Jonassen spins Australia to victory

Australia Women 203 for 8 (Lanning 56, Fields 32, Brunt 3-29) beat England Women 176 (Edwards 61, Jonassen 4-38, Osborne 3-39) by 27 runs
Scorecard

Australia Women's spin duo of Jess Jonassen and Erin Osborne shared seven wickets between them to orchestrate a batting collapse at Lord's, giving the visitors a 27-run win in the first ODI. Chasing 204, England Women progressed steadily to 99 for 1 but lost their last nine wickets for 77 runs.

After opting to bat first, Australia got off to a shaky start, losing Rachel Haynes in the first over, caught and bowled by Katherine Brunt. Brunt returned to dismiss Jess Cameron, caught at square leg. Opener Meg Lanning gave Australia the platform with a half-century, adding 74 for the third wicket with the captain Jodie Fields. Lanning hit eight boundaries in her 56 before she was dismissed by Laura Marsh, caught at mid-off. Marsh dismissed Fields for 32 shortly after, caught at the same position, leaving Australia at 113 for 4.

The middle and lower order chipped in to push the score past 200. Jenny Gunn, the right-arm seamer, became England's leading ODI wicket-taker when she had Sarah Coyte caught, claiming her 103rd victim and going past Clare Taylor.

England's openers, Charlotte Edwards and Arran Brindle, started steadily, adding 63 in just under 20 overs. Offspinner Osborne struck by getting rid of Brindle for a watchful 21 off 72 balls. Edwards and Sarah Taylor took the score to 99 before the left-arm spinner Jonassen claimed the first of her four victims, trapping Taylor lbw. She struck again soon after, dismissing Lydia Greenway.

Edwards held the innings together with a half-century, but her dismissal in the 38th over, caught behind trying to cut Osborne, marked the turning point. The spinners chipped away in tandem, as England lost their last six wickets for 34 runs.

Australia took the lead in the Women's Ashes points table with four points, while England still held two from the drawn Test.