Team-mates of Rachael Haynes call her “Dessy” – derived, in the best traditions of monikers, from the legendary opener Desmond, with whom she shares her surname. Usually, that’s where the comparison ends, the new Australia captain more an accumulator than a muscular machine.
On Thursday, she did the nickname justice, pounding an unbeaten 89 in 56 balls, leading her charges to a 296 for five total. The target was always going to be too much for England after losing early wickets, even when it was reduced to 285 after a burst of hail, then another of rain.
The 75-run win (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method) leaves the world champions in disarray, now able to regain the Women’s Ashes only if they claim 10 of the available 12 points that remain up for grabs. The thrashing will hurt doubly after Heather Knight declined to take advantage of excellent batting conditions at the toss, inviting Australia to bat first.
That was a decision governed in part by the likelihood of a massive storm heading the way of the eastern seaboard, but it only glanced Coffs Harbour and didn’t affect Australia’s monster innings. In women’s ODIs, no one has ever chased down a bigger total.
England lost both openers – Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont – to Megan Schutt’s in-swing by the time the reply reached 20. When the senior trio of Sarah Taylor, Natalie Sciver and Heather Knight fell in the space of 14 balls to leave the tourists 91 for five, the record books were safe.
Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy and Nicole Bolton also hit half-centuries for Australia, but it was the captain, Haynes, who lit up the contest. Walking out at No5 with 16 overs remaining and her side having just lost two wickets in the space of nine balls, there was ample work to do.
She got straight to it, flicking and shimmying her way into the innings, before bombing three sixes over long-on in a final 10-over spurt worth 96 runs. She was helped by Beaumont, who put her down on the midwicket rope when on 61.
The power hitting of Haynes built a useful highlights package but just as impressive were her piercing drives against seam and assertive footwork to combat spin. “I felt a lot more relaxed than I did in game one,” she said after the knock. “Then I was trying to muscle the ball, but today I was focused on getting my placement right.”
Katherine Brunt also put down a routine return catch when Perry was on 41, that error costing 26 runs. The No3 made it three consecutive half-centuries at the venue, twice clearing the rope in an energetic stay through the middle overs before Sarah Taylor’s brilliant gloves combined with Jenny Gunn’s slower ball, one of four wickets for the cagey seamer.
Earlier, 98 was put on for the opening wicket in a stand between Healy and Bolton that was at first restrained but ramped up when the field was spread, the reverse of how it usually works. The former was first to raise the bat, her innings highlight a lavish strike over long-on. It was the first of six maximums for Australia through the afternoon.
She was eventually undone by spin, becoming Sophie Ecclestone’s first Ashes wicket. The ball that took it was a good one, a classy quicker ball zipping into off stump. The 18-year-old Lancastrian justified her inclusion with a handy spell that will ensure her continuing use in this Ashes series.
Bolton was initially less convincing but grew in confidence with a series of reverse sweeps and switch hits to move into the 60s before Alex Hartley prompted one cheeky shot too many. That moment aside, it was a tougher day for the other Lancs left-arm tweaker.
Brunt will long to forget her later spells, leaking 55 runs across eight overs after doing well to restrain Australia early. But she got something out of the contest, hitting her way to her maiden ODI half-century as the game drifted to its inevitable end. Fran Wilson’s 37 was the second highest score as the two put on 68, England’s best partnership.
They both fell to Schutt, her third and fourth victims, who more than adequately filled the shoes of Perry as the primary seamer. Useful support also came from Tahlia McGrath, who was barely called upon in Brisbane but made an important contribution in breaking the stand between Knight and Taylor, finding the latter’s edge.
England’s leader fell two overs later, lbw to Amanda Wellington, who impressed again. Moments later, Jess Jonassen enticed Sciver to swipe across the line four balls into her spell and she was caught at mid-on for five.
A brief twist left the door ajar, as Perry was struck out of the attack by umpire Claire Polosak in the sixth over because of consecutive full-tosses above waist height. It was the product of a slippery ball rather than malice but with so many runs to get there was a margin for error.
Kristen Beams returned to the XI in the place of Ashleigh Gardner, who did not pass a concussion test. Beams’ two wickets included the one that finished England off, delivering the hosts their second win on the trot and a 4-0 lead on points in the multi-format series. The next rubber is also at Coffs Harbour on Sunday, and is now a virtual must-win for England.
