Third women's Twenty20 international, Canberra:
England 146-6 (19.5 ovs) beat Australia 145-6 (20 ovs) by four wickets
Match scorecard

Jenny Gunn and Danielle Hazell were at the crease to see England home

England clinched the women's Twenty20 international series, beating Australia by four wickets in Canberra to take a 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Pace bowler Isa Guha took 3-24 as the Aussies made 145-6 in their 20 overs.

Captain Charlotte Edwards (36) and Laura Marsh (45) added 71 for the first wicket, but England were pegged back before winning with one ball to spare.

It is the first time that England's women have won a limited-overs series in Australia.

The sides now play two more Twenty20 internationals before the one-off Ashes Test begins on 22 January.

Openers Meg Lanning (34 from 22 balls) and Shelley Nitschke gave Australia a solid start after home skipper Alex Blackwell won the toss, adding 51 for the first wicket, before Leah Poulton and Blackwell took charge with another fifty stand.

But Guha's three-wicket burst ripped out the middle order as the Southern Stars threatened a much higher total, while Holly Colvin ran Lisa Sthalekar out in the final over.

Everyone has contributed throughout the last three games and thoroughly deserve this series victory England captain Charlotte Edwards

Edwards and Marsh threatened to chase down England's target with ease, but the skipper fell to Nitschke before medium-pacer Sarah Coyte's 3-25 reduced the visitors to 114-4, with 32 still required from the last four overs.

Lydia Greenway, who had steered the tourists to victory with the bat in the first two Twenty20 games, had looked set to be England's "finisher" once again.

Five runs were needed from the final over, bowled by Rene Farrell, and the first ball disappeared for two wides but Greenway chipped the first legitimate delivery to mid-wicket, and her replacement Heather Knight was run out first ball.

However, Jenny Gunn and Danielle Hazell kept their heads to see England home.

Player of the match Marsh said: "The bowlers did a great job of tying them down with this fast outfield and good track. I was pleased to get off to a good start with Charlotte, and all the girls followed on from that.

"It was a close finish but Lydia performed with the bat again to get the run rate up and it was great to see Jenny take us over the line."

Skipper Edwards, who lifted the World Cup on Australian soil in 2009, added: "I'm absolutely over the moon to win today and to win our first limited-overs series in Australia is very special.

"We upped our game on a very good pitch and again batted exceptionally well.

"I'm very proud of the whole squad. Everyone has contributed throughout the last three games and thoroughly deserve this series victory."

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