Women's Ashes: Brunt keeps England's hopes of drawing Australia series alive
19 Nov 2017 5:42 PM GMT
Canberra: Katherine Brunt starred with bat and ball as England kept their hopes of a drawn Women's Ashes series alive with a 40-run win over Australia in the second Twenty20 international in Canberra.
Brunt (32 not out) and Natalie Sciver (40) helped England post 152-6 from their 20 overs after they won the toss.
Jenny Gunn (4-13) and Brunt (2-10) then helped bowl the hosts out for 112.
The Aussies, who are already assured of retaining the trophy, now lead the points-based multi-format series 8-6.
England can level the series if they win the final T20 match, also at the Manuka Oval, on Tuesday. A wholehearted character who has worn her heart on her sleeve since her England debut in 2004, Brunt would have felt Friday's defeat - which ended England's hopes of regaining the Ashes - as keenly as anyone, having been dismissed for a golden duck and then bowling three overs for 33 runs.
Having worked hard on her batting in the past couple of years, she is desperate to repay the faith shown in her by captain and coach which has seen her promoted up the order in T20 cricket.
This time, a platform had been set by the elevation of Danielle Wyatt (19 from 16 balls) to open, and when Brunt came to the crease in the 13th over after Sarah Taylor (30) ran herself out, she helped England post what proved to be a competitive total - and could have been even higher had Taylor and Sciver not got themselves out when well set.
Brunt's 32 came off 24 balls, hitting back-up seamers Delissa Kimmince and Sarah Aley for two big sixes down the ground off successive overs.
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