Summary

  • England win by two wickets to level Women's Ashes with two to play

  • Skipper Knight's unbeaten 75 anchors England, who lose regular wickets

  • Cross hammers 19 at number 10 to allay late nerves

  • Beaumont (47 off 42) and Capsey (40 off 34) get England off to fast start

  • Mooney top-scores for Australia with unbeaten 81

  • England drop five chances and miss chance to stump Mooney

  • Australia had won 41 of their last 42 completed ODIs

  • Two ODIs to play: 16 July (Southampton) & 18 July (Taunton)

  1. Eng 13-0published at 1.1 overs

    Australia already mixing things up as Ellyse Perry opens at the other end for Australia.

    Her first ball is clubbed by Sophia Dunkley straight to Phoebe Litchfield in the covers, but it is fumbled and runs away for four.

  2. Postpublished at 16:41 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    Alex Blackwell
    Former Australia batter on BBC Test Match Special

    Darcie Brown hasn't been her best in this series, she's not been accurate with her line and length.

  3. Eng 9-0published at 1 over

    Darcie Brown struggles a bit with her line early on as she also bowls a couple of wides wide. An expensive over first up from the 20-year-old.

  4. Postpublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    Alex Blackwell
    Former Australia batter on BBC Test Match Special

    It's a big chase but it's within reach for England, they will need a good powerplay. Australia have a much more impressive spin bowling attack so England's middle order will be tested.

  5. Eng 7-0published at 0.1 overs

    England need to get off to a good start - and that will help.

    Darcie Brown begins with a no-ball that Tammy Beaumont knocks away for two. Beaumont then clatters the next delivery over the covers and away for four.

    There's a huge grin on Beaumont's face. She clearly enjoyed that.

  6. Postpublished at 16:37 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    Thanks, Sam.

    I return just as the bright yellow shirts of the Australia team make their way to the field.

    Sophia Dunkley and Tammy Beaumont is the new-look opening partnership for England.

    Darcie Brown will open the bowling for Australia.

  7. Postpublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    So now you're all caught up - not something England can say, sadly but if they can chase down these runs and level the series, that will all be forgotten.

    We're not too far away from the start of that chase so it's time for me to hand over to Tom Mallows.

  8. Postpublished at 16:30 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    Australia kept going with Beth Mooney leading the way and England still far too generous in the field.

    Jess Jonassen was dropped by Lauren Bell - the fifth catch shelled by England - bowled she was bowled by Sophie Ecclestone.

    Nat Sciver-Brunt then removed Georgia Wareham in the last over with Australia finishing on 263-8.

  9. Postpublished at 16:27 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    Ashleigh Gardner threatened to get going for Australia but her innings was ended by a superb catch from Nat Sciver-Brunt.

    That was the first of two wickets in an over for Lauren Bell. The second of them was jaffa to bowl Annabel Sutherland for a two-ball duck...

  10. Postpublished at 16:25 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    Yet more chances went begging for England - albeit of differing levels of difficulty - before Alice Capsey bowled Tahlia McGrath...

  11. Postpublished at 16:23 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    However, Sophie Ecclestone made amends for her early drop by taking a stunning one-handed catch to remove Phoebe Litchfield.

    Ellyse Perry was dropped again, this time by Sarah Glenn, but the England leg-spinner quickly righted that wrong by dismissing the Australia all-rounder for 41...

  12. Postpublished at 16:21 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    It could have got even better for England but Sophie Ecclestone dropped a tough chance at slip to give Ellyse Perry a life on six.

    Perry and Phoebe Litchfield then began to build a dangerous partnership for Australia...

  13. Postpublished at 16:19 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    Let's have a look back at the best of the action from the Australia innings.

    It all started so well for England when Kate Cross trapped Alyssa Healy lbw in the first over...

  14. Postpublished at 16:17 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    England's Alice Capsey to Sky Sports: "If you said before the start that we would chase 264 we would take it. There were bits of brilliance in the field and some really good spells with the ball, I thought the seamers bowled brilliantly.

    "The pitch is a little two-paced, if you put it in a good area it looks hard to score. Our openers will go out there, assess and pass it on to us.

    "That is the advantage of bowling first. You can use that knowledge of what worked on the pitch, relay it to the batters and take it out there."

    On her bowling: "I got told I would be bowling a couple of overs, I didn't think I would bowl nine in a row. But I am happy to be able to contribute with ball in hand."

  15. Postpublished at 16:13 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    Ffion Wynne
    BBC Sport at Bristol

    We're so used to Australia scoring 300+ at ease in ODI cricket, that 260 almost feels like a failure.

    But some signs from the spinners that the ball is keeping a little low, and Australia have got three quality spinners in Jess Jonassen, Ash Gardner and Georgia Wareham.

    It's not going to be straightforward for England, who could be chasing a lot less if they held their catches, but this impressive crowd here could help them get over the line.

  16. Postpublished at 16:10 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    England will be pretty happy to restrict Australia to that 260 mark. But when they look back and reflect they dropped a lot of catches so could have had them 220 all out.

    There were some outstanding bits of fielding within that, though.

  17. Aus 263-8published at 50 overs

    Schutt 3, Mooney 81

    Good comeback from Nat Sciver-Brunt after the boundary first ball of the over.

    Beth Mooney's unbeaten 81 has taken Australia to a competitive total - the fourth highest total in a women's ODI at Bristol, in fact - but England are still right in it.

    Heather Knight's side will hope they aren't left to rue six missed chances - five dropped catches and a missed stumping. They need 264 to level the series.

  18. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 49.3 overs

    Wareham c Wyatt b Sciver-Brunt 12 (Aus 260-8)

    Slower ball from Nat Sciver-Brunt and Georgia Wareham picks out deep mid-wicket.

    It was the back of the hand slower delivery from Sciver-Brunt, superbly executed and no mistake from Danni Wyatt in the deep.

  19. Postpublished at 16:04 British Summer Time 12 July 2023

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    If Australia get to 270 that would be a tough, tough ask for England.

  20. Aus 259-7published at 49.1 overs

    Loose from Nat Sciver-Brunt to start the over and Beth Mooney gratefully whips the ball past short fine leg for four.

    Another 20 runs from five ball for a century...?