Key events
And here’s Geoff Lemon’s take on the day:
James Wallace
Raf Nicholson’s match report has landed which is my cue to say farewell. Thanks for joining us, we’ll be back to bring you the second Ashes ODI from Melbourne on Tuesday morning Aus/Monday evening UK. Until then, goodbye!
Ash Gardner bags the player of the match prize. She took 3-19 and saw her side over the line with 42* avec the bat:
I just tried to keep the stumps in play with my variations (with the ball) whether that was turn and bounce or lack of turn, just trying to play into that natural variation.
With the bat it was trying to counteract that. We know Sophie Ecclestone plays a huge role for them and just being able to counteract that and play good shots off good balls. It was an unusual pitch for North Sydney, a lot more turn than what we’re used to. There was a little bit of tennis-ball bounce. We probably thought it would flatten out which it didn’t do but it played into our hands.”
We’ll get some reaction from the players in a tic. Australia weren’t at their best today but they didn’t need to be, England failed to bat out their overs and didn’t capitalise on some decent starts in their top order to go on and post a challenging total. Defending 204 runs against the gun Aussie batting card was always going to be tricky and so it proved. The home side lost a few more wickets than they would have like but Alyssa Healy anchored the innings with aplomb and Ash Gardner and Beth Mooney added solid support.
It could have been a lot tighter had England held their catches and been thriftier with the ball, too many four balls and a return of the butterfingers that blighted their recent T20 World campaign were a worrying sight in Sydney today. Heather Knight will take some solace in the fact that they stayed in the game despite being under par, they’ll need to up their game in all departments if they are to take this Ashes deep and still be in with a shot at the urn by the time of the Test match denouement.
Australia win by 4 wickets (with 67 balls remaining)
That’s it! King clubs Sciver-Brunt down the ground to get the win for Australia. They’ve bossed an under par England and take the points to go 2-0 up in the 2025 Ashes.
38th over: Australia 202-6 (Gardner 42, King 7) Gardner drives back past Filer for four. Alana King is a dangerous lower order batter and she wastes no time in getting to work in the middle, an expansive drive is flayed away for a second boundary. Australia need just three more now…
37th over: Australia 192-6 (Gardner 38, King 2) Alana King joins Gardner with Australia needing 22 runs. England need 4 very quick wickets. DROP! Another absolute goober from England, Sophie Ecclestone the culprit this time. Gardner plinked a full toss from Bell to mid off and Ecclestone had it for an age before tumbling to the floor and losing control. She can’t believe what she’s done. If that is taken then suddenly England need just three wickets and can make Australia sweat a little.
As it is, Gardner pulls for four a couple of balls later and England are suckerpunched, largely by themselves.
England’s catching has veered from the sublime to the ridiculous, Wyatt-Hodge and Bouchier can hold their heads high but simple dropped catches from Ecclestone and Capsey will stick in the craw, if not in the hands.
WICKET! McGrath c Bouchier b Ecclestone 2 (Australia 182-5)
Ecclestone into her final over, she’s not been able to bend this match to her will and the Aussie batters have set a precedent by looking to use their feet and get after her. Ash Gardner launches down the ground for another one bounce four.
Whaddagrab! Maia Bouchier pulls off a diving catch at point to see the back of McGrath and get Ecclestone her second wicket. Too little too late for England?
35th over: Australia 176-5 (Gardner 26, McGrath 2) Bell tries a slower ball bouncer and befuddles McGrath but also beats Amy Jones who somehow lets the ball get past her and away for four. Double teapots all round for England. Jones waves a glove to say sorry, it kind of sums up England’s day, they’ve been sloppy in all three departments.
34th over: Australia 171-5 (Gardner 25, McGrath 2) Just a Gardner single off Ecclestone as the miserly spinner tries to crank up the pressure cooker.
33rd over: Australia 170-5 (Gardner 24, McGrath 2) Lauren Bell into her seventh over, she’s been the pick of England’s bowlers today and has 1-15 so far for her efforts.
The official NSG crowd attendance is confirmed to be 6236, Sam Letcher is buying at least half of them a pint. Meet him at the bar, Sam? Sam?
32nd over: Australia 166-5 (Gardner 21, McGrath 2) Tahlia McGrath joins Ash Gardner in the middle with Australia needing 41 more runs. Can England get their Boa Constrictor on? Two runs to McGrath with a long limbed drive into the covers.
WICKET! Healy b Dean 70 (Australia 164-5)
Healy is gone! She yorks herself by coming down the wicket to a full ball from Charlie Dean, the ball skims under her blade and rattles the timbers. Healy throws her head back in frustration, she dearly wanted to be there at the end to see her side over the line but she’s surely done enough? Surely? Shirley?
