DLS drama: Australia win T20, and the Ashes, as rain halts match with five balls to go

Are you allowed to feel a tiny bit sorry for England? With just five balls to go, Heather Knight is on strike needing 18 runs,and the captain is absolutely desperate to fight back with her team.

Unfortunately, the rain is hammering down in Canberra and it will not stop. The umpires signal the end of the game. Australia celebrate, but it’s extremely muted, you know that they really wanted to finish that game out on the field. Instead, Australia win by six runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern.

Tonight the weather played a larger role than either team would have wanted, but it means that Australia win the Ashes outright in Canberra and are on course to whitewash England in this series.

After the off-field distractions, England should take a lot of credit for how they responded tonight in Canberra, with Sophia Dunkley backing up her performance in Sydney with 32 and Dani Wyatt-Hodge playing beautifully with a well-taken half century.

Knight’s cool and collected 42 promised the real possibility that she could catch Australia in the last five balls, after slogging Annabel Sutherland’s first ball of the final over for four.

We will never know. What we do know is that the third Twenty20 in Adelaide in two days is perfectly set up. Knight and her team have not been short of motivation in the lead-up to this game, and tonight in Canberra they showed they are capable of fighting back, they will want even more of this attitude in South Australia.

Ahead of a historic Test in Melbourne, the Ashes series may be gone, but pride is still very much at stake.

Megan Schutt of Australia celebrates taking the wicket of Sophia Dunkley of England Credit: Getty Images

This is captivating stuff, the crowd are on edge of their soggy seats,. Every run is vital, but England need boundaries.

Australia are really fighting to get every ball.

We have Kim Garth in to bowl and on the fourth ball of the 19th over Heather Knight gets a top edge for four.

There cannot be any failures from Australia, with Ellyse Perry’s gun arm on the boundary providing her team with a lot of relief.

The last ball is a beauty and Garth bowls out Sciver-Brunt for 22.

Massive moment in the game. Amy Jones is in and the rain has started to fall heavily, but with one over left, Heather Knight is desperate to play on and throws down her bat in frustration as the umpire says it’s time to go in.

This is very tough, as the crowd are deprived of a captivating final five balls with England needing 18 runs.

Serious drama.

England 4-164 (after 19 overs)

This has been England’s best performance and Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight are really fighting back for their side here.

Australia desperately need to tighten their bowling, which is absolutely easier said than done on a soggy outfield and a slippery ball.

Tahlia McGrath has put herself into bowl and will want to slow this partnership up as we start the 18th over.

The fielders are slipping and sliding to stop the ball and the crowd are loving this late drama. Ellyse Perry goes airborne off the ground to try to take a hanger of a catch but cannot stop Heather Knight from getting a six.

England 3-154 (after 18 overs)

I am keeping my eyes glued to the DLS rate and Australia have managed to really slow down this English charge.

I am seeing a few umbrellas around the ground, but I am also seeing some picnic blankets with fans stoically sitting there. It is summer after all. The England team could not feel more at home.

If England have two batters that can get them home, it is Knight and Sciver-Brunt. Georgia Wareham frantically is drying the ball and trying to get more purchase on it. It’s not a great place to be as a spinner with this moisture on the field.

We have now Kim Garth in to bowl, she grew up playing summers of cricket in Ireland, if ever there was a player perfectly suited for the conditions the teams are dealing with, it is this talented bowler.

England 3-116 (after 15 overs)

Tahlia McGrath of Australia celebrates taking a catch to dismiss Danni Wyatt-Hodge of England during game two in the Women’s Ashes T20 series between Australia and England at Manuka OvalCredit: Getty Images

That was the opposite of the blog writer’s curse. Australia desperately needed Sophia Dunkley’s wicket, and she is bowled beautifully by Megan Schutt.

Dunkley is gone for 32, and that is as important as it gets.

England’s two trusted pillars of Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt are in, and either of them fall? The whole house is likely to come down.

Game on.

England 3-99 (after 13 overs)

Sophia Dunkley of England bats during game two in the Women’s Ashes T20 series between Australia and England at Manuka Oval Credit: Getty Images

A massive sigh of relief from Tahlia McGrath as she catches Dani Wyatt-Hodge who is halting on 52 from 40 deliveries. Some redemption for the skipper after dropping Sophia Dunkley, who is still there and firing on 32.

According to the weather radar, there is another heavy bit of rain to come over Canberra. I will be surprised if we can get through the rest of this game, but fingers crossed we can.

Australia are getting a little bit more rhythm here and if they can get Sophia Dunkley out, it’s completely open.

England 2-98 (after 12 overs)

It’s been a tough enough night for Alana King, and now Australia’s second leggy is into bowl.

It’s very tough for the bowlers to grip this soggy ball and if Wyatt-Hodge or Dunkley get enough on the ball, it absolutely flies on the outfield.

I am keeping a close eye on DLS par. Thank god there is a computer to do this complex maths as numeracy is not one of my strengths. We are currently at DLS par of 87 with England on 92. Thanks to two fours to end the 11th over from Wyatt-Hodge.

Every run is going to count out here and this is not an easy night for the bowlers. That coin toss could well prove to be crucial.

England 1-92 (after 11 overs)

Annabel Sutherland of Australia celebrates taking the wicket of Maia Bouchier of England during game two in the Women’s Ashes T20 series between Australia and England at Manuka Oval Credit: Getty Images

Full toss to Sophia Dunkley and she nonchalantly smacks the ball which slices through the grease outfield and flies for four.

Second ball, the skipper Tahlia McGrath misses a really big chance to catch Dunkley. Huge chance gone and King goes to her knees.

That could really cost Australia.

England 1-74 (after nine overs)