Aussies feel full Brunt of top bowling
THE Ashes may be staying in Australia for two more years, but England’s resolve has kept alive their hopes of an eight- all points tie after they took out the second T20 match by 40 runs in Canberra.
More than 4000 people turned out for a beautiful Sunday afternoon of cricket at Manuka Oval but didn’t get the show they wanted as Jenny Gunn and Katherine Brunt took apart Australia.
The Australian batting order disintegrated in the second innings after appearing to be comfortably on track for the target of 153.
A run- out by Jenny Gunn on Beth Mooney ( 17) when Australia was 0- 45 was the first domino to fall and from there England knocked down the rest with apparent ease.
The Australian openers of Mooney and Alyssa Healy had just started kicking into gear, having hit four straight fours off Sophie Ecclestone and Anya Shurbsole in the fourth and fifth overs, but next over the momentum shifted when Gunn sent Mooney back to the change rooms.
Gunn was responsible for Healy going and Australia’s third wicket, but it was Brunt who did the work on the rest of the top order. Brunt spearheaded her team’s victory, finishing with figures of 2- 10.
Australia’s Megan Schutt continued her scintillating form with a return of 2- 16, making it 18 wickets for the series. The win for England puts the points for the series at 8- 6 in Australia’s favour with the final T20 tomorrow night at Manuka.