31st over: Australia 164-4 (Healy 70, Gardner 21) Lauren Bell returns after a slurp of electrolytes but Alyssa Healy greets her with a crunching cover drive for four.
30th over: Australia 159-4 (Healy 65, Gardner 21) Ash Gardner has all the shots and she dusts off a skimming over drive for four to take Australia to within 46 runs from victory and to drinks.
Speaking of which – Sam Letcher in the crowd at the North Sydney Oval is spittin’ feathers…
“Live from the NSO, James. A packed stadium but the bars ran out of beer one hour after opening… big queues at the only remaining bar with beer!”
It’s 5am here in London Sam, a bit early for me.
“England have been off the pace today. A few batting starts but no one followed through with a big score. NSB and Heather Knight both threw their wickets away within an over of each other to the same bowler with the same shot! Australia bowled excellently though – consistent throughout.
England bowling has been okay – too many wides and loose balls. They look like they need a warm up match or two! Perry being dropped off Filer could have been a turning point. England had a chance to get a foothold in the Ashes but a sloppy start has put them on the back foot for the series, but hope remains!”
29th over: Australia 153-4 (Healy 64, Gardner 16) Sublime from Ecclestone as she stitches together a maiden in double-quick time.
28th over: Australia 153-4 (Healy 64, Gardner 16) Charlie Dean replaces Lauren Filer but the youngster is still shonking down a bad ball per over, Ash Gardner doesn’t miss out and rocks back to pull powerfully for four. Six runs off the over. Ecclestone has three overs left, can she pull a rabbit (or three) from the hat?
27th over: Australia 146-4 (Healy 62, Gardner 11) A great battle brewing between Gardner and Ecclestone. The Aussie takes the spoils in this over with a towering SIX down the ground! What a shot. The floodlights are turned on in Sydney, no sign of the wet stuff just yet but its looking more ominous.
Australia need 59 more runs to win.
26th over: Australia 138-4 (Healy 61, Gardner 4) Seven off Filer’s seventh, Healy climbs into a short ball and pulls for four through midwicket. Clouds rolling in and wind whipping up at Sydney, Australia are well ahead on the DLS rate AT THE MOMENT…
25th over: Australia 131-4 (Healy 56, Gardner 2) Ecclestone nearly cleans up her fellow spinner Gardner with one that grips and fizzes past the edge. Gardner gets a single and scampers off strike. Shot! Healy dances down the wicket to make a length ball into a half-volley and drives in-to-out over cover for four.
24th over: Australia 126-4 (Healy 52, Gardner 1) Ash Gardner joins her captain in the middle. Three runs and a wicket off Filer’s sixth over, England’s only route to win the game is via Wicketsville. A flurry here would make things interesting.
WICKET! Sutherland c Wyatt b Filer 10 (Australia 124-4)
After a decent few overs of keeping the Aussie run rate in check England get their reward with a much needed wicket! Filer gets her second wicket as Sutherland attempts to pull a short ball from outside off, too much of a fetch and the top edge swirls into Wyatt-Hodge’s safe hands tumbling in from the midwicket boundary. England just about keeping themselves in this match.
23rd over: Australia 123-3 (Healy 51, Sutherland 10) Just a single off Ecclestone to Healy. Australia need 82 more runs off a whole lotta overs BUT there are apparently a few storms broiling away on the west of Sydney, just to add a bit of meteorological intrigue to this chase…
22nd over: Australia 122-3 (Healy 50, Sutherland 10) There’s fifty for Alyssa Healy! A true captain’s knock to set the stall out in this Ashes series. She gets there with a cover drive for a single and barely acknowledges the milestone at all, chewing her gum with real vigour, she very much gives off a ‘the job’s not done yet’ vibe. Gulp.
21st over: Australia 120-3 (Healy 49, Sutherland 10) Healy approaches a half century with a square drive for two and a single in the same region. Three runs off Ecclestone’s fourth over.
Lauren Filer is being called upon for her second spell, she was a little wayward in her first, as all England’s bowlers have been, barring Ecclestone.
20th over: Australia 117-3 (Healy 46, Sutherland 10) Gah! Charlie Dean hasn’t been at her best today, she cuts a frustrated and forlorn figure as a drag down is slapped to the fine leg fence by Sutherland. That’s help yourself bowling I’m afraid.
19th over: Australia 111-3 (Healy 45, Sutherland 5) Sutherland dances down to Ecclestone and lifts over the top for a one bounce four! I wonder if the Aussies have decided that attack is the best form of defence against her? Poke and prod and Ecclestone will get you soon enough, it’s not a bad tactic.
