Summary

  • England hold nerve to win by three runs - Australia now lead points-based series 6-2

  • Australia slip to 75-4 & 160-7 after being 59-0

  • Perry's late onslaught - 51 off 27 balls - not enough for Australia

  • Ecclestone reaches 100 T20 wickets - the quickest to the mark

  • England set Australia 187 to win, despite losing five wickets for 19 runs in 23 balls

  • Sutherland takes two wickets in two balls and superb catch

  • Wyatt top-scores with 76 off 46 balls

  • Next match: Third T20 at Lord's, Saturday (18:35 BST)

  • Highlights on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport app from 23:00 BST

  1. Postpublished at 21:40 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    Time for us to call it a night.

    I'll leave you with Ffion Wynne's report from The Oval as England beat Australia by three runs to keep the women's Ashes alive.

    Some of the best clips are below for you to enjoy too.

    You can also watch extended highlights on BBC iPlayer from 23:00 BST.

    The next game is the third T20 at Lord's on Saturday from 18:35 BST. A win would see Australia retain the Ashes.

    The men's Ashes is back on Thursday too! Our live text, radio & clips coverage of the third Test from Headingley will start at 08:00 BST.

    Get yourself prepared for that by reading all this:

    See you then!

  2. 'Hopefully this is the start'published at 21:37 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    More from Danni Wyatt on TMS: "Hopefully this is the start now. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, we're going to celebrate tonight, to beat Australia is an incredible achievement and it was Heather's 100th T20 as well. We'll see what we can improve upon and go again. We've just to keeping winning, reflect individually on what we can do better and just go out there and give it our all.

    "I said to Lauren to keep going, it's so hard to be a bowler in T20 cricket. Her slow balls were fantastic at the end there. She bowled so well and she's really hard, I'm really happy for her and she's got a big future ahead of her. Hopefully she'll take confidence from that.

    "Hopefully Lord's will come out for the T20. The crowd have really been behind us and they've been our 12th man."

  3. 'If we up by a few per cent, we can win'published at 21:35 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    England's Danni Wyatt on BBC Test Match Special: "Even in the Test match we were so close, in the last T20 were so close. We said after the last game it's just those few moments that haven't gone our way and we've got to stick together, up our games by a few percent and we'll get that win - and we did tonight. Hopefully we'll recharge our batteries and go again for that last T20.

    "I've been around a while now and I'm familiar with the Australian bowlers but every game has new challenges, new conditions. I haven't played here much at The Oval. We expected it to be really flat and after the first couple of balls Dunks came down and said 'OK, it's not that flat!'. But we said we'd back ourselves, in T20 you've got to be brave, play your game, for me it's getting busy, rotating the strike.

    "The Australian bowlers bowled a few short balls, we were ready for those and once it went through the in-field it was four. So it was about hanging in there, even though we lost a few quick wickets in the middle. We've got to go again at Lord's."

  4. Postpublished at 21:34 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    This is when the remaining four games in the women's Ashes are taking place:

    • Third T20 - 8 July, Lord's (18:35 BST)
    • First ODI - 12 July, Bristol (13:00 BST)
    • Second ODI - 16 July, Southampton (11:00 BST)
    • Third ODI - 18 July, Taunton (13:00 BST)

    There are two points per win available.

  5. Postpublished at 21:32 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    Here's the winning moment.

    It's always slightly weird when you win the game despite the other team hitting successive sixes, but England got over the line.

    It keeps the Ashes alive. We roll on to Lord's on Saturday.

  6. Postpublished at 21:30 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    Another positive for England was Dani Gibson.

    She picked up her first international wicket when she dismissed Beth Mooney.

    Figures of 1-15 from two overs was a decent return for the Western Storm all-rounder.

  7. Postpublished at 21:28 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    The wickets were shared round by the England bowlers, but the spin trio of Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean took five between them.

    They often deliver for England and they did so again tonight when the hosts needed it to stay alive in the series.

