Match Details

AUSW vs ENGW 1st ODI, W Ashes 2025

AUSW

206-638.5

Australia Women won by 4 wickets 🏆

ENGW

43.1204-10

Match info

Live

Scorecard

Commentary

So, that is it from myself, Karthik Raj and my co-commentator, Saptak Sanyal. A note of thanks to our scorer, Dushyant Madhukar as well as we wrap up the coverage of this fixture. Do switch over to the coverage of the Vijay Hazare QFs or the 2nd Women's ODI between India and Ireland which are currently on. There is a lot more cricketing action later in the day as well. So, don't miss all those action here. Until next time, it is a warm good-bye from us.

Alyssa Healy (Australia Women Captain): "Pretty happy. Securing two points before heading to Junction is pleasing. We could've been more clinical but it is good to have the victory.

I am happy to spend some time in the middle. Feels good to contribute. Would've been happier if I could finish the game but nevertheless, feeling happy to contribute to the team."

Heather Knight (England Captain): "Really pleased with how the bowlers went about it. Lauren Bell, that is the best I have seen her bowl in an England shirt. We are not far.

(What England would like to change going into the next match) Not too much, like I said we are not too far away. With the bat, including myself, a few of us didn't convert the starts. On that wicket, didn't look like you were ever in. There was a bit in the wicket throughout the innings. We could have been in the game with 20 runs more."

Ashleigh Gardner (Player of the Match): "It's an honour and privilege to bowl in this shirt. It is so pleasing to play in front of my hometown crowd and completing the 100th wicket in ODI.

There was something for the bowlers in this wicket. I've been cliché with my bowling but in the break time, I've developed some variations to add a few weapons in the armoury."

Player of the Match: Ashleigh Gardner

11:24 AM IST & 04:54 PM Local Time | Not the most clincial performance from Australia but they register a four-wicket win with 67 balls to spare to take the lead in this 2025 Women’s Ashes series. Skipper Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner the stars of the show today for the hosts with England left to rue a few missed opportunities.

Requiring 205 for victory, Lauren Filer produced a peach of a delivery to dismiss Phoebe Litchfield in the second over. The superstar, Ellyse Perry got a life in the sixth over as she was dropped by Alice Capsey at fine-leg. Perry, however, couldn’t make use of the reprieve as she was eventually trapped in front by Lauren Bell in the ninth over.

Then, Beth Mooney joined Alyssa Healy in the middle and Australia started to get a flurry of boundaries. Mooney even struck a six off Sophie Ecclestone in the 17^th over but she got out off the very next delivery as the left-arm spinner showed her quality. In the meantime, Healy got to her 18^th ODI fifty but Annabel Sutherland struggled at the other end and was eventually holed out to deep square-leg off Filer’s bowling in the 24^th over.

Thereafter, Healy and Ash Gardner came together to calm the storms as they went onto stitch a useful 40-run partnership. Just as it seemed like the hosts were cruising, Healy was castled by a full delivery from Charlie Dean after making 70 off 78 balls. A few overs later, Tahlia McGrath's 14-ball struggle came to an end as Maia Bouchier took a superb catch at point off Ecclestone's bowling.

A couple of deliveries later, England got a chance to inflict further damage. However, Sophie Ecclestone dropped Gardner on the first ball of off Bell with Australia still requiring 22 runs to win. There was no looking back after that as Alana King hit the winning runs in the 39th over with Gardner ending unbeaten on 42* (44).