Australia’s target below three figures now, they need 94 more runs off 31 overs. England need wickets, pronto.
18th over: Australia 105-3 (Healy 44, Sutherland 0) Healy is still there for Australia, England would dearly love to prise her out. Not this over, a single clipped into the leg side as the Aussie skipper continues on her merry way.
17th over: Australia 104-3 (Healy 43, Sutherland 0) Annabel Sutherland comes in at number five. The Aussies keep on coming. Ayeeechi! Ecclestone rips one past her outside edge second ball to end the over. Can the number one bowler in the world apply some pressure here?
Go on then.
WICKET! Mooney c Wyatt b Ecclestone 28 (Australia 104-3)
Beth Mooney trots down the wicket and launches Sophie Ecclestone for SIX over midwicket. What a shot that is. Spectacular batting. Gone now though! Mooney tries to repeat the exact same shot the next ball but loses her shape and doesn’t get the distance, Wyatt takes a good catch in the deep and England get the much needed breakthrough.
16th over: Australia 97-2 (Healy 41, Mooney 22) England lose a review as they go upstairs for a Beth Mooney LBW appeal but the snicko shows the batter got a tickle on it. No dice. Mooney then shows off velveteen hands and Swiss clock timing by unfurling a late cut that runs away for four. Delightful.
15th over: Australia 91-2 (Healy 41, Mooney 11) Sophie Ecclestone starts off after drinks. Can she claw things back for her side? Close! Mooney attempts a sweep and is very nearly clean bowled but the ball evades both the leg stump and Amy Jones’ gloves to run away for four. Australia still rattling away at over six an over, more than double what they need.
14th over: Australia 91-2 (Healy 41, Mooney 17) The boundaries continue to be peppered in Sydney! Mooney sweeps Dean off middle stump and the young spinner’s head seems to drop, a drag down is then carted away for four more. Ten off the over and time for a drink.
England need something strong, Australia are cruising this run chase and Heather Knight’s side look shellshocked. There have been far too many boundary balls, at least one an over from all the bowlers used so far. The visitors very much missing the injured Kate Cross’ parsimony with the ball. A few more loose overs and the first Ashes points will be in the bag for Australia.
13th over: Australia 75-2 (Healy 40, Mooney 16) NSB continues but she can’t stem the flow of runs, scrappy stuff as she spears one down the leg side that goes for five wides with Amy Jones stood up to the stumps. Healy swivels a pull away for four past square leg and Mooney holds the pose after bunting over mid off for four more! Fifteen off the over and the wheels coming off for England.
12th over: Australia 60-2 (Healy 30, Mooney 6) Just a Healy single off Charlie Dean who settles into her spell. Sun still beating down in Sydney, England feeling the heat at the moment.
11th over: Australia 59-2 (Healy 29, Mooney 6) Nat Sciver-Brunt replaces Lauren Bell, Beth Mooney oozes class with a cover drive threaded for four.
10th over: Australia 53-2 (Healy 29, Mooney 1) Charlie Dean is summoned by Heather Knight, first use of spin for England. They’ve got the magnificent Sophie Ecclestone up their sleeve too. They’ll need her at her best. Healy takes a shine to Dean’s offerings, driving a full ball for four and then swepping off a length to find the second boundary of the over. Fifty up after ten overs, the run rate not a problem.
9th over: Australia 45-2 (Healy 21, Mooney 1) Beth Mooney arrives in the middle to join her skipper. This Aussie batting card gives you no let up whatsoever.
WICKET! Perry lbw b Bell 14 (Australia 43-2)
Huge wicket for England! Huge sigh of relief from Alice Capsey as her drop doesn’t cost England the game. Bell pins Perry stone dead as the batter takes a step across her stumps and the ball scuds into her shin bang in front of middle stump!
8th over: Australia 43-1 (Healy 20, Perry 14) The Aussies take a mighty bite out of the target with 19 runs coming off Filer’s over, the most expensive of the match so far. A loose ball is helped for four by Perry down the leg side before a rapier cut is sent through point by Healy for four more. An inside edge races past Amy Jones behind the stumps to make three boundaries in succession.
Filer looks a bit rattled as she slides a wide down the leg side and the batters scamper a single. Bosh! Healy leans on a cover drive to make it four boundaries off the over. Australia cooking on gas.
7th over: Australia 24-1 (Healy 8, Perry 12) England lick their wounds after that huge drop by Capsey. Bell keeps it tight with just a single off the over, an overthrow by Charlie Dean. You’re still thinking about that drop aren’t you?
6th over: Australia 23-1 (Healy 8, Perry 11) Filer bangs one in short and Perry has a bit of a flap at it. England think she might have got a bit of glove on it but the replay shows it was thigh pad. Short afgain, Perry pulls again and is DROPPED! Oh my days, that’s a stinker from Alice Capsey on the square leg boundary! The ball went to her at waist height and it plopped in and straight out of her hands. Perry survives and immediately pulls the next ball for four! Salt, meet Wound.
England cannot afford to gift chances like that to this stonking Aussie batting card, especially with a relatively meagre target on the board. Capsey looks like she wants the ground to swallow her up, there is no worse a feeling on a cricket field.
Alyssa Healy is given out LBW to Bell but sends it upstairs immediately and it is OVERTURNED! Eeeesht. Lovely delivery from Bell who darted the ball back off a length, the ball thunked into Healy’s thigh pad and ball tracking had it missing the bails by an inch or two. Healy and Australia breath a huge sigh of relief, two down in the first powerplay would not be the ideal start for the home side.
It’s a maiden from Bell, she takes cap with a rueful smile, she would have been beaming if that ball had kept a teensie bit lower. Nip and tuck out there at the minute.
5th over: Australia 18-1 (Healy 4, Perry 7)
4th over: Australia 18-1 (Healy 4, Perry 7) Filer bounds in with a slip and short leg in place. There’s movement off the seam but a drag down is absolutely creamed to the fence by Perry, showing every ounce of her class with a rasping cut shot.
3rd over: Australia 9-1 (Healy 2, Perry 2) Filer looked sharp in her first over and Bell is in the groove too. Just three off her second over, Healy gets an inside edge to bring Healy on strike and the slip is whipped out again by Knight. Three dots and a Healy glide down to third to end the over. Engrossing stuff in Sydney.
2nd over: Australia 9-1 (Healy 1, Perry 1) Ellyse Perry comes out to join Healy, she’s got her battered green helmet on and a whole heap of experience. Even she is feeling the nerves though, an edgy single sees her get off the mark after a bit of to and fro between batters.
WICKET! Litchfield c Jones b Filer 4 (Australia 8-1)
Gone! Lauren Filer picks up the dangerous Litchfield in her first over! The opener poking out in front of her pad at a ball that swung prodigiously from outside leg stump and took the edge just outside off. England off to a flier*!
*Spot the anagram!
1st over: Australia 3-0 (Healy 1, Litchfield 0) The lissom limbed bell runs in with the sun beating down on her back in Sydney. England need early wickets to make a game of this.
Bell sends down a full toss that glances off Litchfield’s pad to get Australia underway with a leg bye. Heather Knight takes out the solitary slip with Healy on strike. Not sure about that from England’s skipper. Her opposite number gets off the mark with a glance off the pads and another scampered leg bye makes it three runs off the first over.
James Wallace
Thanks Tanya and hello all. Straight down to brass tacks as Lauren Bell has the ball in hand! Are the Aussies going to make short shrift of this target… let’s find out!
England looked a little sleepy out there with the bat. Heather Knight the top-scorer with 39, in fact a few players getting starts, but no-one going on to anything substantial. A few dismissals that won’t make the highlights reels. Australia were smart and business like with the ball (though they did let a couple of catches slip through their fingers) with Gardner (3-19) and Alana King (2-35) the pick. England will need something special from their bowlers to pull this one away from Australia’s clutches.
I’m going to head off to bed now so you’re spared any more of my heavy-eyed typing, but the bushy-tailed Jim Wallace will take you through to stumps. Bye!
“You never want to be bowled out,” says Alex Hartley in peach. “It’s not ideal from England at all, being bowled out in 50 overs. “I think England will get some swing with the new ball though.”
A very happy crowd, a very happy Australia as England are bowled out with plenty of runs still out there. Bell and Filer look very perky as they stroll off though, so maybe they think they can do something special on this “two-paced” pitch. 204 does seem more than a little light.
WICKET! Bell b Gardner 1 (England 204 all out)
…But it will have to be with the ball as Lauren Bell goes back to Gardner and loses her off stump! England all out with nearly seven overs unused.
43rd over: England 204-9 (Filer 8, Bell 1) It’s down to the Laurens now.
WICKET! Ecclestone c Gardner b Brown 16 (England 203-9)
Not her best shot. Gets a leading edge to Gardner and the ball billows obediently to Gardner at midwicket. Covers her face with her bat as she trudges off.
42nd over: England 201-8 (Ecclestone 14, Filer 8) Lauren Filer celebrates her Ashes debut by ushering her first two balls, from Sutherland for four, quite spoiling her bowling figures. A top edge and a rather more elegant nudge.
WICKET! Wyatt-Hodge c Brown b Sutherland 38 (England 192-8)
Wyatt pulls round the corner and straight to the marauding Brown at fine leg
