Taylor finds form in big England win

Wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Taylor has sounded a warning to Australia ahead of their crucial Twenty20 series, slamming an unbeaten 93 in England's thumping tour match win in Sydney on Wednesday night.

Taylor found the boundary rope 10 times to save England from an otherwise below-par batting performance, with none of the six other batters used scoring more than 15.

The tourists finished with 5-146 from their 20 overs, which proved more than enough against a young Governor-General's XI at Drummoyne Oval.

The young Aussie side lost skipper Nicole Bolton for a duck from the first ball of the innings and were eventually bowled out for just 56 inside 16 overs. Katherine Brunt, Alex Hartley, Jenny Gunn and Nat Sciver each picked up two wickets.

The match served as a warm-up for England ahead of the resumption of the Women's Ashes, which will conclude with a three-game T20 series against Australia.

Trailing 6-4 in the multi-format series, England need to win all three T20 matches to regain the Ashes, assuming there are no washed out games.

England captain Heather Knight, like her counterpart Bolton, was dismissed for a duck from the first ball of the innings, but that early strike for the GG's XI brought the dangerous Taylor to the crease.

The right-hander quickly shifted from Test mode into the 20-over game and looked on track for three figures at one point in the innings, eventually finishing on 93 not out from 76 balls.

The Ashes resume on Friday with the first T20 at North Sydney Oval before the series concludes with games at Manuka Oval in Canberra on Sunday and Tuesday.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Australia lead England 4-2

Australia T20 squad: Sarah Aley, Alex Blackwell, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (c), Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.

England squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Nat Sciver, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt.

Schedule

First ODI Australia won by two wickets

Second ODI Australia won by 75 runs (DLS method)

Third ODI England won by 20 runs (DLS method)

Day-Night Test Match drawn

First T20 North Sydney Oval, November 17

North Sydney Charity Partner: McGrath Foundation

Second T20 Manuka Oval, November 19

Third T20 Manuka Oval, November 21

Canberra Charity Partner: Lord's Taverners ACT