Australia retain women's Ashes after draw in only test

Cricket - Women’s Ashes - Test Match - England v Australia - The Coopers Associates County Ground, Taunton, Britain - July 21, 2019 Australia's Jess Jonassen celebrates with team mates after taking the wicket of England's Natalie Sciver Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

(Reuters) - Australia retained the women's Ashes after the only test match in the series played across multiple formats ended in a draw at Taunton on Sunday.

After Australia had declared their first innings on 420-8, England avoided the follow-on and asked Australia to bat again, declaring at 275-9.

However, the visitors elected not to set a victory target and had reached 230-7 at the end of play.

Cricket - Women’s Ashes - Test Match - England v Australia - The Coopers Associates County Ground, Taunton, Britain - July 21, 2019 England's Sophie Ecclestone and team mates makes an unsuccessful appeal against Australia's Rachael Haynes Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Elysse Perry was again the pick of the Australian batters, following up her first innings 116 with an unbeaten 76 in the second.

The result means Ashes holders Australia, who lead England 8-2 on points having won all three of the one-day internationals, will retain the trophy.

England can only level the series if they win the three remaining Twenty20 international games, starting on Friday.

Cricket - Women’s Ashes - Test Match - England v Australia - The Coopers Associates County Ground, Taunton, Britain - July 21, 2019 Australia's Rachael Haynes in action Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

"It's certainly a good position to be in. We had a hard four-day battle and it was a good challenge. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a result here, but it was a great test," Australia skipper Meg Lanning said.

"It's been a lot closer than the scoreboard suggests, and we're really looking forward to the T20s."

A points system to determine the winner of a series has been used in women's cricket since the 2013 Ashes. Teams are awarded two points for victory in limited-overs games and six in tests.

Cricket - Women’s Ashes - Test Match - England v Australia - The Coopers Associates County Ground, Taunton, Britain - July 21, 2019 Australia's Ellyse Perry in action as England's Sarah Taylor looks on Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Drawn limited-overs games result in one point being awarded to both teams and two each if a test ends in a stalemate.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Ian Chadband)

Cricket - Women’s Ashes - Test Match - England v Australia - The Coopers Associates County Ground, Taunton, Britain - July 21, 2019 Australia's Jess Jonassen in action as England's Sarah Taylor looks on Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Cricket - Women’s Ashes - Test Match - England v Australia - The Coopers Associates County Ground, Taunton, Britain - July 21, 2019 England's Laura Marsh celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Australia's Rachael Haynes Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Cricket - Women’s Ashes - Test Match - England v Australia - The Coopers Associates County Ground, Taunton, Britain - July 21, 2019 England's Laura Marsh is dismissed with an LBW by Australia's Jess Jonassen as Alyssa Healy looks on Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Cricket - Women’s Ashes - Test Match - England v Australia - The Coopers Associates County Ground, Taunton, Britain - July 21, 2019 Australia's Meg Lanning in action Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra