Aussie quicks striving for 'complete game': Perry

Not required with the ball during Australia's Ashes-retaining victory, Ellyse Perry's absence at the bowling crease signified the differing fortunes for Australia's quicks and spinners throughout their UK tour.

Australia's slow bowlers claimed all seven England wickets on Sunday in Southampton to successfully defend their imposing 7-282 by three runs, taking the spinners tally to 32 for the multi-format series, 10 ahead of their seam bowling counterparts.

Perry, Australia's all-time leading wicket-taker in women's internationals with 323, admitted the tourists were yet to put in a "complete performance" during the series' five white-ball matches, but believes when they do, they'll be able to take their game to "new level".

England have gone at an average of 7.64 runs an over against the new ball this series during the six-over T20 and 10-over one-day powerplay respectively, with their new approach of taking it to the all-conquering Australians paying dividends.

But with off-spinning allrounder Ashleigh Gardner handed the opening over in the second ODI with the Ashes on the line, and recalled leggie Alana King introduced in the sixth, they kept England to their second lowest scoring powerplay of the series (6.2 runs per over).

Notably, England's strike-rate against Australia's quicks has been 126.56 in the five limited-overs matches, compared to 96.36 against spin.

"It was obviously a really deliberate selection decision for us to have the four spinners in the team," said Perry following Australia's narrow victory at The Rose Bowl.

"And they did an amazing job. For Alana to come in and play her first white-ball game of the series and perform the way she did, Georgia (Wareham) has been consistent the whole way, Ash is so dependable and then 'JJ' (Jess Jonassen) closing out.

"I've just named four of the best spinners in the world there, which is amazing to have at our disposal."

King, named player-of-the-match for her 3-44 from 10 overs, claimed the wicket of England captain Heather Knight in the first over of her second spell before turning the momentum of the contest with a stunning leg-break.

With in-form batter Tammy Beaumont having effortlessly breezed her way to 60 from 61 balls, King delivered a drifting delivery that pitched on leg stump before it ripped past the outside edge, crashing into the opener's off-stump just as she looked set to take the game away from Australia.

King was recalled to the side in place of fast bowler Darcie Brown, partnering fellow leg-spinner Wareham for the first time in a one-day international for Australia.

Wareham claimed the first England wicket of Sophia Dunkley with her third delivery of the 12th over, but it was her demolition at the death with the bat that turned the match, crashing 26 runs from Lauren Bell in the final over of Australia's innings that left the hosts needing to pull off another record chase to stay alive in the series.

"We know with our batting order, we've obviously got great amount of depth and so it's just about someone having the opportunity to take responsibility at the top there and get us into a good position to be able to launch in the back end," said Perry.

"Particularly in 50-over cricket, you've just got to ride the ebbs and flows of the innings and I thought we did that really well.

"But it was special for Georgia to finish it the way that she did. It was probably the difference in the end."

Image Id: A09C7E665DD24BD88E81A57296E027F1

Australia have four 50-over matches remaining this tour – the third ODI against England in Taunton on Tuesday (beginning at 10pm AEST) where they will be out to win the Ashes outright, and three ODI Women's Championship matches against Ireland in Dublin.

Perry said Australia's quicks were still searching for that complete performance to take the pressure off their four-pronged spin attack.

"What our spinners have done really well is just build constant pressure," the 32-year-old said.

"From a pace group, and it's something that we'll keep working on, it presents a really awesome opportunity for us to take our game to a new level, just to be able to build that consistent pressure.

"I think we've bowled well in patches at times but often let players off the hook.

"And with England's aggressive approach, especially the start of their innings, that's kind of got away from us at different points in time.

"So I think that's why spin has been so effective; it's just the ability to maintain pressure throughout an over or a spell and then that's picked up wickets.

"The pace group have probably been off at different times but that's a really exciting thing because when we can get that right, then I think there's a complete game of cricket in us."

CommBank Ashes Tour of the UK 2023

Australia lead the multi-format series 8-6, have retained Ashes

Test: Australia won by 89 runs

First T20I: Australia won by four wickets

Second T20I: England won by three runs

Third T20I: England won by five wickets (DLS)

First ODI: England won by two wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by three runs

Third ODI: July 18 at The County Ground, Taunton, 1pm (10pm AEST)

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

England ODI squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt (vc), Issy Wong, Danielle Wyatt