Veteran Beth Mooney cracked an unbeaten 94 as Australia annihilated England by 72 runs to win the third T20 women’s international.
Australia completed a clean-sweep of the white-ball component of the Ashes series by posting 5-162 at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night before rolling the tourists for just 90.
Mooney was superb, striking 10 fours in her 63-ball knock – her 25th half-century in T20 internationals while Georgia Wareham confounded the English batters with a career-best 3-11 from her four overs of exceptional leg spin.
Australia romped through the three-match T20 series, having also swept the preceding 50-over series 3-0.
The host nation won the toss and were given a solid platform by opening batters Mooney and Georgia Voll – the pair posted a half-century partnership from 41 balls.
Just six balls later, the stand ended on 56 when Voll (23 from 21 deliveries) was caught at deep wide mid-on from the spin bowling of Alice Capsey (1-25).
But Mooney continued on her merry way, the veteran scoring with a vast array of strokes, including an audacious ramp shot from pace bowler Lauren Filer that went for four.
At the midpoint of the innings, Australia were 1-76 and England struck again in the 12th over when Phoebe Litchfield (12 from 10 balls) missed an attempted sweep from left-arm tweaker Sophie Ecclestone (1-37).
Mooney reached her half-century from 41 balls and then accelerated as Ellyse Perry (12 from 11 balls), Grace Harris (11 from 10) and Annabel Sutherland (three from three) fell cheaply.
England’s run-chase started poorly with Sophia Dunkley dismissed by Darcie Brown in the second over for five.
Alice Capsey (six), Nat Sciver-Brunt (one) , Danni Wyatt-Hodge (17) and Amy Jones (duck) followed in quick succession as they slumped to 5-39.
England captain Heather Knight’s 38-ball 40 ensured it was not a total embarrassment for her side but wickets kept falling around her with Voll taking an athletic catch to remove Sophie Ecclestone and Ellyse Perry also showing brilliance in the field to run out Linsey Smith.
The traditional rivals will play a one-off Test match at the MCG starting on Thursday with England playing to restore their battered pride and the Aussies looking to complete a perfect Ashes campaign.
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