England women retain Ashes

England women's captain Charlotte Edwards with the Ashes trophy during the second Women's International T20 at the Emirates Durham ICG, Durham.

Skipper Charlotte Edwards hit an England best 92 not out, from 59 balls, as she batted through a successful pursuit of 150 for three with 13 balls to spare.

The 34-year-old, who combined in a match-winning unbroken 114-run stand with Sarah Taylor (50no), hit the winning runs when she lofted Erin Osborne to the mid-wicket rope.

It sparked joyous celebrations, Edwards raising her arms above her head as her team-mates rushed on to the Blundstone Arena to congratulate her.

Victory means England have won the multi-format series with two Twenty20s to spare, after taking an unassailable 10-4 points lead, and will lift the trophy for the second time inside six months.

Meg Lanning’s unbeaten 78 had powered Australia to a tricky total on a pitch that was slightly slow.

After losing their previous two matches, in the 50-over format, England could have been fearful as they looked to finally pin down the win to clinch the series.

England’s chase was set back when Danni Wyatt was caught by a diving Alex Blackwell with the score on 37.

It was the last wicket the tourists lost, however, as Edwards and Taylor took charge.

Edwards was particularly brutal on anything loose as she crashed 13 fours and a six to beat the previous highest score by an England woman in Twenty20 cricket - the unbeaten 80 Lydia Greenway hit to secure the Ashes at the Rose Bowl in August.

Edwards lofted Australia’s star all-rounder Ellyse Perry away to bring up her 100 stand with Taylor from 70 balls.

The winning runs arrived in a rush thereafter with Taylor bringing up her own half-century from 37 balls just before Edwards ended matters.