Australia escape last-minute heartbreak after Ash Gardner dropped by Sophie Ecclestone

Austrаlіа esсарe lаst-mіnute һeаrtbreаk аfter Asһ Gаrdner droррed by Soрһіe Eссlestone

Alyssa Healy has bounced back to form with a statement half-century against England, taking Australia to a four-wicket win over England in the first ODI of the Ashes.

After Ashleigh Gardner took three wickets to have England all out for 204 at a sold-out North Sydney Oval, Healy starred with the bat on Sunday.

Australia’s captain hit 70 from 78 balls, peppering the square boundaries as the hosts chased down the target with 67 balls and four wickets to spare.

The success did not come without a late scare, with England left to rue a chance to expose the tail when Sophie Ecclestone dropped a sitter from Gardner at mid-off with 22 runs still required.

Ecclestone initially appeared to catch the ball cleanly before it bobbled out of her hands when she braced to hit the ground in the motion of catching the ball.

“Oh, don’t tell me she’s fall to that ball?” Andy Maher said just before Gardner almost holed out to a full-toss from Lauren Bell.

“It is a deadful... has she (Ecclestone) put it down? I can’t believe what I’ve just seen here. I can’t believe what I’ve just seen.

Sophie Ecclestone couldn’t believe the ball had popped out of her hands. Credit: Channel 7

“Has the ball popped out when she’s hit the ground?

It’s a horrible delivery, it’s an even worse shot, it’s in the hands... Oh my goodness. What is going on?”

Australia were six wickets down at the time, but the reprieve allowed Gardner and Alana King to finish the job.

The win gives Australia a 2-0 lead in the multi-format series, with each of the three ODIs and T20s worth two points and the Test worth four.

And while Gardner finished unbeaten on 42 and Beth Mooney hit 28, nobody’s runs would have meant more than Healy’s.

Battling persistent foot and knee issues, Healy’s half-century marked the first time she had passed 50 at any level since 16 innings ago last March.

But in an ominous sign for England, the opener looked back to her best on Sunday.

Australia captain Alyssa Healy led the way with 70 off 78 balls against England in the first ODI. Credit: AAP

Five of her 11 boundaries came on the pull shot, and she was back to old ways in punishing any width outside off stump.

Four more boundaries came on the cover or square drive, with the pick of the lot being an inside-out shot that went for four off spinner Ecclestone.

At the other end, Gardner also sent a warning shot to England, producing the shot of the day when she charged Ecclestone and drove her back over the sightscreen for six.

In comparison, England were as generous with the bat as they were in the field.

While Gardner’s 3-19 from 6.1 overs built pressure and fellow spinner King took 2-35, England’s batters contributed to their own demise.

The tourists’ two most experienced players in Heather Knight (39) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (19) threw away a platform of 2-91, both caught at cow corner trying to slog-sweep Gardner.

The ball Knight swept was a long way outside off, while Sciver-Brunt’s shot was equally poor given she’d just seen her captain go in the same way two overs earlier.

Amy Jones then looked the most likely to get away for England with 31 from 30 balls.

But when she hit a drive straight back at King, the collapse was on for England, who lost their last six wickets for 58 runs.