstand finish.

Australia were always in pole position but it was not until the penultimate ball that Georgia Wareham punched spinner Sophie Ecclestone into the covers and scampered a nervy single to get them home.

Glenn added: “The battle is part of the fun. When it doesn’t go your way, it might be a bit less fun but you’ve just got to stick to your guns and not go into your shell.

“Me and Sophie thrive off that, trying to be really positive and take wickets.

“We really put up a fight as well, there were lots of little battles that were so close to going our way. We’re getting that feeling of ‘that was so close’ much more often. The gap is definitely closing.”

The second and third T20s will take place at the Kia Oval and Lord’s respectively and it is hoped there will be a high turnout as there was at Edgbaston – where a lively 19,527 crowd was in attendance.

It came at the end of a bruising week for the sport, with the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket finding racism, sexism, classism and elitism is entrenched in cricket in England and Wales.

But Glenn can sense the changing attitudes towards women’s cricket as she and her England team-mates spoke to the supporters after Saturday’s T20, signing pictures and taking pictures with them.

She added: “It was so nice to see everyone after and a lot of the discussions were just about how inspired they were. It’s amazing to see the support.

“Those little conversations make the world of difference. I remember when I was younger and I was the one with a hat to be signed, and the odd conversation I had with a cricketer really sticks with you.”

Amy Jones is relishing five more nip-and-tuck contests against Australia despite England’s hopes of regaining the Women’s Ashes taking another hit after defeat in the first T20.

England went toe-to-toe with their arch rivals in the lone Test before losing by 89 runs, while Australia only sealed a nervy four-wicket win off the penultimate delivery in the first of three T20s.

But Australia have established a 6-0 lead on points, which means – barring weather interventions – England must win the two remaining T20s and three ODIs to prevail in the multi-format series.

Doing so against the T20 and ODI world champions is a big ask but Jones feels the gap between the two sides is growing ever narrower after a past few years in which Australia have swept all before them.

“With a side like Australia there’s going to be lots of close games,” Jones said after playing in front of a 19,527 crowd at Edgbaston, a record English audience for a women’s match outside of a World Cup.

“Every game we need to win but every game you play for England feels like you need to win anyway, it’s not so different. I think we’re in for five really close games. Hopefully we win the next one and it keeps going.

“The gap feels like it’s closing. They’ve earned the right to have all those compliments and they have been formidable over the last few years.

“We’ve felt like underdogs the whole way through but after the Test and this T20, the confidence is growing and it feels to us like the gap is closing. That’s a really exciting feeling amongst us.”

Sophia Dunkley registered 56 off 49 balls but after England lurched from 106 for three to 118 for seven, Jones sparkled with 40 not out off 21 deliveries including two sixes and four fours.

Jones’ contribution lifted England to 153 for seven, which felt like a competitive total at halfway, although Australia, led by opening batter Beth Mooney, seemed to be cruising for much of the chase.

But England battled back as their opponents stumbled from 130 for two to 140 for five, only for Mooney’s unbeaten 61 from 47 balls to leave just a single required from the last five deliveries.

There was still a twist in the tale as Sophie Ecclestone bowled two dots before Annabel Sutherland was dismissed following a wild heave, but Georgia Wareham’s nervy cut and run got them over the line.

“It’s a bit harder to take being so close but there’s definitely positives,” Jones said.

“The difference was Beth Mooney. Having someone bat the whole innings was crucial, especially in a chase. She stayed really calm, she’s a really experienced run-scorer and she proved it again here.”

Jess Jonassen took the prize wicket of Nat Sciver-Brunt then dismissed the debuting Danielle Gibson and Ecclestone off successive balls, while she was carded as the next batter to come in after Wareham.

The spin bowling all-rounder was relieved she did not have to make her way out to the middle in what turned out to be a gripping climax.

“Myself along with a few others were a little bit nervous,” Jonassen said. “It got quite tight there at the end.

“But it was an incredible spectacle – it’s followed on from what the Test brought everyone and that’s pure entertainment.

“We’re pleased to get over the line and get another two points but it was very, very close.”

England’s hopes of regaining the Women’s Ashes are hanging by a thread as Australia defied some late drama in the first T20 to reel in a target of 154 in front of a bumper Edgbaston crowd.

