The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars have regained the Women’s Ashes with a match to spare, beating England by 20 runs in the second T20 in Hove.
Australia were restricted to 7-107 from their 20 overs but a brilliant burst with the new ball from Renee Farrell (3-17) and Ellyse Perry (2-13) destroyed England’s top order, with the hosts eventually bowled out for 87 in the final over.
Following a 2-1 ODI series win and a comprehensive victory in the one-off Test match, the Southern Stars needed just one win from the three T20 Internationals to reclaim the urn for the first time since 2013.
A seven-wicket win in Essex gave England the first T20, and after Australia were restricted to 7-107 from 20 overs the series looked to be heading to Cardiff for a winner-takes-all finale.
But just as she has done throughout the Ashes, Meg Lanning commanded her troops with precision and purpose to author an England collapse of 5-28 which proved impossible to overcome.
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