Australia win again to extend Ashes lead

Australia have extended their lead in the multi-format women's Ashes, claiming a four-wicket victory over England in the second one-day international at Leicester's Grace Road.

Ellyse Perry top-scored with 62 as Australia reached their target of 218 with 28 balls to spare, with Queensland pair Beth Mooney (43no) and Jess Jonassen (31no) seeing the tourists home after a middle-order wobble.

Earlier, Delissa Kimmince's maiden international five-for restricted England despite an outstanding 115 from England opener Tammy Beaumont.

The result means Australia have taken a 4-0 lead in the multi-format, points-based series, which will see the Ashes rivals meet in a third ODI before a one-off Test and three T20Is.

There are two points on offer for each limited-overs win and four for a victory in the Test match.

After their bowlers restricted England for a second consecutive game, their chase had an early stumble when opener Nicole Bolton (1) edged behind cheaply in the second over, before Anya Shrubsole picked up one of the biggest wickets in world cricket the following over, removing the in-form Alyssa Healy for nine.

Meg Lanning's disappointing start to the series continued when the Australian captain was bowled by a slower delivery from Katherine Brunt for 18. It followed the 16 she scored in the opening match and left the Australians shaky at 3-59 after 13 overs.

But Brunt's delight quickly turned to angst – leaping into the air in jubilation, she then landed awkwardly on her right ankle, dropping to the ground in pain.

The 34-year-old veteran was helped from the field, but in a welcome sight for England's Ashes hopes the speedster was soon spotted jogging around the boundary, before she returned to bowl the 31st over.

Perry and Rachael Haynes (30) came together to push the Australians closer to their target, but their 53-run stand was broken when Haynes chipped a return catch back to off-spinner Laura Marsh.

Perry looked the key for Australia and the No.4 appeared rock solid as she brought up her 27th ODI half-century from 72 deliveries.

But she fell to the unlikeliest of deliveries, chasing a wide half-tracker from Shrubsole and getting a nick from the toe-end of the bat, her 79-ball innings ending on 62.

Image Id: 7712E23DE217477BA36881FE1841FC17 Image Caption: Perry hit nine boundaries in her knock of 62 // Getty

Ashleigh Gardner was given a life on eight when Shrubsole put down a return chance, but the allrounder added just five more to her tally before the England quick made amends, bowling her for 13.

At 6-158 and still needing 60 runs to win, Beth Mooney started to find her feet in partnership with No.8 Jess Jonassen, the Queensland pair combining to see Australia home without any further wobbles.

Shrubsole finished with 3-47 from her eight overs while ironwoman Brunt – who bowled a further three overs after returning to the field – walked away with one sore ankle and figures of 1-27.

Earlier, England were dealt a blow before a ball was even bowled, with star wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Taylor ruled out of the match with a minor ankle injury. Danni Wyatt was drafted into the side in her place, with opener Amy Jones taking the gloves.

Image Id: D443C9ADC335425F825A428E350ABCAC Image Caption: Beth Mooney hit an unbeaten 43 from 50 balls // Getty

Captain Heather Knight elected to bat first and a second blow soon followed when Perry again made the early breakthrough, with Jones chipping a catch to Bolton at mid-wicket, gone for five.

Shifting up from her preferred spot at No.4, Knight struggled to get going, crawling her way to 17 from 46 deliveries before top-edging Gardner in the 16th over.

In stark contrast to her skipper – and the remainder of the top-order, with Nat Sciver (15) and Fran Wilson (8) also failing to fire – opener Beaumont looked at total ease in the middle.

Preferring to push for singles rather than attack the boundary, Beaumont employed the sweep perfectly to first bring up a half-century from 44 deliveries, then push for her sixth one-day international century and her first against Australia.

Her level-headed 115-ball knock finally came to an end on 114 when she chopped on spinner Jonassen. Opening the door to the tail end, Kimmince pounced, taking four wickets in nine deliveries to wrap up the England innings on 217 in 47.3 overs.

Image Id: 5CC74F8F7FBB48C481C8A86E01DEEC9B Image Caption: Tammy Beaumont hit her first ODI ton against Australia // Getty

She took two wickets in consecutive overs with Brunt (11) stumped and Shrubsole (12) caught at mid-on, before Marsh (2) and Ecclestone (4) holed out to end the innings.

Kimmince's 5-26 from 7.4 overs was her first five-wicket haul in international cricket – coming in her 14th ODI across a stop-start Australian career that's spanned 11 years.

Jonassen (2-42 off eight) was the other multiple wicket-taker, while Megan Schutt was again miserly (1-30 off nine).

The Ashes action now moves to Canterbury, where the third ODI will be played on Sunday at 11am local time (8pm AEST).

England XI: Amy Jones (wk), Tammy Beaumont, Natalie Sciver, Heather Knight (c), Fran Wilson, Danni Wyatt, Katherine Brunt, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Nicole Bolton, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Rachel Haynes, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt.

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia lead England 4-0

July 2: Australia won by two wickets

July 4: Australia won by four wickets

July 7:  Third ODI, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury

July 11-13: England Academy v Australia, Marlborough College, Swindon

July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol

A Test victory is worth four points (two each for a draw), two points are awarded for ODI and T20 wins