Australia were cruising on 130 for two before stumbling to 140 for five and while they needed just a single off the last five balls, a four-wicket victory was not secured until the penultimate delivery.

Beth Mooney’s 61 not out off 47 balls, plus cameos from Tahlia McGrath (40 off 29) and Ashleigh Gardner (31 off 23), underpinned the successful chase as England fell 6-0 down in the multi-format series with 10 points to play for.

Having also been beaten in the lone Test, England face having to win all five remaining matches – two T20s and three ODIs – to win the series against a side who are world champions in both formats.

Lauren Bell, Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn each took a couple of wickets to take this match to the wire, but Georgia Wareham was able to scramble a single after punching to cover to get Australia home.

Sophia Dunkley had earlier top-scored with 56 off 49 balls in England’s 153 for seven, a total in which only three of the home side’s batters reached double figures, while they were grateful for Amy Jones’ unbeaten 40 off 21 balls having lost four wickets for 12 runs in front of a 19,527 attendance.

Jon Lewis insisted optimism is higher than ever within the England dressing room despite defeat in the lone Test leaving them with an uphill struggle in the Women’s Ashes.

Australia’s 89-run triumph at Trent Bridge handed them a 4-0 points lead, meaning England have to win at least four and more likely five of the six white-ball matches to prevail in the multi-format series.

The last time England beat Australia when the Ashes was still in the balance was in October 2017 – they also won twice the following month and in July 2019 but those games were effectively dead rubbers.

History might be against them but England head coach Lewis believes many of his players see Australia, the ODI and T20 world champions and Commonwealth Games gold medallists, through a different lens.

“I think the belief has grown,” Lewis said. “We came in with a little bit of unknown and trepidation, not quite sure how things were going to pan out.

“Four or five players reflected to me that one of the biggest things they’ve learned is how close they are to beating this Australia side.

“We played some really exciting cricket across the five days and Australia just did it for a little bit longer and a little bit better. But we’re encouraged by that performance.

“I know it sounds strange when we lost the game but I can really sense the belief in the dressing room that we can win both white-ball series.”

Lewis – who worked briefly as a bowling coach for the England men’s side under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes – and captain Heather Knight have tried to foster a more proactive mindset in recent months.

Knight lamented England had been “too aggressive” in their pursuit of wickets in Australia’s second innings which ultimately allowed the tourists to get to a total that was out of reach.

“I don’t think (Heather) was too aggressive at all,” Lewis said. “We could have executed our skills better. What happened is the girls just tried too hard, which can happen in games of multi-day cricket.

“Is that the thing that cost us the game? I don’t think so. We said we were going to take the game on at every opportunity and at times you have to absorb pressure from the opposition in long games.

“I couldn’t be happier with the mindset the girls went out to play with.”

England have little time to lick their wounds with the first of three T20s – each worth two points, the same as the three ODIs that follow – at Edgbaston on Saturday evening.

While Lauren Filer made an impression on international debut as her pace troubled Australia’s batters at Nottingham, her inexperience and raw ability means she is unlikely to be included in the T20 squad.

“She’s left a couple of scars on the Australian team,” Lewis said. “I think she’s really well suited to Test cricket – being able to bowl multiple short balls and to have the field a bit more spread.

“You’ve got to remember she’s 22 years old, I don’t know how many games of cricket she’s played, I can’t imagine it’s many more than 20-25 in her professional career.”

Similarly, Tammy Beaumont’s exclusion from the sprint format team – she was dropped last year because of a 108.37 strike-rate – seems set to continue despite a historic double century at the weekend.

However, Lewis added: “She’s moved very much further forward in our thinking. Tammy’s really turning the screw on everyone in this side because she’s pretty vocal that she wants to play T20 cricket.”

England have been left with a mountain to climb to regain the Women’s Ashes after Australia seized the upper hand in the multi-format series by triumphing in the lone Test.

Resuming on 116 for five in pursuit of 268 on a final day where Trent Bridge threw open its gates free of charge, England subsided to 178 all out inside 90 minutes despite a defiant 54 from Danni Wyatt.

Wily off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner’s eight for 66 saw her walk away with a 12-wicket match haul as Australia claimed an 89-run victory to collect four all-important points ahead of the ODIs and T20s.

If England are to retrieve the urn for the first time since 2015 they will have to prevail in five of the six white-ball contests against the ODI and T20 world champions, with two points per win on offer.

Sophie Ecclestone fervently believes England can still win the lone Women’s Ashes Test, insisting she would have “bitten your hand off” for the difficult position they find themselves in.

England took to the field on the penultimate day at Trent Bridge with a telling-off from head coach Jon Lewis still ringing in their ears after Australia had racked up 82 in 19 overs late on Saturday.

But Ecclestone showed why she is widely regarded as the world’s best women’s spinner with another five-wicket haul to finish with 10 for the match as Australia collapsed from 149 for one to 257 all out.

England’s openers put on 55 in their pursuit of 268 to draw first blood in this multi-format series but Ashleigh Gardner snared Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight as the hosts wobbled.

They closed on 116 for five and need another 152 but their fightback with the ball has convinced Ecclestone the Test remains in the balance.

“We’ll always believe in that dressing room,” she said. “We’re definitely going into it ready to win that Test match. I’m absolutely backing our team to do that.

“We’d have bitten your hand off for this situation (on Saturday) after our disappointment. We had a bit of a rocket so we had to go at them early, put a lot of pressure on them, put it all back on them.

“We definitely showed that. I’m really proud of this team. We’re just going to go away and we’ve got to figure out how we’re going to win the Test match.”

Ecclestone was selected as England’s lone frontline spinner and has been one of the Test’s standout performers with remarkable figures of 77.1-16-192-10 on a pitch that is becoming increasingly tired.

The odd delivery has kept low while Gardner extracted prodigious turn to trap Knight on the crease late on in Sunday’s evening session. Gardner is one of three Australia spinners although Alana King did not bowl in England’s second innings after sustaining a painful blow to her elbow when batting.

While Ecclestone conceded she did not anticipate bowling as many overs as she has, she is appreciative of doing so after becoming just the fourth English woman to take a 10-wicket match haul.

“I’m absolutely buzzing,” she said. “There’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of overs put in up until this point. I really wanted a five-for and to get two I’m absolutely made up.

“I knew I was going to bowl a lot of overs, I didn’t think it would be this many but I’m grateful that I was bowling a lot as I’ve come out with 10 wickets and I’m made up with that.”

As for how she prepared for the enormous workload she took on, Ecclestone said: “Not much, just made sure I played as much golf as I could to get out and about and take my mind off cricket.

“I think you can’t really prepare for that, you’ve just got to go with it and be tough in the mind.”

Ecclestone was similarly phlegmatic when asked to explain England losing four wickets in 29 deliveries before Test debutant Danni Wyatt and nightwatcher Kate Cross got them to stumps.

“It just shows that Test cricket changes so fast,” she added. “Dan and Crossy played really well to get us through to the end of the day. We’ll have to come back and put them back under pressure.”

Half-centuries from Beth Mooney, out for 85, and captain Alyssa Healy, who ended a run of three Test ducks in a row with a crucial 50 after demoting herself to number eight, buttressed Australia’s total.

That they are in pole position to claim a first Ashes Test win since 2015 – there have been three successive draws – owes much to extending this contest from the customary four days into a fifth.

The notion was proposed by the England and Wales Cricket Board and accepted by Cricket Australia last year, and there is a prospect of a thrilling finish – with four points available for a win.

“This is a sign of why it’s important,” Mooney said. “At a really critical point it would be a real shame if it just petered out (into a draw), so credit to the ECB.”

Sophie Ecclestone fervently believes England can still win the lone Women’s Ashes Test, insisting she would have “bitten your hand off” for the difficult position they find themselves in.

England took to the field on the penultimate day at Trent Bridge with a telling-off from head coach Jon Lewis still ringing in their ears after Australia had racked up 82 in 19 overs late on Saturday.

But Ecclestone showed why she is widely regarded as the world’s best women’s spinner with another five-wicket haul to finish with 10 for the match as Australia collapsed from 149 for one to 257 all out.

England’s openers put on 55 in their pursuit of 268 to draw first blood in this multi-format series but Ashleigh Gardner snared Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight as the hosts wobbled.

They closed on 116 for five and need another 152 but their fightback with the ball has convinced Ecclestone the Test remains in the balance.

“We’ll always believe in that dressing room,” she said. “We’re definitely going into it ready to win that Test match. I’m absolutely backing our team to do that.

