Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Commentator: Matt Roller

END OF OVER:
64 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | AUS-W: 230/7

  • Ellyse Perry76 (144b)
  • Heather Knight8-0-25-2
  • Kirstie Gordon10-1-50-2

England captain Heather Knight: Obviously disappointed. They've outplayed us, so congratulations to them, but we're disappointed. We've got to treat this T20 series as a series in itself. We've not played up to the standards we know we can. We wanted to be positive, last night the ball was quite soft and it was hard to score. We wanted to give Nat a chance to score quickly, she was unlucky, that innings deserved a hundred. We've got a lot of character and resilience in that team. The game was probably gone today, but we've got to move onto the T20s now, and treat that as an opportunity for players.

Meg Lanning, Australia captain: It's certainly a good position to be in. We had a hard four-day battle and it was a real good challenge for our group. Unfortunately, couldn't get a result here, but it was a great Test. We came today hoping to be in a position to enforce the follow-on. once that wasn't able to happen and we lost those early wickets it didn't happen. We've got a really even group, a lot of different contributors - different people stepping up at different times. It's been a lot closer than what the scoreboard suggests, and we're really looking forward to the T20s. I don't think Perry gave a chance over the two innings, she loves playing Test cricket. To have those young girls come in and play an important role is something we're really proud of as a group. We've got a few days off, but have a bit to achieve still on this tour, and we know England are going to come back really hard.

Ellyse Perry is Player of the Match: We all jump at the opportunity to play the longer form, put on the whites and the baggy green. The records we've been able to achieve in the last 12 months have been really fun. The last four days, the way we acquitted ourselves was absolutely brilliant. We couldn't get the result, but we dominated for long periods. Really enjoy being out there, enjoy the challenge. It's awesome [seeing players coming through]. They've brought so much to our group. The baggy green presentation was a bit spine-tingling, really. It's super exciting, and a big challenge for the older girls.

Mark Robinson, England coachWe lost the toss, which was the start of things going wrong. Can't fault the girls, they've given absolutely everything. Brunty was outstanding on the first morning but everyone else took a while [to settle]. The ball did a bit, we beat the bat, but we missed a trick. As the game developed we bowled well but didn't get the breaks that we needed. It wasn't about this game, it was about losing those first two ODIs. We had a great chance to win that first game. Sometimes you come up short, and that's how it is. We had six crazy days which cost us as a team.

17.40 And that's it! Time for handshakes. Match drawn, which means Australia have retained the Ashes before the T20 leg of the series has even started. They were ruthless throughout the ODI series, particularly in that third ODI, and haven't offered England as much as a sniff in this Test. Perry was immense, with a ton in the first dig and an unbeaten 76 in the second, while Sophie Molineux on debut impressed with both bat and ball.

For England, there is a lot of hard work to be done: Amy Jones and Nat Sciver fought hard with the bat, but their attack looked undercooked throughout, and their lack of intent last night was like asking the final nail to be hammered into their coffin. Those two sessions lost to rain on day two really hurt the spectacle, but such is life with a four-day game on a painfully slow pitch. A T20 whitewash would mean a series draw, but Australia's win in 2017 means that they retain the trophy.

Thanks for joining us over the course of this Test. Stick around for the report, but until then, from Andrew, Alan, Valkerie and me, it's goodbye!

63.6
W
Knight to Gardner, OUT, GONE! Gardner goes downtown, and Beaumont, diving forward, takes a brilliant catch at deep midwicket. What a way to throw away an average-boosting red-inker...

A Gardner c Beaumont b Knight 7 (6m 5b 0x4 1x6) SR: 140.00

63.5
0
Knight to Gardner, no run, blimey, that one has ripped! Gardner goes back, is hit high on the pad and the umpire turns down the appeal
63.4
1
Knight to Perry, 1 run, punched away off the back foot through the off side, not even a hint of intensity left
63.3
0
Knight to Perry, no run, hint of drift, and blocked out into the covers
63.2
1
Knight to Gardner, 1 run, down the pitch again, but finds the fielder at cow corner on the bounce

Jack: "Player of match is Molineux in my books. Had a terrific game" Got to be Perry, no?

63.1
1
Knight to Perry, 1 run, spinning in from around the wicket, dribbles to the sweeper as they amble through for one

One more needed before the handshakes...

AUS Women 3rd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st14RL HaynesAJ Healy
2nd1RL HaynesMM Lanning
3rd52EA PerryMM Lanning
4th38EA PerryBL Mooney
5th63EA PerryJL Jonassen
6th53EA PerryS Molineux
7th9EA PerryA Gardner