England squander chance to level series after Jones blunder

So near and yet so far. England did all the hard yards in the second ODI in Melbourne, wiping Australia out for 180 after inducing one of their worst batting collapses - eight Australian wickets lost for 49 runs.

- Raf Nicholson

Then, despite wobbling to 125 for eight, England somehow managed to stagger to within 22 runs of their target, courtesy of a patient rearguard 47 not out from Amy Jones and the determination of England's Nos 10 and 11. Lauren Filer and Lauren Bell survived 29 balls between them as Jones tried her level best to ensure that the required run-rate did not quite reach insurmountable levels, while also farming the strike.

The final few overs were a chaotic blur: four dropped catches from the usually flawless Australian fielders, before Annabel Sutherland was forced from the attack after she sent down two above-waist-height no balls in the 48th. Tahlia McGrath stepped up and finished the over. But the 11th-hour drama appeared to confuse Jones, who failed to run a single after hitting the final ball of the over - a free hit - to square leg, where it was dropped. This left Bell to face Megan Schutt at the start of the 49th - Schutt promptly bowled her and Australia could finally celebrate.

"We got ourselves into a winning position and we let it go," Alice Capsey said. "We've missed a real opportunity to get two points on the board. There'll be severe disappointment within the group."