“We’d have bitten your hand off for this situation (on Saturday) after our disappointment. We had a bit of a rocket so we had to go at them early, put a lot of pressure on them, put it all back on them.

“We definitely showed that. I’m really proud of this team. We’re just going to go away and we’ve got to figure out how we’re going to win the Test match.”

Ecclestone was selected as England’s lone frontline spinner and has been one of the Test’s standout performers with remarkable figures of 77.1-16-192-10 on a pitch that is becoming increasingly tired.

The odd delivery has kept low while Gardner extracted prodigious turn to trap Knight on the crease late on in Sunday’s evening session. Gardner is one of three Australia spinners although Alana King did not bowl in England’s second innings after sustaining a painful blow to her elbow when batting.

While Ecclestone conceded she did not anticipate bowling as many overs as she has, she is appreciative of doing so after becoming just the fourth English woman to take a 10-wicket match haul.

“I’m absolutely buzzing,” she said. “There’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of overs put in up until this point. I really wanted a five-for and to get two I’m absolutely made up.

“I knew I was going to bowl a lot of overs, I didn’t think it would be this many but I’m grateful that I was bowling a lot as I’ve come out with 10 wickets and I’m made up with that.”

As for how she prepared for the enormous workload she took on, Ecclestone said: “Not much, just made sure I played as much golf as I could to get out and about and take my mind off cricket.

“I think you can’t really prepare for that, you’ve just got to go with it and be tough in the mind.”

Ecclestone was similarly phlegmatic when asked to explain England losing four wickets in 29 deliveries before Test debutant Danni Wyatt and nightwatcher Kate Cross got them to stumps.

“It just shows that Test cricket changes so fast,” she added. “Dan and Crossy played really well to get us through to the end of the day. We’ll have to come back and put them back under pressure.”

Half-centuries from Beth Mooney, out for 85, and captain Alyssa Healy, who ended a run of three Test ducks in a row with a crucial 50 after demoting herself to number eight, buttressed Australia’s total.

That they are in pole position to claim a first Ashes Test win since 2015 – there have been three successive draws – owes much to extending this contest from the customary four days into a fifth.

The notion was proposed by the England and Wales Cricket Board and accepted by Cricket Australia last year, and there is a prospect of a thrilling finish – with four points available for a win.

“This is a sign of why it’s important,” Mooney said. “At a really critical point it would be a real shame if it just petered out (into a draw), so credit to the ECB.”

Lauren Filer made a crucial double breakthrough for England but Australia stretched their lead to 167 in the one-off Women’s Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

Cross atoned for dropping Phoebe Litchfield minutes into the fourth morning by uprooting the off-stump of the Australia opener, out leaving for the second time in the match on her Test bow.

England debutant Filer, meanwhile, accounted for the highly-rated Ellyse Perry and then took out the leg stump of Tahlia McGrath, but Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 73 helped to lift Australia to 157 for three.

Mooney put on 99 with Litchfield (46) and 50 with Perry (25) and was the beneficiary of being dropped on 55 as Nat Sciver-Brunt, having only bowled five overs in the first innings before a sore knee, spilled a difficult return catch with her first delivery in Australia’s second dig.

Despite Tammy Beaumont’s historic double century on Saturday, Australia had edged ahead through Mooney and Litchfield, who outlined her intentions on the penultimate morning with an uppish drive at Sophie Ecclestone. She was reprieved after Cross spilled a simple waist-high chance at extra cover.

Cross required strapping on her left thumb but was able to continue bowling, and the England seamer’s drop proved not to be too costly as she got a delivery to jag back alarmingly towards Litchfield, who offered no shot and lost her off stump.

There was movement and spin in sunny and blustery conditions but England were largely unable to take advantage. Mooney offered a sharp caught and bowled chance after passing 50 but Sciver-Brunt could not cling on in her follow-through despite getting both hands to the ball.

Heather Knight’s off-spin drew the outside edge of Perry on 21 but the ball flew between wicketkeeper and slip, but the talismanic Australia all-rounder’s luck ran out soon after as, leaning back and shaping to cut, she merely inside edged on to her stumps.

Cheered on by the Nottingham crowd, Filer struck in her next over as a fuller, pacy delivery proved too much for McGrath, whose leg stump was flattened, in a second successive wicket maiden for the England youngster.