AUS W V ENG W, 2nd T20I Review: Impressive England level series 1-1 with a 40-run victory

A near perfect win at Manuka Oval in Canberra helped England level the T20I series after a thrashing in the first game. Batting first, England were in a spot of bother after Dannelle Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont were both dismissed inside seven overs. The scoring rate was nothing fancy as they just managed to keep it around 6 an over. Wyatt went for 19, after finding the ropes on four occasions while Beaumont failed to get to double figures. Sarah Taylor and Natalie Sciver took the damage control path from there on and stitched a vital partnership and gave a much-needed boost to the scoring rate.

25-year-old Sciver failed to bring up her maiden fifty in T20I cricket as she went for 40. Katherine Brunt hit two sixes and as many boundaries to help the visitors go past the psychological 150-mark as England ended their 20 overs at 152/6. Megan Schutt, who scalped a wicket in the final over to make it 2/16 from four overs, turned out to be an economical customer for the Aussies. While Ellyse Perry, Jess Jonassen and Delissa Kimmince scalped one wicket each.

Solid start but poor finish

Chasing 153 to win from 20 overs, Australia started their innings on a solid note, as Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy kept the scorers busy with a 45-run stand from 33 balls. Mooney fell short of her crease for 17 and Queensland-born Healy was dismissed for 24 before Elyse Villani departed for 1 to make the chasers halt at 49/3. Brunt picked the important wicket of Perry afterwards to make it 52/4 and victory was slipping away from the Rachael Haynes-led Australian side.

The lower order got starts with the bat but could not convert them into vital contribution, as Australia were packed for 112 with 12 balls to spare. Jenny Gunn was outstanding with the ball as she kept bowling a nagging line and her change in pace earned her four vital wickets. Sarah Taylor had a good outing with the bat and was clinical behind the stumps as usual. Gunn ended up with 4/13 while Brunt bagged figures of 2/10. Sophie Ecclestone also found herself in the wickets column as her slow-left-arm orthodox spin brought her two important wickets. The decider will be a day-night contest on Tuesday.

Brief scores:

England- 152/6 (Natalie Sciver 40, Katherine Brunt 32*; Megan Schutt 2/16)

Australia- 112 (Alyssa Healy 24; Jenny Gunn 4/13, Katherine Brunt 2/10)