England thrashed Australia in Taunton to draw the Women’s Ashes series and inflict a first bilateral one-day international series defeat on the tourists since 2013.

World champions Australia were set a revised target of 269 in 44 overs after rain interrupted their pursuit of England’s 285-9, which was set up by Nat Sciver-Brunt’s second successive century.

But England patiently chipped away with regular wickets while Australia struggled for partnerships, eventually slipping from 190-6 to 199 all out.

Australia lost both openers early and slipped to 15-2 before all-rounder Ellyse Perry blunted England’s attack with stands of 53 and 45 with Tahlia McGrath and Beth Mooney respectively.

But Perry’s 53 was the sole half-century in the innings, as Ash Gardner’s eye-catching 41 from 24 balls provided a late spark to the chase before she was brilliantly run out by Danni Wyatt from the boundary.

Kate Cross starred with 3-48 while Lauren Bell and spinner Charlie Dean took two wickets apiece as Australia struggled to regain any rhythm after the rain came 19.2 overs into their innings.

Earlier, Sciver-Brunt laid the foundations for England’s historic victory with another sensational innings that came after England slipped to 12-2, adding a vital stand of 147 with skipper Heather Knight, who made 67.

Wyatt then added an explosive 43 from 25 balls to help England set their highest-ever ODI total against Australia on home soil and what would have been the second-highest successful run-chase of all time.

The result concludes the most closely-fought Ashes since 2017, when it was last drawn, but England’s decade-long wait to hold the urn continues despite ultimately winning more games in the series, reflecting the significance of the four points from Australia’s Test victory in June.

Sciver-Brunt finally gets her winning moment

Sciver-Brunt has been waiting a while for her century in a winning cause, and chose the sweetest moment for it in front of a packed Taunton crowd.

It was her fourth ODI century in five innings against the world champions, and to have a side of such calibre looking for answers against her speaks volumes of her class.

She was given a life on 54 when McGrath dropped a chance in her follow-through, and punished them for it.

The knock was a tad slower than her 99-ball 111* at Southampton two days previously, but was exceptional under different circumstances – batting first and having watched the openers depart with less than 15 runs on the board.

Australia’s spinners once again applied the pressure excellently in the middle overs, but Sciver-Brunt and Knight held firm, using all their experience to tick over the singles and punish anything loose.

That platform was crucial, allowing England to unleash the dynamic Wyatt against a tired Australia attack at the end of an intense tour.

It may not have been enough to win England the Ashes but in a series win, Sciver-Brunt firmly established herself as one of the world’s greatest and her worth as the immovable gem of England’s middle order.

More to follow.