    Here is one of Ecclestone's wickets. The left-arm spinner made history by becoming the fastest bowler to reach 100 T20 international wickets.

  8. 'To win at only 80% is nice'published at 21:25 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    England captain Heather Knight: "What a game. It was pretty much a packed house and we knew it would be a close one for us to get over the line. I am really proud but we've still got more in the tank and areas to get better on.

    "The pitch was a bit stoppy and had tennis-ball bounce. Danni is showing maturity and experience and that came to fruition. She probably doesn't get the credit she deserves for being a really smart cricketer.

    "Charlie Dean can bowl at all stages of the innings, I thought she was outstanding in the powerplay. Spin is definitely our strength. It was really nice to see Nat back. We can do the execution a bit better and to win at only 80% is nice.

    "It is all about the next game and getting the crowd on our side."

  9. 'We'll take getting as close as we did'published at 21:23 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    Australia captain Alyssa Healy: "A little bit of everything, I'm not sure we were great in all three facets. We've got to be better at the back end with the ball, we bowled a heap of extras.

    "To get as close as we did, we'll take that.

    "We're allowed to lose games of cricket, we play that many of them. We didn't play as well as can, we didn't execute as well as we'd like. Credit to England, they came out swinging."

  10. Postpublished at 21:19 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    Player of the match Danni Wyatt: "I am delighted with the win, it was a proper team effort.

    "It was a bit tricky to bat on. It came on nicer under lights. We did well to get to 186 and everyone contributed nicely.

    "You've just got to be brave in T20 and back yourself and the runs will come. Once you'd got it through the infield it was four runs.

    "The crowds have been so good. They've really got behind us."

  11. 'England won the crunch moments'published at 21:17 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    England Test and ODI batter Tammy Beaumont on Sky Sports: "I am so proud of each and every one of them.

    "There was a little moment in the middle with the batting but then Danni Wyatt took 25 off Megan Schutt and all the momentum came back to England.

    "With the ball they put pressure on at the start and in the middle overs. England won the crunch moments today."

  12. Postpublished at 21:15 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    Australia now lead the multi-format series 6-2.

    They still need one win from the remaining four games - one T20 and three one-day internationals - to retain the Ashes.

    England must win at least three, and then hope the other game finishes as a tie or is washed out so they earn a point.

    Ultimately England have to get to nine points. There are two points available for each win.

  13. Postpublished at 21:13 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    Phil Long
    BBC Test Match Special statistician

    Australian's highest score batting second. They needed 20 off that final over, they got 16.

  14. Postpublished at 21:13 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    I tell you what, that stop from Sophia Dunkley off the final ball of the 18th over has won England that game.

    She stretched every part of her left arm and hand to push the ball back in and restrict Australia to win.

    A boundary and we would have had a tie.

  15. Postpublished at 21:11 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    England still have a chance of winning the Ashes. They could have been down and out, it could have all been over. The start of an Ashes miracle, it's all about momentum in one-day cricket.

  16. champagne moment

    England win by three runspublished at 20 overs
    Breaking

    Back-to-back sixes for Ellyse Perry to end the game but England get over the line. Just.

    Heather Knight's side have kept the Ashes alive.

    They now trail 6-2 in the multi-format series.

  17. Postpublished at 21:10 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    Alex Blackwell
    Former Australia batter on BBC Test Match Special

    I'm going to back Perry to find six here. She'll be gutted she hasn't got her team over the line on a magic night at The Oval. England keeping the Ashes alive.

  18. 6 runs

    Aus 177-8published at 19.5 overs

    Need 10 from one ball

    Eek!

    Superb shot from Ellyse Perry as she whips Sophie Ecclestone for six over square leg.

  19. Postpublished at 21:09 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

    Henry Moeran
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    WarehamImage source, Getty Images

    This Australian team who do not lose - they just do not lose - are about to be beaten by England.

  20. Aus 171-8published at 19.4 overs

    Need 16 from 2 balls

    Just two!

    No no-balls and wides and England are going to win this game and keep the Ashes alive.