England A Edge Australia A in Thrilling One-Wicket Win

England A pulled off a sensational one-wicket victory over Australia A in a dramatic third 50-over match in Sydney, with a match-winning performance from Paige Scholfield, who made 83, and crucial contributions with the ball from Grace Potts and Ryana MacDonald-Gay. The win came down to the final over, as England A chased down 196 in an edge-of-the-seat finish.

In a game that ebbed and flowed, England A’s bowlers had earlier restricted Australia A to just 195, thanks to three wickets apiece from Potts and MacDonald-Gay. Potts starred with the ball, taking 3 for 30, while MacDonald-Gay claimed 3 for 32 to dismantle the Australian top order.

Australia A’s innings was built around a resilient 76 from Ella Hayward and a composed 53 from Courtney Webb, which helped rescue them from a precarious 29 for 5. After a solid start, Australia A’s batting collapsed under pressure, with Potts and MacDonald-Gay combining to claim five of the first six wickets.

Potts' stunning bowling spell, which included a maiden and 44 dot balls in her 10 overs, was key in dismantling the top order. She had Australia A’s openers caught behind, including the prized scalp of Georgia Voll for a second-ball duck. Potts also sent Charli Knott packing in her sixth over, leaving Australia A in disarray.

MacDonald-Gay then took over, trapping Australia A’s captain Nicole Faltum for a duck, leaving the hosts at 29 for 5. Despite this early collapse, Hayward and Webb forged a crucial partnership, with Hayward anchoring the innings and Webb providing vital support. Their 100-run stand, followed by cameos from Hannah Darlington and Sophie Day, helped Australia A reach 195.

In reply, England A’s chase got off to a rocky start as they quickly slipped to 23 for 3 and later 64 for 4. However, Scholfield and Seren Smale steadied the ship, with an 88-run partnership putting England A in a strong position at 152 for 4. Smale was run out for 34, and Scholfield was bowled for a gritty 83 from 102 balls, leaving England A with 31 runs needed from the final 40 balls with just three wickets in hand.

MacDonald-Gay, contributing 16 valuable runs, fell with 14 still required, but Potts remained composed. She put on a crucial 13-run partnership with Georgia Davis before Davis was run out on the last ball of the 49th over, leaving the equation down to just one run needed for victory.

With Australia A’s Ginger bowling the final over, Potts kept her cool, striking the second ball for a boundary to seal the win and give England A a one-wicket triumph.

Earlier, Hayward had delivered an exceptional all-round performance, scoring 76 runs and bowling 10 overs for 1 for 24, including two maidens.

England A’s victory gave them a much-needed win in the series after two losses in the first two 50-over matches. Both teams will now turn their focus to the upcoming four-day red-ball match starting on Saturday to conclude the multi-format series.