Australian women’s cricket team win T20 Tri-Nation tournament in India

MEG Lanning and Elyse Villani have belted Australia to a 57-run defeat of England in the final of the women’s Tri-Nation T20 series in India. The Australians posted 4-209, a record score for women’s T20 internationals, before England were unable to recover from the double early losses of Bryony Smith and Tammy Beaumont for ducks.

The total was built on the back of a 139-run partnership between Lanning (88) and Villani (51).

Opener Alyssa Healy also scored 33.

England’s Jenny Gunn took two for 38 from her four overs.

But with Smith and Beaumont falling in the first two overs England’s reply was doomed from the start.

A half-century from Natalie Sciver gave them hope but when she was caught and bowled by Ashleigh Gardner for 50 any momentum they had was taken out of their reply which had faltered to 5-138 at that stage.

Australia then restricted England’s tail to 9-152 off their 20 overs and a heavy defeat for the T20 world champions.

Megan Schutt took three for 14 and Delissa Kimmince and Gardner claimed two wickets apiece.