Women's Ashes 2015: Australia beat England to take ODI series

Ellyse Perry followed her 67 with two early wickets

A superb performance from Ellyse Perry helped Australia claim an 89-run victory over England as they took a 4-2 lead in the seven-match Ashes series.

The all-rounder made 67 as the hosts posted a daunting 241-7 on a sluggish pitch at Worcester.

Perry then took 2-16, claiming the early wickets of Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor as England fell to 30-3.

The hosts lost their last six wickets for just 29 as they were bowled out for 152, with Kristen Beams taking 3-13.

With a Test and three T20s to follow over the next month, England will need to rectify their batting issues if they are to compete with an increasingly threatening Australian side.

If all those matches are completed, England must win the Test and one T20, draw the Test and win two T20s, or win all three T20s to retain the Ashes.

The ODIs also saw points for both sides given towards the ICC Women's Championship with Australia further extending their lead at the top of the table, while England sit fourth.

Meg Lanning picked up from where she left off in Bristol as the Australia captain once again provided an injection of pace to her side's innings.

Following days of rain, the visitors struggled to 83-1 from their first 25 overs on the slow New Road pitch.

Wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy was promoted up the batting order after the fall of Australia's second wicket, Nicole Bolton (40), making a quick-fire 17 off 18 balls before being caught-and-bowled by Heather Knight.

Lydia Greenway top-scored for England with 45

It brought Perry out and her 85-run fifth-wicket partnership with Lanning changed the course of the match.

England vice-captain Knight had spoken of the importance of the hosts taking their chances to get the Australia captain out after the second ODI in Bristol.

However, they failed to learn from their mistakes as a run-out chance with Lanning on five was missed, before Lydia Greenway dropped the 23-year-old on 46.

Jenny Gunn, picked in place of Kate Cross, finally had the right-handed batsman dismissed as she was caught at long-on for an impressive 85.

Perry (67), who had been happy to rotate the strike, attacked the ball more aggressively and reached her seventh 50 in eight innings as Australia posted a daunting 241-7.

And when Edwards was sent back to the pavilion after just two minutes when she was bowled out by Perry, the signs looked ominous for England.

All-rounder Perry picked up her second wicket in as many overs, removing Taylor before the recalled Lauren Winfield was run-out to reduce the home side to 30-3.

Knight (38) dug in before being bowled by Jess Jonassen, having walked across her stumps when attempting to sweep.

Requiring boundaries, Katherine Brunt (31) came out ahead of Natalie Sciver and hit the first maximum in the series, swiping across the line and clearing square-leg off Jonassen.

But, having shared a 51-run fifth-wicket partnership with Greenway (45), the pair perished in consecutive overs as Australia took complete control and finished the match in style.