It was an enjoyable outing for those who availed of the free entry at the North Stand turnstile of the Brabourne Stadium and watched the Australian women swing the bat. The women in bright yellow, without their captain Meg Lanning in their ranks, took all risks.
Once the Australians had chanced their arm in the second match of the T20 Tri-series, the English women thumped the ball hard and long and found better results, to win by eight wickets and 18 balls to spare while chasing a below-par score of 149.
It was a refreshing approach that lifted the entertainment index of a match that lasted close to three hours. In all, the players smote the ball beyond the boundary rope eight times and hit it to reach the fence 33 times.
Superb fielding
It was a pleasure to see England’s debutant left-arm seamer Katie George show alacrity on her follow-through to effect a superb run out and then watch her team-mates take some fine catches in the deep.
England started the match with a 16-11 win advantage and on Friday it proved to be a superior side even without Sarah Taylor (rested for the tour), Katherine Brunt (down with a back ailment) and Anya Shrubsole (troubling shoulder).
The Heather Knight-led team handed out England caps to Katie, who had taken a hat-trick in the warm-up match against India-A, opener Bryony Smith and all-rounder Alice Davidson-Richards. They did not have a big part to play, but seniors Tammy Beaumont and Natalie Sciver took charge with a whirlwind partnership of 116 and completed the task in hand with three overs to spare.
Tokyo-born Natalie (player-of-the-match), following a two for 29 in the first session, made a career-best unbeaten 68 (43b, 10x4, 2x6), while Tammy hit an undefeated 58 (44b, 8x4).
Quickfire start
Australia, asked to bat, decided to go for broke right from the start. Alyssa Healy struck two fours and as many sixes and Ashleigh Gardner, three sixes and two fours. England was happy to get rid of Beth Mooney, who had scored unbeaten 86 and 117 in the last Ashes Twenty20 series.
In spite of losing wickets at regular intervals, while playing front-footed big shots, the Australians showed the intent to keep the scoreboard moving. But only the stand-in captain Rachael Haynes succeeded in getting a half century, a career-best 65 that bettered her previous best by 40 runs. Skipper Meg was rested in order to not overwork a vulnerable shoulder.
The scores: Australia 149 for seven in 20 overs (Alyssa Healy 31, Ashleigh Gardner 28, Rachael Haynes 65, Natalie Sciver two for 29, Jennifer Gunn three for 26) lost to England 150 for two in 17 overs (Tammy Beaumont 58 n.o., Natalie Sciver 68 n.o.).