IT isn't a batting performance they will look back on overly fondly, but they will care little, for the arm-wrestle victory claimed by Australia's women in Hove tonight was more than enough to claim the Ashes for the first time since 2010.

Once again it was an Ellyse Perry-inspired collapse that laid the groundwork for Australia, taking top-order wickets in consecutive balls for the third time in this series as England as they collapsed to 87 all out, their lowest-ever T20 score.

After batting poorly - Australia's innings of 7 for 107 contained no score above 21 and no partnership greater than 29 - the hosts were in the box seat to take the series to a winner-takes-all decider at Cardiff on Monday.

But after the interval it was a different Australian team, the visitors' seam bowling quartet claiming nine of England's 10 wickets after spinner Jess Jonassen claimed the vital scalp of England's captain Charlotte Edwards in the second over of the chase.

With England reduced to 5 for 28, Lanning was afforded the luxury to swing the changes at the bowling crease, preventing a mid-innings consolidation building into a meaningful attack on the total.

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