Women’s Ashes 2017: Australia v England, third one-day international – live!


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WICKET! Winfield lbw Perry 0 (England 2-1)

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Teams as named

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England won the toss and elect to bat


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Welcome to the Third Women’s Ashes ODI at Coffs Harbour!

Good morning from a warm and glary morning at Coffs Harbour International Stadium. Adam Collins with you for the first innings of this third and final Women’s Ashes ODI.

It’s not must-win, but may as well be. That’s the harsh reality staring at England, coming into this without a point to their name. Heather Knight’s side held the World Cup aloft in July, but this may be her biggest test yet since taking over as skipper.

To go back over the mathematics, in this multi-format series the three ODIs are worth two points each, the standalone Test four, then three T20s also three. With 16 points available, England need ten of them to regain the trophy that they lost at home in 2015.

As a result, Australia know full well that they have a chance to land a near-killer blow in the event of a 50-over clean sweep today. It would mean only a draw in the Test Match next month would be enough to retain the Ashes.

They were clinical on Thursday in the second match, also here. After being sent in – a call England management later acknowledged was a poor one when rain didn’t fall forecasts suggested – they racked up 296 and defended it with ease, 75 run victors.

There’s some history to draw from if they require further incentive, vice-captain Alex Blackwell today the first Australian woman to reach 250 internationals. I‘ve written about how the game has chanced during her career, that began in January 2003 (!).

Australia also has a big inclusion, Ash Gardner set to return after missing on Thursday with a concussion she sustained in the series opener. Gardner hits the ball further than just about anyone in the women’s game, and bowls more than tidy off-spin.

For England’s part, they aren’t quite at the point of wholesale changes, giving every indication yesterday of dancing with the ones that brought them on that mighty World Cup run. Sophie Ecclestone is the addition to that XI, the 18-year-old tweaker keeping her spot after an Ashes debut where she looked pretty much right at home.

All that leaves me to do is encourage you to drop me a line through the course of the morning. I’m in the usual places, on the email or the tweet. You know you the drill. Stay tuned for the toss, scheduled in about 15 minutes. Whoever wins it will be batting.

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Hello, darling.


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