Australia Win Back The Ashes In Sydney

Australia Win Back The Ashes In Sydney

Australia's four debutantes - Cameron, Coyte, Elliott and Healy - helped their side regain the Ashes in Sydney

©Cricket Australia

Australia Women 159-9 dec. & 198-3 beat
England Women 207 & 149 by seven wickets
Ashes Test, Sydney

Australia Women succeeded where their men's senior side failed as they sealed a seven-wicket win over England Women to regain the Ashes in the one-off Test match in Sydney.

They did so by chasing down 198 for the loss of three wickets in the fouth innings of the match with Sarah Elliott and Alex Blackwell scoring half-centuries.

They had conceded a first-innings lead by declaring on 159 for nine in reply to England's 207 - which was propped up by Charlotte Edwards' unbeaten 114 as Ellyse Perry grabbed four for 56.

Rene Farrell's haul of five for 23, which also included a hat-trick, then turned the game on its head as she dismissed Edwards, Katherine Brunt and Danielle Hazell in consecutive deliveries as England were bowled out for 149 in their second innings.

Despite losing openers Rachael Haynes (4) and Shelley Nitschke (20) cheaply, a stand of 125 between Elliott (81 not out) and Blackwell (74) put Australia on course for the win.

The dismissal of Blackwell came too late to alter the course of the game, Lisa Sthalekar unbeaten on eight alongside Elliott at the end.

Australia named four debutants for the match - Jessica Cameron, Sarah Coyte, Elliott, and Allysa Healy.

England are now set to return home having also lost the One-Day International series 2-1 before fighting back to win the Twenty20 International series 4-1.

Australia will return to New Zealand in February to complete a five-match Twenty20 International series - they currently lead 1-0 with three to play - and play three ODIs.

© Cricket World 2011