Leg-spinner Alana King guides Australia to victory as England collapse chasing small ODI target in Melbourne

Bowling in front of the Shane Warne stand in Melbourne another leg-spinner did the King proud bowling Australia to a memorable win to put the Ashes within reach.

Alana King invoked the spirit of Shane Warne on his old stomping ground delivering the ball of the year to help put Australia two white-ball wins away from retaining the Ashes with a “bloody gutsy” ODI win in Melbourne after a batting collapse created some selection questions.

King took career best figures of 4-25, including two wickets in two balls in her final over, to kill off the plucky England run chase after the tourists had rolled the Australians for just 180, the lowest ODI score on home soil since 2009, losing 4-7 in a middle-over disaster which could open the door for young dynamo Georgia Voll.

But after being bowled out for under 200 by England for the second time in three games, something which has only happened four times in the past 10 years, with spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Alice Capsey taking seven wickets, the Australians replied in kind in glorious sunshine at the Junction Oval.

Despite some nervous late moments as England keeper Amy Jones (47 nout out) tried to keep her team in the game, and a botched 48th over from Annabel Sutherland who sent down two waist-high no-balls and was removed from the attack, veteran seamer Megan Schutt sealed the win, rattling the stumps of England number 11 Lauren Bell next over, England all out for 159.

The spirited 21-run victory came after seamer Kim Garth (3-37) removed England’s openers early in their chase before King took Dani Wyatt-Hodge’s off-stump with a leg-spinner Warne would have been proud of to leave the tourists scrambling.

Alana King rips through Danni Wyatt-Hodge's stumps for her 50th ODI wicket 🔥@hcltech#PlayoftheDay#Ashespic.twitter.com/VoJaFtb4zI

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 14, 2025

In front of the Shane Warne stand at his old club ground, King drifted the ball just outside Hodge’s pads before it pitched and span back past her bat to send the bails flying.

King’s third and fourth wickets, in back-to-back balls, as England lost 3-5 set the scene for a nervy final half-hour before Schutt put the home 4-0 in front, on points, after two matches of the multi-format series.

“Not sure my heart rate was below 180 towards the end. It shows we will fight until the very last ball, no matter what,” King, named player of the match, said.

“That’s a pretty bloody gutsy win for us.”

Victory took Australia’s unbeaten ODI streak at the Junction Oval to 10 and ticked the first revenge box, having lost the ODI series when the team’s last clashed in England in 2023.

Despite the win, only veteran star Ellyse Perry, the first player to reach 50 Ashes clashes, showed any real resistance with the bat making her 35th ODI half-century with 60 off 72-balls.

A half century, brought up in style!

Ellyse Perry's fifth four (+ two sixes along the way) brings up the milestone #Ashespic.twitter.com/rnolwlCqZZ

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 14, 2025

The Aussies had been cruising at 2-131 but cheap dismissals of Beth Mooney (12) and vice-captain Tahlia McGrath (1), batting at seven after the promotion of Sutherland, could give selectors pause for thought ahead of Friday’s third ODI in Hobart.

Both have just one 50 each from their past 10 ODI innings. Mooney is averaging just 17 across her past eight games.

Their form could open the door for Voll,who blasted a century in just her second ODI against India in December, opening the batting in the absence of injured captain Alyssa Healy, who has thrived on her return from injury.

The 21-year-old run machine, who also plundered a team-high 57 in the washed-out Governor General’s XI clash could be in consideration for the third clash in Hobart on Friday.

A win on Friday, and victory in one of the three T20s to follow, would ensure Australia retains the Ashes, with England’s best chance of drawing the multi-format series which will conclude with a day-night Test match at the MCG, worth four points.