Women’s Ashes as it happened: Australia roar into 3-0 series lead after a dominating England in Hobart

In a game filled with highlights, star-all rounder Ash Gardner perhaps shone brightest. With Australia under huge pressure on 4-59, Gardner came in to deliver a compelling innings of 102, her highest ODI score ever.

Gardner dragged Australia back into the contest, aided by a strong partnership with Beth Mooney who got 50. Tahlia McGrath also roared back into form with 55 runs and Georgia Wareham on her first game of the series with 38 runs from just 12 balls. Australia combined to set a daunting total of 309 for England to chase.

After getting four wickets in Melbourne, Alana King went one better in Hobart, getting her first ever five-wicket haul for her country. Megan Schutt’s hat trick and Wareham’s two wickets also applied pressure at crucial times in the game when England needed a response with the bat.

There were also highlights in the field, Phoebe Litchfield diving at full stretch doing her best impression of a superhero to get Dani Wyatt-Hodge and then Gardner produced an incredible effort to juggle a catch on the boundary, flick it back and take it on the second go, to dismiss Sophie Ecclestone.

Australia now take a 3-0 series lead into the Twenty20 series and look extremely difficult to stop in this kind of form. If the team stumbles, there is someone waiting to step in and help them to victory, whatever it takes. England had their chances in Melbourne, but in Hobart apart from a brief fightback through Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 61, the team never looked likely to catch Australia.

Australia will return to Sydney for the first Twenty20 of the series and will want to continue their perfect start to the Ashes. It is hard to bet against them.

Ashleigh Gardner of Australia produces a spectacular catch to dismiss Sophie Ecclestone of England Credit: Getty Images

Alana King gets her first ever ODI five wicket performance as Charlie Dean wildly swats at the ball beyond her crease to seal the game and a very comfortable 86 runs.

Australia win by 86 runs

The ball is popped up as Lauren Filer misjudged it and Kim Garth takes a very straightforward catch to give Alana King her fourth wicket.

England have one more wicket in hand.

England 215-9 (after 41 overs)

There have been three stunning catches today, and maybe this is the pick of them.

Sophie Ecclestone smashed the ball towards to the boundary, Gardner takes the ball but knowing she’s on the rope, throws the ball up and comes back to take it on the second go. An incredible take.

What a day Gardner is having.

It was also Alana King’s third wicket and she’s one away from equalling her last performance in Melbourne.

England 8-215 (after 40 overs)

Alana King is finding her feet with her second wicket, after Kim Garth dives to catch Amy Jones who leaves after 30 runs and with it perhaps England’s chances of staying in this game.

Time and wickets are running out.

England 7-209 (after 38 overs)

Alana King of Australia celebrates with teammates the wicket of Danielle Wyatt-Hodge of England Credit: Getty Images

Megan Schutt gets Alice Capsey who is gone for an lbw.

Capsey waited a long time before sending it for review and it’s a simple decision.

Capsey is gone for 0 and it’s all going wrong for England. England looked to have a glimpse of hope, but it has snuffed out by that Schutt wicket.

England 6-201 (after 37 overs)

That will go into the highlight reels, a full diving catch from Phoebe Litchfield at full stretch catching Dani Wyatt Hodge who is gone for 35.

The ball flies over her shoulder and she somehow makes the catch. The first wicket for Alana King who has found it tough out there today.

That could be one of the moments that win this match for Australia.

England 5-200 (after 36 overs)