Captain Alyssa Healy’s 70 made light work of England’s under-par total of 204 as Australia won the first ODI of the all-format Ashes series on Sunday, January 12.
Healy played a strong knock as she not only held the Australian batting line-up but also ensured runs kept coming for the hosts. She saw a couple of wickets falling in the powerplay when Lauren Filler and Lauren Bell removed Phoebe Litchfield and Ellyse Perry.
However, Healy stayed composed at the other end. She found a 61-run partnership for the third wicket with Beth Mooney and kept motoring Australia further in the run-chase. Ashleigh Gardner, who took three wickets earlier, remained unbeaten in a measured knock of 42, while Alana King also went back unscathed on 11 as the Aussies won by four wickets in hand and 67 balls to go.
Earlier Gardner took 3/19 in her 6.1 overs and completed her 200 wickets in International cricket. She has become the sixth Australian player to scalp 200 International wickets after Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Jess Jonassen, Cathryn Fitzpatrick and Lisa Sthalekar.
Most wickets for Australia in women’s International cricket:
Ellyse Perry (331)
Megan Schutt (285)
Jess Jonassen (244)
Cathryn Fitzpatrick (240)
Lisa Sthalekar (229)
England had got to 204 but they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Captain Heather Knight was the top-scorer with 39 but could not convert her start. As wickets were tumbling frequently, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge held one end up for the majority of the innings. She was outdone by Annabel Sutherland for 38 in the 42nd over. Sophie Ecclestone’s 16 took England past 200 but it wasn’t enough.
With this win, Australia have collected two points in the multi-format series. Two points are awarded for a win in each limited-overs game (ODI or T20I) in the Women’s Ashes, while four points are rewarded for a win in a Test match.
The Women’s Ashes 2025 has three ODIs and three T20Is, followed by a one-off Test at the end. Australia are the current holders of the urn, having not conceded it since their loss to England in the 2013/14 down under.
