Knight stars as England win Super Over

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The thrilling encounter, which was held at the Manuka Oval in Canberra, was the third T20I Super Over finish in four days, after the New Zealand and India men's teams produced consecutive tied games in their ongoing bilateral series.

Beth Mooney led Australia's 157-run chase with a fine 65, reaching 1000 T20I runs in the process. However, the hosts lost wickets at the other end. Ashleigh Gardener (16) and Ellyse Perry (18) got starts, but none could play a long innings as England kept chipping away. With Australia at 114/7 in the 17th over, still needing 43 off 21, the game seemed all but over.

However, debutant Annabel Sutherland (22*) and Delissa Kimmince (15*) then struck five fours and a six, keeping their side in the hunt. Australia needed 12 off the last over, which eventually came down to three required off the final ball. The pair scampered through for a brace to secure a tie.

Sophie Ecclestone, who had bowled the last over in the chase, conceded just eight in the Super Over, setting up an easy chase for England. Knight, who'd already struck 78 off 45 earlier in the day, took it upon herself, slamming consecutive fours of Ellyse Perry to seal the game for her side.

Earlier, England got off to a slow start after being put in to bat. Danielle Wyatt looked good early on, striking four boundaries in her 14-ball stay, before being accounted by Perry for 17. Perry, the top-ranked all-rounder in the MRF Tyres ICC T20I Rankings, produced a fine opening spell, conceding just nine off her four overs. She was particularly effective against Amy Jones, who struck a four in the first over of the innings, but failed to get going thereafter, and consumed 24 balls before she was run out for 10.

Natalie Sciver's dismissal in the ninth over reduced the visitors to 39/3, after which a monumental stand of 115 between skipper Knight and Fran Wilson followed. Knight was the aggressor of the two, striking eight fours and three sixes before falling to Megan Schutt on the second-last ball of the innings. Wilson remained unbeaten on 39.

The next game of the tri-series will be played between Australia and India at the same venue on Sunday, 2 February.