Ruthless Aussies run through England to sweep T20Is

Australia have put on a masterclass with the ball and in the field to crush England and continue their unbeaten run in the third and final Ashes T20I, thrashing their battered and bruised rivals by 72 runs.

Beth Mooney (94no from 63) continued her purple patch with the bat, anchoring Australia's innings of 5-162 at Adelaide Oval.

England's chase was then nothing short of disastrous in the face of a clinical and ruthless Australia as they were bowled out for 90, much to the delight of the majority of the record 10,291 fans. 

Grace Harris had cheekily quipped following Thursday's second T20I that Australia now wanted to embarrass their Ashes foes and England's batting innings was a tick in that column.

Georgia Wareham (3-11) and Darcie Brown (2-25) led the way as England crumbled to 7-48, and were eventually bowled out in 17.3 overs.

Australia now lead the multi-format, points-based series 12-0 with just the day-night Test at the MCG to come starting Thursday, where they will be eyeing an unprecedented 16-0 whitewash.

England had made three changes for the final T20I including dropping opener Maia Bouchier, but Brown removed her replacement, an elevated Sophia Dunkley, with her first ball.

From there, it was a near total capitulation for the confidence-sapped tourists.

Alice Capsey, recalled to the XI, edged down the leg side off the bowling of Alana King, and had to depart for six following a clever review from Australia.

Annabel Sutherland's first two deliveries were dispatched by Danni Wyatt-Hodge to the boundary, and her third looked set for the same fate but for a brilliant diving save from Megan Schutt that kept it to one.

That exposed Natalie Sciver-Brunt (1) and Sutherland responded with a superb delivery that knocked over the star allrounder's off stump, then Wareham struck first ball as Wyatt-Hodge (17 off 15) holed out.

Amy Jones (0) was trapped lbw to give Wareham her second, and when Freya Kemp (5) and Charlie Dean (1) both fell tamely to catches in the inner ring, England were in tatters at 7-48.

Georgia Voll's screamer at backward point to send Sophie Ecclestone (5) on her way, ending a rare 29-run partnership, and Ellyse Perry's brilliant stop and sharp throw to run out Linsey Smith (1), were the icing on the cake – and served as a reminder of one of the largest disparities between the teams across the six white-ball Ashes games.

Once again it was England's captain fighting the lone hand, Heather Knight digging in for a 38-ball 40.

Earlier, Mooney's outstanding form continued as she anchored Australia's innings, backing up her 75 and 44 from the first two T20Is with a 63-ball innings that featured 10 boundaries.

After Tahlia McGrath opted to bat first, Mooney and opening partner Voll contented themselves with accumulating runs through ones and twos as they scored 44 runs from the Powerplay – their lowest of the series – with England spinners Charlie Dean (1-21) and Linsey Smith (1-30) containing the Aussie openers.

Voll never quite get rolling before she holed out in the eighth over taking on the spin of Capsey and at the midpoint of the innings, Australia were 1-76. 

Phoebe Litchfield survived a couple of close calls, with Dean misreading a catching chance on the rope and another skied chance falling between three motionless fielders, she could not capitalise, bowled by Sophie Ecclestone (1-37) for 12. 

Perry (12) reached double figures for the first time in the T20 leg of the Ashes but went no further, hitting Dean directly to Freya Kemp at cover, leaving Australia wobbling at 3-120 in the 16th over.

Grace Harris (11) was promoted with Australia looking to up the scoring rate and while she hit one powerful flat six down the ground, she could not replicate her efforts from the second T20I, and Sutherland's lean run continued, out for three.

Throughout, it was Mooney managing Australia's innings, bringing up a half-century from 41 deliveries before hitting the accelerator as her next 44 runs came off 22 balls.

She valiantly scampered through for tight twos despite her energy levels flagging in the death overs, but ended the innings six runs shy of what would have been her third T20I century.

Both teams will now travel to Melbourne to begin preparations for the day-night Test at the MCG starting Thursday.

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

Australia lead the multi-format series 12-0

First ODI: Australia won by four 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 won by six runs (DLS Method)

Third T20I: Australia won by 72 runs

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