Australia decimate England in maiden Ashes whitewash

Australia decimate England in maiden Ashes whitewash

Alana King took 5 wickets to finish with a match haul of 9 for 98 as Australia won by an innings and 122 runs against England in the one-off Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday (February 1). This completed a whitewash in the Women's Ashes for the first time.

Australia resumed the third day on 422 for 5 and lost their last five wickets for 18 runs in the morning session. Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Filer shared the spoils. Beth Mooney brought up her century in the opening over of the day.

Tahlia McGrath was dismissed by Ecclestone, triggering a lower order collapse. Filer had Kim Garth caught behind and Ecclestone trapped King leg before. Mooney was eventually bowled by Filer on 106. Ellyse Perry, batting with a hip injury, was dismissed by Ecclestone for 2.

England were bowled out for 148 in their second innings. Darcie Brown had Maia Bouchier out in the fourth over. Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight put on a 73-run stand for the second wicket, but Knight was dismissed by Ash Gardner.

Nat-Sciver Brunt was trapped leg before by King. Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge also fell quickly. Beaumont was out before dinner, edging a cut onto her stumps. Amy Jones was dismissed by Gardner before the break. Ryana Donald-Gay, Ecclestone and Filer offered some resistance, but England were all out.

Brief Scores:

England 170 (Nat-Sciver Brunt 51, Heather Knight 25; Alana King 4-45, Kim Garth 2-13) & 148 (Tammy Beaumont 47, Heather Knight 32; Alana King 5-53, Ash Gardner 4-39) beat Australia 440 (Annabel Sutherland 163, Beth Mooney 106; Sophie Ecclestone 5-143, Lauren Filer 2-86) by an innings and 122 runs