Australia maintain unbeaten Ashes run

The result: England 8-121 (Beaumont 43, Ecclestone 17no; Jonassen 2-19) lost to Australia 3-122 (Perry 47no, Lanning 43no) by seven wickets with 13 balls to spare in the second Ashes T20I at Hove

The match in a tweet:

The heroes: Ellyse Perry and Meg Lanning have both made their mark at various stages of this Ashes series and on Sunday they came together in a match-winning 87-run stand to keep Australia’s undefeated run firmly intact.

The early loss of Alyssa Healy (20), Beth Mooney (9) and Ashleigh Gardner (1) had the tourists in a spot of bother at 3-35, but when Perry joined her skipper at the crease with 87 required at a run a ball they steadied, regularly finding the boundary to keep the chase well in hand.

Perry, promoted to five for this series after batting at No.7 during the T20 World Cup last November, relished extra time at the crease, hitting the accelerator as Australia’s target moved closer and striking the sole six of the Australian innings.

She finished unbeaten on 47 from 39 deliveries, while Lanning followed up her 133no from the first T20 with 43no off 37.

The history: Perry became the first player, female or male, to take more than 100 wickets and score more than 1,000 runs in T20 Internationals, passing the 1000-run mark during her unbeaten knock.

The stat: Meg Lanning has now scored 333 runs without being dismissed in her last five T20I innings against England with scores of 41no, 88no, 28no, 133no and 43no.

The support acts: Another superb display from the Australian bowling attack, led by spinners Jess Jonassen (2-19) and Georgia Wareham (2-22) ensured regular England wickets fell, restricting the hosts to 8-121.

It took Ellyse Perry just two balls to strike, with Amy Jones (0) gifting a simple catch to cover before fellow opener Danni Wyatt (9) tried to advance down the wicket to Jonassen, only for Beth Mooney to hold on to an excellent running catch at mid-on.

Image Id: D111E5C104AA40BABC0B18D65B37BE6B Image Caption: Jonassen celebrates a wicket // Getty

Wareham struck with her first delivery to bowl the dangerous Natalie Sciver (8), and while some sloppy fielding gifted England extra runs and granted Tammy Beaumont two lives on 35 and 39, the England first drop wasn’t given a third life, bowled by Jonassen for 43.

Wareham could hardly believe her luck when England captain Heather Knight (17) spooned her a simple return catch, with her and Sophie Ecclestone (17no) the next highest scorers behind Beaumont.

The consolation effort: Beaumont was the shining light with the bat for England, scoring a 39-ball 43.

She came to the crease just three balls into the game after the early loss of Amy Jones and weathered the storm as wickets regularly fell at the other end, while also benefiting from two lives.

She was made to graft, finding the boundary just four times, but added crucial runs before she was bowled by Jonassen in the 13th over.

Image Id: 099890D405044B14AD723CAB4D7F2351 Image Caption: Healy completes a run out // Getty

The bunny: Jones fell to Perry for the fourth time in six innings this series, chipping a simple catch to Wareham at cover to depart for a two-ball duck.

From 25 balls Perry has delivered to Jones in this Ashes series, she’s got figures of 4-5.

 

The golfing great: Australia welcomed a special guest into their dugout, with Karrie Webb donning team kit for an inside look at the match.

Webb had hit the golf course with Healy and coach Matthew Mott on Saturday but on Sunday it was her turn to learn a bit more about the leather and willow.

 

Webb wasn’t the only famous Australian in attendance, either – Socceroos goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, who plays for Premiere League club Brighton, headed along to cheer on the green and gold.

The Ashes: Australia have officially won the multi-format, points-based series, holding a 12-2 lead with one T20I remaining.

In what was billed as a battle for the ages between the world’s two best teams – the world’s only two fully professional teams – Australia have been dominant, winning all three ODIs and drawing the Test before sealing a series win with a 93-run victory in the first T20I at Chelmsford.

 

The next stop: The final T20I – and the final game of the Ashes – will be played at Bristol County Ground on Wednesday at 6:30pm local time (3:30am Thursday AEST).

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk),Beth Mooney,Meg Lanning (c),Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner,Rachael Haynes,Sophie Molineux,Jess Jonassen,Georgia Wareham,Delissa Kimmince,Megan Schutt

England XI: Danni Wyatt, Amy Jones, Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver, Heather Knight, Lauren Winfield, Katherine Brunt, Georgia Elwiss, Sophie Ecclestone, Laura Marsh, Kate Cross

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

England T20 squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt

Australia lead England 12-2

First ODI: Australia won by two wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by four wickets

Third ODI:  Australia won by 194 runs

Only Test: Match Drawn

First T20: Australia won by 93 runs

July 28: Australia won by seven wickets

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol