England’s hopes of producing a miraculous comeback in the women’s Ashes were ended as Australia won a thrilling second one-day international by three runs to retain the urn.
The hosts needed 15 from the final over and five from the last ball to send the series to a decider after Natalie Sciver-Brunt struck a brilliant century in England’s chase of 283.
But Sciver-Brunt was unable to clear the ropes to secure the win or find a boundary to force a super over as Australia clinched a narrow win to retain the Ashes.
Heather Knight’s side had battled back from 6-0 down in the multi-format series to keep the Ashes alive but Australia finally ended their resistance with a narrow win at The Ageas Bowl.
The tourists recovered from 27-2 to post 282-7 thanks to Ellyse Perry’s 91, Annabel Sutherland’s fifty and Georgia Wareham’s brutal 14-ball 37.
England made a quick start to the chase but Alana King halted the hosts’ progress with three top-order wickets, including the dangerous Tammy Beaumont for 60.
Sciver-Brunt attempted to hold the chase together with a brilliant hundred but Australia were closing in to an Ashes-clinching win when Ashleigh Gardner took two wickets in the space of four balls, including Amy Jones for a fluent 34.
Sarah Glenn supported Sciver-Brunt to take the game down to the final over but Jess Jonassen held her nerve to put Australia 8-4 up with one match remaining.
While Australia have retained the urn, England can still avoid an Ashes defeat for the first time since 2018 if they win Tuesday’s final one-day international.
England rallied superbly after losing the four-point Test match last month, beating Australia in the T20 series and the opening one-day international.
They made a strong start to the second ODI as Lauren Bell dismissed both Australian openers to reduce the tourists to 27-2.
England were on top when Australia slipped to 102-4 but Perry produced a typically classy innings and found support from Sutherland and Gardner to take her side beyond 250.
Sophie Ecclestone dismissed Perry and Sutherland in the same over but Australia enjoyed a late flurry as Wareham smashed a stunned Bell for 26 off the last over.
Beaumont gave the chase early impetus, hitting eight boundaries in a fluent fifty, but Australia were well on top as England collapsed from 66-0 to 144-5.
Sciver-Brunt and Jones added 57 in 56 balls to reignite England’s chances but Gardner then took two wickets in an over to halt the momentum.
Centurion Sciver-Brunt took the game down to the wire but England fell agonisingly short, allowing Australia to celebrate retaining the Ashes.
Australia captain Alyssa Healy said: ‘I just thought it was a really, really good game of cricket. Both sides really hung in there and Nat Sciver-Brunt, yet again, played an incredible innings – I thought she was going to take it away from us at the end.
‘But full credit to our girls, they showed all their grit and determination again and we got ourselves over the line.
‘We still haven’t played our best cricket which is a little bit scary at times but we’re obviously really chuffed.
‘We came here to win the Ashes, we’ve retained them so far but there’s still one game to go so we’re ready to put our best foot forward again.
‘But to know that the Ashes are coming home with us is hugely exciting. Full credit to the group for getting it done.’
England skipper Heather Knight said: ‘It’s been a ridiculous series, has to go down as the best ever in history. How Nat played to get so close was brilliant.
‘We’re gutted we weren’t able to keep the momentum. It is about trying to win those big moments. Our aim now is to go to Taunton and win to try and win both white-ball series.’
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