Beth Mooney has guided Australia to a T20 win which has given them an even firmer grip on the women’s Ashes – but only after a mighty scare for the world champions at Edgbaston.

Mooney was at her brilliant best, scoring an unbeaten 61 off 47 balls, to ensure that Australia managed to scrape home by four wickets off the penultimate delivery, but only after a nerve-racking final over in Birmingham.

Replying to England’s 7-153, Australia had largely been in control in the run chase and needed just five runs off the final over, with the game looking done and dusted as Annabel Sutherland smashed the first ball off Sophia Ecclestone straight for four.

But needing just the single to win, the next two were dot balls, before Sutherland got caught off the fourth, trying to slash over the top.

Georgia Wareham then entered, and though she hit the penultimate ball straight to a fielder, she and Mooney still managed to scamper the single that protected Australia’s proud record of not having lost an official T20 match for two years.

The narrow victory puts the visitors on course to win the Ashes series, after their victory in the Test match at Nottingham.

— AAP