Sciver-Brunt tosses it up and Ash Gardner smashes it straight back over her head for four.

And that’s game.

Australia wins by four wickets with more than 11 overs remaining.

England definitely had their chances, but Australia’s batters were just too good at the North Sydney Oval.

Alyssa Healy’s mature 70 anchored the chase before Ash Gardner’s unbeaten 42 shepherded the Aussie’s home.

A commanding win for the hosts in the first ODI of the 2025 Women’s Ashes.

This will surely be the last over.

The field is up with Australia needing three runs to go 2-0 up in the series.

Four dots to start the over.

Real last chance saloon stuff now for England.

Chance! Oh wow, it’s another opportunity and, unfortunately for England, another missed one. Filer down low on her return gets a hand to a straight drive but the ball rockets past her and to the fence.

Four! Open blade through third from King.

A single to end the over and Australia is three runs from victory.

Chance! Amy Jones is back up to the stumps and the first ball of the over is a full toss. Gardner strides forward and hits it on the full to mid-off. It looked like Maia Bouchier had taken the catch, but the ball spilled out of her hands as she hit the ground. Massive moment.

Four! King muscles it to the leg side fence. Insult to injury, salt to wound.

On the world’s number one bowler’s second last delivery, McGrath is excellently caught by a diving Maia Bouchier on the off-side.

High ball! Big swing and Gardner connects, but perhaps not as sweetly as she would’ve liked. The ball goes very high and reaches the straight boundary after bouncing once.

Big swing! And a miss. The ball ghosts between keeper and slip and the Aussie’s scamper through for a couple byes.

Bell starts the over with two dots.

Gardner prods the third delivery to the offside for a quick single.

Four byes! Sloppy behind the stumps from Amy Jones. McGrath charged at Bell, who dropped it in short. The batter ducked out of the way and the ball went straight through Jones for four.

Play and a miss to finish the over.

England’s path to victory is narrowing with every passing ball here.

Probing stuff from the world’s top ranked bowler has McGrath defending after a Gardner single from the first delivery.

McGrath flicks the final ball from off her hip, but finds the fielder, and it’s five dots in a row to finish the over.

Gardner stands up and pulls the ball to the onside for a couple. In the air, but she was always in control.

There seems to be a bit more pep in the step of the English fielders now. They’re circling in close as Gardner prods the ball to the off-side for no-run.

Another flick to the on-side, but only a single this time.

Bell has one ball to the new batter.

It’s a good length delivery that McGrath defends off the back foot. No run and over.

Talia McGrath walks to the middle.

She begins her innings watchfully before getting a couple from a full toss.

End of a successful over for England.

Full and flighted from Dean.

Healy charged forward but didn’t quite read the ball’s trajectory and yorks herself trying to push the ball to the off side.

Dean bowls Healy. Do England half a sniff here?

With about a million balls remaining, Australia now requires less than 50 runs.

And England require something pretty special.

I reckon it will have to come from one of the Lauren’s.

Filer was slightly erratic but dangerous, while Bell was disciplined but equally as dangerous.

And it’s Bell who’s back.

Lovely shot! Eased through the off-side and to the boundary by Healy.

Swing and a miss! Big waft from Healy but misses it by quite some distance outside the off stump.

Uppish but safe! Mistimed from Healy and it flew at a very catchable height, just past the point fielder for a single.

Again, uppish! From Gardner this time. The ball balloons up off her bat but Bell can’t make the ground for a return catch.

Gardner on strike, but not for long. Another single out to deep point.

Lovely shot by Healy out through midwicket but it picks out the fielder on the rope. Just a single.

BIG SHOUT! Looked pretty close, but it’s given not out and England has no reviews. Probably missing leg anyway.

FOUR MORE! Over cover now from Gardner! Lovely footwork and a flashing bat. Australia seemingly cruising to victory here.

Six from the over, Australia has 46 more to get and we will have another drink. Henry Hanson will take us home.

Healy on strike. She’s 36 runs away from a ton and Australia is 52 runs away from the win. It’s on?

A maiden from Ecclestone, she certainly hasn’t done a whole lot wrong out there.

Spin from both ends again, for now at least. Healy cuts away for a single.

Gardner pulls to the deep and takes another run.

FOUR MORE! Gardner replicates that pull shot but hits it into the gap and with a little more force. Good batting.

Make it seven from the over, 52 to get.

The Australians might be happy to see Ecclestone out and target the bowlers at the other end.

SIX! Or not. Gardner just literally hit Ecclestone into the carpark. One of the all-time worst blog calls, that. The very next ball Gardner belts Ecclestone back over her head for an enormous six, and now they can’t find the ball.

Now the single from Gardner to the leg side, clever batting.

And now some excellent running, a quick single to Healy through cover.

Eight off the over, Australia 59 runs away.

This is turning into an excellent knock from Alyssa Healy.

She rode her luck a little bit early on but is going really nicely now.

After a run of low scores leading into the series, it is a welcome return to form for Australia’s gutsy captain.

The first 50 of Ashes 2025.

Gardner somehow outside edges a yorker. It rolls between keeper and slip but is well stopped.

Filer digs in the short ball but Gardner hooks it well. Good fielding on the rope keeps it to one.

Healy has been peppering that off-side sweeper all day. Another single.

Think Gardner can expect some more short stuff from Filer. She plays that well though, controlling it off the back foot to fine leg.

BANG! As good as we’ve seen all day. Healy absolutely creams that pull shot in front of square for four. Couldn’t have hit it any better.

Seven from the over as Australia edges closer, only 67 to get now.

Wouldn’t be surprised if Ecclestone bowls 10 straight here. She has Garnder on strike and beats her outside edge straight away.

SHOT! Healy breaks the shackles by charging at Ecclestone and whacking her over mid-off. That’s a cracking shot.

Five from the over, Australia needs 74 more runs.