Women’s Ashes: Ellyse Perry hits another half century but England turn tables to win final T20

Ellyse Perry did everything she could but ultimately the Aussies couldn’t pull off an unbeaten Ashes campaign as England belatedly found their touch to win the final T20 in Bristol.

The Poms celebrate the wicket of Meg Lanning.

In the words of wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy, let’s remember how great this tour has been.

Australia may have lost the third and final T20 at Bristol by 17 runs but it was the only blemish on an outstanding Ashes series which saw star all-rounder Ellyse Perry blitz the Player of the Series award.

So dominant was Perry, who also hit 60 not out in the final T20, she scooped four player of the match awards, and chalked up multiple records.

Australia still won the Ashes despite the final game defeat.

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Naturally, Perry tried to deflect any attention on her own performance but she did almost begrudgingly admit her 7-22 in the third ODI was - perhaps - her tour highlight.

“It’s really nice to be recognised ... but it’s even nicer to be taking the Ashes home. It’s been a special tour and (despite the result) in the grand scheme of things we have been brilliant this tour,” she said.

“In a way it feels like we may have missed a trick by England are a very good side, in some ways it’s a nice reminder we have to keep working to make sure we’re still dominant when it counts.”

When pressed Perry conceded her bowling exploits at Canterbury earlier in the tour - not her Test hundred or becoming the first player, male or female, to reach 100 wickets and 1000 runs in T20 internationals - was her series highlight.

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And then promptly paid credit to bowling coach Ben Sawyer.

“We have the perfect blend at the moment with experienced players and this new wave of professional young players who have only ever known cricket as a job and come in and attack this environment,” she said.

“The blend has been brilliant for us.”

Coach Matthew Mott said while the result was disappointing, overall the series result was incredibly special - and not something the group would take lightly.

Katherine Brunt celebrates taking the wicket of Georgia Wareham.

“There was great leadership from Alyssa Healy at the end, who brought everyone together and said let’s remember how great this tour’s been. We’ve still got areas we’d like to tidy up but everyone has contributed,” he said.

In a match which didn’t go to script for the Aussies, skipper Meg Lanning was out for the first time in T20 cricket against England since 2016.

Debutant Mandy Villiers was the unlikely hero for England taking the big wickets of the dangerous Alyssa Healy and the big hitting Ashleigh Gardner in the same over.

It put the brakes on Australia’s scoring and with a cascade of wickets, player of the series Ellyse Perry - who scored 60 not out - simply ran out partners.

Australia was left to chase down 37 from 12 deliveries.

Still a Perry six in the second last over had Australia needing 29 off nine and hopes were flickering.

Alyssa Healy finds Heather Knight short of her ground.

But successive wickets to Sophie Ecclestone (3-22), who picked up Jess Jonassen and then Delissa Kimmince first ball, snuffed out any miracle comeback.

Katherine Brunt and Lauren Winfield put on a late 54-run partnership to get England to a competitive total of 5-139.

Raw fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck was brought into the Aussie side at the expense of Sophie Molineux and she repaid the faith with a wicket in her opening over - her first in T20 international cricket.

The 20-year-old finished with 1-9 off her two overs.

England protected opener Amy Jones against Ellyse Perry, who has claimed her wicket four times this series, by dropping her down the order and promoting first Tammy Beaumont and then Heather Knight.

So, of course, Perry claimed the wicket of Knight.

But this time the star all-rounder swooped on the ball while fielding at mid-wicket to run out Knight at the keeper’s end.