'Job not done' for Australia despite Ashes victory

Tahlia McGrath has declared Australia's job is not done, as they target an unprecedented Ashes whitewash.

Australia sealed an outright win in the multi-format series in dramatic circumstances on Thursday night, as a torrential downpour abruptly ended the match with five balls remaining.

At the time England still needed 18 runs but had a set skipper Heather Knight at the crease on 43 off just 19 deliveries.

With rain threatening all evening, all eyes had been on the par score throughout England's chase, which was neck-and-neck much of their innings.

Adding to the chaos was Australia's over rate, which had forced them to bring a fielder in for that final over. 

In the immediate aftermath, stand-in skipper McGrath said it had yet to sink in that she had led Australia to a 10-0 lead with one T20I and the Test remaining. 

"It hasn't quite sunk in yet," McGrath said following Australia's six-run (DLS) win. 

"There was just so much drama in that game and so much mental capacity taken up watching DLS, run rates, radars. 

"It was a weird way to wrap up and win the Ashes them out.

"(I'm) relieved, happy to win it this early ... it'll be nice when we get a chance as a group to properly celebrate together, but job not done, still two really big games to go."

The Aussies were forced to be content with simply retaining the Ashes in the United Kingdom in 2023, when England fought back from a 6-0 deficit to level the series 8-8.

This time Australia have sealed an outright win at the first possible opportunity, but McGrath was adamant that did not mean they would ease up the pressure heading into Saturday's third T20I in Adelaide.

No team has ever won the multi-format Ashes 16-0; England failed to win a match on their last visit in 2021-22, but still walked away with four points courtesy of two washed out T20Is and a drawn Test.

"(A whitewash) would be pretty special to us," McGrath said. 

"The Ashes (in 2023), retaining them in England didn't quite sit well with us, and we've been hungry for a while, looking forward to these Ashes for a very long time. 

"We've been playing some really good cricket, but we still feel like there's areas to improve. 

"I'm pretty excited to be playing at home at Adelaide Oval, and then that MCG Test match. 

"Test matches don't come around too often, let alone a pink-ball day-night at the MCG, so we are very excited and very keen to finish off this series really well.

"We just keep saying that it's not over yet. We're not done."

Thursday's T20I was the closest England have come to taking points off Australia since they arrived Down Under earlier this month.

When the umpires signalled for the covers to be brought on with five balls remaining, England captain Heather Knight tossed her bat aside in obvious frustration.

But with several minutes to process her disappointment, she acknowledged it had been the right call, and her frustration was the product of a difficult few weeks on tour, and aimed at the elements not the match officials.

"Obviously it was coming down pretty heavy, and it's continued (since the match ended)," Knight said.

"So just frustration that the game wasn't able to come to a climax … it was a brilliant game of cricket and felt like I could get us over the line, I felt really set, and like I had some really good boundary options on a very good cricket wicket. 

"So just disappointed that I wasn't able to try and give us a chance of getting over the line, and giving the crowd the finish they deserve.

"It was just frustration at the situation, not the umpires, it was the right decision to take us off."

McGrath continued her return to form with bat in hand, hitting an unbeaten 48 from 35 deliveries in Australia's 5-185.

She shared in a record unbroken 71-run sixth-wicket stand with Grace Harris and credited her powerful teammate for easing the pressure early in her innings.

It continued an upward trend for McGrath with the bat. The right-handed was dismissed for two and one in the first two one-dayers, but responded to strike 55 in the third ODI in Hobart, following up with 26 in the first T20I at the SCG.

"I was really disappointed with way I batted in the first two games, I went away from my natural game a little bit," McGrath said. 

"I like to take the game on, I like to move around the crease and I went away from that and went to my shell a little bit in the first two games. 

"I went back to a blueprint that has worked for me in the past, and just trying to be a bit braver, a bit more fearless. 

"Lucky enough that it's come off for the last couple of games."

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

Australia lead the multi-format series 10-0

First ODI: Australia won by six wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by 21 runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 86 runs

First T20I: Australia won by 57 runs

Second T20I: Australia win by 6 runs (DLS Method)

Third T20I: January 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 6.45pm ACDT (7.15pm AEDT)

Australia squad (ODI/T20Is): Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris+, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

England squad (ODI/T20Is): Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross*, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson+, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath+, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp+, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith+, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

* ODIs only; + T20Is only

Day-night Test: January 30 - February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT

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

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia until Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub