The Aussies were sent in to bat and were under pressure from the get go, as debutante Katie George dismissed Beth Mooney with a brilliant run out from her own bowling. Alyssa Healy edged a few through slips but smashed two sixes on her way to a quick 31, while Ash Gardner cleared the rope twice before being dismissed on 28. 

Australia failed to capitalise on a lacklustre fielding effort from England, with only Rachael Haynes managing to pass double digits. It was a somewhat immature performance with the bat, with nearly all of Australia’s middle order getting out to rash shots.

Haynes played a true captain’s knock in the absence of Meg Lanning, striking eight fours and a six before being caught in the deep in the last over. Jenny Gunn did the damage for England, ending with 3/26 off her four overs as well as a run out. 

It was a comfortable chase for England, but it started with some early complications. Some tidy keeping from Alyssa Healy off the bowling of Megan Schutt saw debutante Bryony Smith dismissed for just one. Delissa Kimmince then dismissed Danni Wyatt in the fifth over and Australia looked to be in with a chance. 

From there, England dominated, with Tammy Beaumont smashing four consecutive fours off Schutt in the very next over. Sciver then took over, smashing Ellyse Perry for two sixes in the ninth over and then hitting three fours off the following over from Nicola Carey. 

Australia could not stop their momentum, as England struck at least a boundary per over to finish it off. Sciver and Beaumont ended with 68 and 58, both not out. 

England play India next on Sunday, while Australia play India on Monday.