Australia Defeated 308 for 8 (Gardner 102, McGrath 55, Mooney 50, Syver-Brant 2-51, Dean 2-53) England 222 (Siver-Brant 61, Beaumont 54, King 5-46, Shute 3-57) by 86 runs
Gardner’s one-ball century combined with Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath rescued Australia from 59 for 4, the latter scoring a 38-ball fifty, after which they opened for 300.
All this meant England needed three T20s and a Test win to reclaim the Ashes for the first time since 2014.
Chasing 300-plus, they needed someone to replicate Gardner’s blistering pace century that came within 100 balls when he hit back-to-back boundaries off Syver-Brant in the 90s. It was only the second ODI century to come from No. 6 or below.
McGrath’s role was also crucial as he balanced Australia’s innings at 154 for 5 when he joined Gardner. His form has come under scrutiny in recent times, as he has moved up the order to No.7, so it was a timely performance from the vice-captain.
104 runs came off the last 10 overs in a great display of Australia’s batting depth. Sophie Ecclestone, who scored 17 off the last ball, finished with the second-most expensive figures of her ODI career with the top three against Australia.
In a frantic start to the game, England called DRS three times in the first four overs, burning both reviews but getting the call right when Lichfield made a positive start with three crisp boundaries with a pull down the leg side.
Moments after they went upstairs to use their reviews for a catch back appeal against Ellis Perry, he flicked a delivery straight from his pads to Lauren Filler at short fine leg and Lauren Bell’s muted celebration admitted it was more luck than a plan.
Alyssa Healy was unable to get through the gears during the powerplay and fell just before the end of the cut when she pulled Cyver-Brant at deep midwicket. Australia’s situation became more precarious when Annabelle Sutherland ended a lackluster ODI series when she drifted towards mid-off, dismissed in the second game in Melbourne.
The Australian team’s mantra is to never back down despite the odds, and Gardner responded by smashing Ecclestone straight down the ground for six. Mooney then hit two boundaries off Charlie Dean in three balls.
Gardner brought up his half century off 53 balls and Mooney on 63 balls. However, Mooney was unable to convert when he tried to clear offside against Dean and could only go into the ring in the sky. But what had been an opening for England was soon closed due to the skill and power of the Gardner-McGrath combination in the best batting conditions of the series.
Megan Shute struck in the first over of the chase when Maia Bouchier edged towards mid-off and England got a huge blow in reply when Heather Knight took a sharp chance that stood up to the stumps and followed Healy.
Beaumont and Sciver-Brunt rebuilt with a stand of 89 from 18 overs but the run-rate pressure was always mounting to chase such a big total. Beaumont took his strike rate to fifty with three six-ball boundaries but was bowled off his pads in Wareham’s first over in ODIs since last March.
Not for the first time, Syver-Brant stood out as a key figure. He reached his fifty off 53 balls but failed to convert, falling to the stumps after being beaten by a delivery from Wareham.
Although the required rate was close to eight per over it was not out of England’s sight and four four-ball boundaries between Watt-Hodge and Jones suggested that, like Australia, they might be able to make hay in the final over.
But then Watt-Hodge aimed to pick off King over the off side, Lichfield ran back from cover, dived at full length and grabbed the catch as it came over his shoulder. Once again, Australia seized a crucial moment and were one step closer to capturing the Ashes.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
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