Women's Ashes: Danni Wyatt's 76 sets up England win in second T20I vs Australia to maintain Ashes hopes

Danni Wyatt’s knock of 76 from 46 balls laid the foundations for England to win the second T20I towards Australia at The Kia Oval and maintain their Ashes hopes.

Wyatt, who shared a gap stand of 57 with Sophia Dunkley, had to spearhead a restore job after England’s center order crumbled, dropping 5 wickets for 19, together with a first-ball duck for captain Heather Knight on her a hundredth T20 worldwide look.

But the house aspect recovered to publish 186-9 and their spinners efficiently defended that complete, with Sarah Glenn taking 2-27 and Sophie Ecclestone 2-35 to limit Australia to 183-8 in reply.

The three-run victory means England now path Australia 6-2 in the multi-format Ashes collection, with the third and closing T20I at Lord’s on Saturday, reside on Sky Sports Cricket from 6.30pm.

England, who made only one change to the group defeated in the opening match of the collection at Edgbaston – with Charlie Dean changing Freya Davies – had been put in once more after Alyssa Healy received the toss.

But Dunkley began strongly, taking two early boundaries off Darcie Brown and Wyatt quickly adopted her lead, lifting spinner Ashleigh Gardner excessive to carry up a 50 partnership in the powerplay.

However, Dunkley – given a life when Tahlia McGrath spilled a skier at cowl – ultimately departed for 23 from 19, slicing Brown to the identical fielder, though she wanted a fourth try to full the one-handed seize.

Nat Sciver-Brunt (23 from 18) adopted a pugnacious method, punching Gardner to the mid-wicket boundary however gave her the cost subsequent ball and holed out to long-on, sparking an England collapse.

Having deceived Alice Capsey with a sluggish bouncer, Annabel Sutherland’s subsequent supply slid away to take Knight’s off stump and she or he adopted it in the following over with a wise diving catch in the deep to dismiss Amy Jones.

With Danielle Gibson additionally departing cheaply, England had been deep in bother at 119-6 however Wyatt led a fightback, reaching her twelfth T20I half-century from 36 balls and rattling 4 consecutive boundaries as Megan Schutt’s penultimate over disappeared for 25.

Although Wyatt carved Sutherland (3-28) to third man, spirited hitting by Ecclestone (22 from 12) lifted England past 180, just for the guests to reply by racing to 59-0 in the seventh over.

Lauren Bell’s second over price 17 and Healy’s deft footwork enabled her to deposit Sciver-Brunt over the rope twice in an over as she reached 37 from 19 – however Glenn made the breakthrough, foxing Australia’s skipper with a change of tempo.

That triggered a rush of wickets, with McGrath run out by Dean’s fast considering at mid-on and Beth Mooney holing out to deep mid-wicket earlier than Ecclestone took a return catch to dismiss Gardner and declare her a hundredth T20I wicket – the quickest participant to that landmark.

Ellyse Perry refused to concede the chase, clubbing Gibson for 2 commanding fours and gained valiant assist from Sutherland (20 from 12) earlier than Georgia Wareham (19 from 11) launched a late assault on Dean.

But, though Perry (51no) slammed sixes off Ecclestone’s final two deliveries of the sport to publish an unbeaten half-century from 27 balls, it was not fairly sufficient to shut England out of Ashes competition.

What’s subsequent?

The T20I collection decider takes place at Lord’s on Saturday Wednesday (6.35pm begin), with reside protection on Sky Sports.

The multi-format collection then switches to three one-day internationals, with fixtures at Bristol on Wednesday July 12 (1pm begin), the Ageas Bowl on Sunday July 16 (11am begin) and Taunton on Tuesday July 18 (1pm begin).

Women’s Ashes schedule (all video games reside on Sky Sports)

Test match (Trent Bridge) – Thursday June 22 – Monday June 26 – Australia received by 89 runs
First T20 worldwide (Edgbaston) – Saturday July 1 – Australia received by 4 wickets
Second T20 worldwide (The Kia Oval) – Wednesday July 5 – England received by three runs
Third T20 worldwide (Lord’s) – Saturday July 8 (6.35pm begin)
First one-day international (Bristol) – Wednesday, July 12 (1pm begin)
Second one-day international (The Ageas Bowl) – Sunday July 16 (11am begin)
Third one-day worldwide (Taunton) – Tuesday July 18 (1pm begin)