Women’s Ashes LIVE: Australia take on England in second Twenty20 in Canberra

Good evening and welcome to the second Twenty20 of the women’s Ashes from the capital.

As you know, Australia have already retained the Ashes, but tonight in Canberra, they are looking to take one step closer to a clean sweep against their biggest rivals and rubbing further salt into wounds.

After an assured 57-run victory at the SCG in the first T20 contest, it is difficult to see where England’s next win can come in this series.

Apart from Sophia Dunkley’s 59 runs that gave England some hope a thin glimmer of hope, the lack of cohesion in the field or ability to adapt to an Australian team without Alyssa Healy or Ash Gardner was painful.

Beth Mooney’s 75 runs and Alana King and Georgia Wareham’s five wickets defeated England to ensure Australia kept the Ashes at home, but there were further issues for the visitors to contend with off the field.

Former England spinner and pundit Alex Hartley claimed that Sophie Ecclestone refused a television interview in Australia after the game at the SCG and said that she’d been “hung out to dry” by the team when talking on BBC’s Test Match Special.

Hartley was previously critical of England’s fitness levels after their T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to the West Indies last year.

Speaking before the second T20, England wicketkeeper Amy Jones played down any rift between Hartley and the team.

“Hartley’s a great personality and we have a lot of love for her in the group, so I definitely don’t think that’s the case,” Jones said.

“I think we all respect that commentators have their opinions and it’s Alex’s job to say how she feels, and I think we all respect that.”

Hartley has also had her final say on the matter below.