THE Women’s Ashes is very much alive after England won a rain-affected third Twenty20 by five wickets. It was ultimately a quick fire Alice Capsey innings that helped see the English home.

Batting first, the Australians made a competitive 7/155 from their 20 overs.

It was not the most convincing of starts to an innings by the Australians, but things picked up towards the middle of the innings, particularly thanks to a 40 run, five over partnership between Ellyse Perry and Grace Harris. Perry went on to top score for the Australians with 34.

The English were very tidy with their bowling too, only conceding two extras, so the score was all the Australians’ doing.

After being the only bowler in the second T20 not to pick up a wicket, England’s Natalie Sciver-Brunt was the pick of the bowlers, while all bar one of the remaining bowlers used picked up a wicket each.

Then the rain hit, and after getting a revised target of 119 runs off 14 overs, the English went to work. The English made a fast innings, going at almost 10 runs an over before losing their first wicket in the fourth over.

They then lost two wickets in as many balls in a shift in momentum towards the Australians, but that saw Capsey come to the crease. Her 23-ball, 46-run innings helped propel the English towards a win, but she could not see the job out, dismissed in the 12th over.

Much like in the second T20 it came down to the final over again. The English lost two wickets in three balls, but at 117 runs already, they were ultimately able to get themselves over the line one ball later.

Capsey was the star with the bat for the English, but the likes of Danni Wyatt and Sciver-Brunt both made helpful smaller cameos.

Meanwhile for the Australians it was Megan Schutt who was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets. England’s win leaves the series very evenly poised. The overall score for the series is now six points to four, with three One Day Internationals to go.