Points shared as Ashes epic comes down to the last ball

Australia and England have played out a dramatic Test draw at Manuka Oval, after a remarkable fightback with the ball from the hosts in the dying overs denied the tourists' charge for victory.

Meg Lanning and Australia had dangled a carrot in front of England, declaring at 7-216 to set them a record target of 257 from 48 overs to win the one-off Test.

Needing 5.35 an over, and knowing a win would give them the lead in the Ashes, England boldly went after the target, and had looked on-track to pull off the greatest chase in the history of women's Tests.

But Australia, led by Annabel Sutherland (3-69) and Alana King (2-39) intervened, as England lost 6-27 to suddenly find themselves fighting to prevent a loss that would have ensured the Ashes remained with the hosts.

England skipper Heather Knight once again stood tall stroking 48 from 54 deliveries, and Natalie Sciver hit 58 from 62 in a typically hard-hitting innings.

But it was Sophia Dunkley, the 23-year-old who debuted for England just last year, who stole the show.

The right-hander arrived at the crease with 91 runs required and showed few signs of being overawed by the occasion, belting 45 from 32 deliveries.

But the game still had a major twist to come; King removed Dunkley with England 24 runs adrift of victory, before Sutherland had Katherine Brunt caught behind.

Anya Shrubsole was run out, then King had Charlie Dean skying a catch to Alyssa Healy behind the stumps, leaving England nine wickets down needing 13 from 12 deliveries.

Kate Cross navigated Sutherland's final over of the match to leave the equation 12 from six, then batted out King's last six balls to ensure her team walked away with two points.

England now need to win all three one-dayers to regain the Ashes, while Australia, leading 6-4, need just one victory to retain them.

Knight’s team had set out with good intent following Australia's declaration, with Tammy Beaumont striking seven boundaries in a 42-ball 36 that only ended when Rachael Haynes took a screamer at short extra cover.

Lauren Winfield-Hill was more sedate at the other end but offered stability, working her way to 33 from 65 deliveries before a second piece of Haynes magic ended her innings.

At 2-94 the powerful Sciver joined her captain in the middle and with white-ball aggression needed, the pair settling into a rhythm of regular boundaries, pushing the field wide as Lanning to rotated through her attack without answers.

As the target dipped below 100, teenage quick Darcie Brown entered the fray and managed what no one else all match and dismissed Knight. The England captain referred the lbw call but an umpire's call was enough to give the Australians the wicket they needed most.

She finished the match with an aggregate of 216 runs, with her second-innings 48 adding to her earlier unbeaten 168.

However if Australia thought the pressure might ease, they had underestimated Dunkley.

Brown thought she had the No.5 dismissed in the same fashion next ball, but the call was overturned on review.

From there Dunkley showed immediate intent as she scooped Ashleigh Gardner with a lap sweep before unleashing a staggering display, striking back-to-back sixes off Annabel Sutherland.

The match then took another turn when Sutherland had Sciver caught on the pull for 58, before dismissing Amy Jones for four.

With 33 needed from 34, Dunkley found the boundary to hand England back the advantage, but her attempt to take down King brought about her undoing, brilliantly caught by a diving Mooney deep long on, triggering the dramatic collapse that took the game down to the wire.

Earlier, after rain washed out the final two sessions of day three and stalled England's new-ball momentum (which had Australia 2-12), England desperately needed early wickets to put pressure on the hosts, who held a 52-run advantage.

Kate Cross created two opportunities, only for Amy Jones to put down a caught behind chance off Money on 40, before a mix-up between Jones and her captain Heather Knight at first slip gifted Perry a life on 35.

Their 91-run stand laid a foundation for Australia, with Mooney scoring a career-high Test score of 63 just 12 days after jaw surgery, which left her with metal plates on her face and living off a largely liquid diet.

Perry fell short of a half-century, trapped lbw by Sophie Ecclestone on 41, while Mooney was dismissed on the stroke of lunch, her lbw dismissal handing debutant Charlie Dean her first Test wicket.

Meg Lanning added 12 to the tally before she was caught at slip off the bowling of Brunt, who finished with 8-84 for the match.

As the lead ticked towards 200, Australia's intent became clearer with attacking play from Ashleigh Gardner (38 from 38) and Jess Jonassen (14no from six), before Lanning waved in her batters at 7-216 late in the second session.

It left England needing to pull off what would be a record chase, and while the tourists came oh-so-close, Knight’s side walked off sharing two points with their rivals ahead of an much anticipated ODI series.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes v England

Australia Ashes squad: Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Stella Campbell, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (vc), Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland

England Ashes squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver (vc), Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt

Australia lead the multi-format series 6-4

First T20: Australia won by nine wickets

Second T20: No Result

Third T20: Match Abandoned without a ball bowled

Test match: Match drawn

Feb 3: First ODI, Manuka Oval (D/N), 2.10pm AEDT

Feb 6: Second ODI, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT

Feb 8: Third ODI, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT