Australia draw first blood in tense Women's Ashes opener

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Sophie Ecclestone, England's young left-arm spinner, struck runs down the order to give England 177 to defend after they were 19/4. She then took three wickets to give Australia a scare, but Alyssa Healy's half-century and calm heads in the lower-middle order ensured a win for the visitors on Tuesday, 2 July.

Having elected to bowl, Meg Lanning would have been delighted with her bowling attack, but less satisfied with the application of her batters.

Tammy Beaumont hit the first ball of the innings elegantly through mid-wicket for a boundary, but from there on England were under pressure. Amy Jones was the first wicket to fall as she misjudged a short ball from Ellyse Perry and was caught by wicket-keeper Healy. Jones was the first of four wickets to fall in just 23 balls.

Beaumont and Sarah Taylor were both bowled. Beaumont gave Megan Schutt her first wicket and Taylor played a loose drive and was bowled by Perry. Heather Knight followed a similar fate to her team-mates: she walked across her stumps first ball and was adjudged lbw.

Fran Wilson and Nat Sciver added 25 before Wilson was given out lbw when the ball appeared to have struck her glove rather than pad. While Sciver remained solid, wickets fell around her.

Katherine Brunt shared the best partnership of the innings with Sciver, adding 54 before Brunt was sensationally caught by Rachel Haynes at mid-off, the Australian vice-captain running back and taking a one-handed catch that she had no right getting to.

Sciver was the eighth wicket to fall, trapped lbw by the impressive Jess Jonassen and had it not been for some late hitting from Ecclestone and Laura Marsh, England’s total would have been a lot less. In the end, they set Australia 178 to win.

The Australian reply reached 16 before Nicole Bolton was dismissed by Anya Shrubsole. Meg Lanning hit a four and six before being trapped lbw by Brunt with Australia 45/2 and the game in the balance.

Having taken three wickets, it looked tailor-made for Perry to see her side to victory. Unfortunately for her, Taylor had other ideas behind the stumps. A leg-side delivery from Sciver was missed by Perry and in a flash Taylor had the bails off and Perry had to depart.

The game continued to ebb and flow. Having reached a well-made fifty, Healy departed, finding Wilson at deep cover who took a good catch diving forward.

The game came to a thrilling conclusion. Seven wickets down and with just 11 runs required to win, Jonassen pulled Ecclestone straight to Shrubsole at mid-on. England had pulled themselves back but Kimmince held her nerve and Australia took the honours.