England has grabbed the early wickets of Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning courtesy of some brilliant seam position from quicks Anya Shrubsole and Kate Cross.
Haynes delivery swung from leg stump across her, grabbing the edge to deliver an easy catch to wicketkeeper Amy Jones.
Only six balls later, Cross bowled Aussie captain Meg Lanning with a delivery which jagged away and cannoned into the stumps.
Elyse Perry entered the crease and wasted no time, belting two fours from her first deliveries to leave Australia sitting 2-26 after seven overs.
Alyssa Healy (22) departed not long after bringing Tahlia McGrath out to bat.
Perry and the new batsmen have consolidated any have put together a handy partnership (22) to steer the Australians close to victory.
The Aussies need 59 from 167 balls with seven wickets in hand.
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Earlier in the match, Australia dismissed England for 129 runs to make a perfect start in the second ODI, with three-wicket hauls from Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath and a pair of stellar catches stealing the show.
There was an early highlight coming in the form of a screamer of a catch from Alyssa Healy that sent England opener Tammy Beaumont on her way.
But Lanning tried and very well could have outdone her teammate with a stunning catch of her own to dismiss Danni Wyatt.
Healy’s catch came after an outswinging ball from Ellyse Perry which was headed straight for the top of Beaumont’s off-stump, forcing her into a shot.
But it didn’t come off as she would have liked, edging off the side of her bat and into the outstretched right glove of a sprawling Healy.
“Oh, what a catch from Healy,” remarked commentator Brenton Speed.
“Somehow plucked it, gets rid of Beaumont, that’s one of the catches of the summer.
“Brilliant from the keeper.”
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It did not look like Healy would be topped yet Lanning had other ideas, with a low diving effort at slip seeing England crumble to 6-67.
“Stop it. Anyone watching this will be in absolute awe,” Isa Guha said in commentary.
“That was an absolute stunner, perhaps even the catch of the series.”
It capped off what had been a brilliant start to Sunday’s action from Lanning’s side.
Australia was able to restrict England to 40 runs by the end of the power play, with Lauren Winfield-Hill still in the middle after getting the Poms off to a strong start.
That was until Alana King struck with just her third delivery of the match, with th England opener gone lbw for 24 runs.
“You were talking about the ability to attack the stumps, threatening the front pad here,” Alex Blackwell said in commentary.
“It’s perfect line and length,” Erin Osborne added of King’s delivery.
“She’s got her tail up now and will settle into her spell.”
A string of dot balls later saw Nat Sciver easily give up the next wicket after sending the ball into the air for a simple catch, leaving England 3-57 after 17.2 overs.
Only a few overs later skipper Heather Knight was dismissed after Australia successfuly reviewed an lbw decision, although Meg Lanning did not have much support at first.
“What a day the captain is having,” Speed said in commentary.
“Bowler wasn’t interested, keeper wasn’t interested. Meg Lanning said: ‘Hang on a minute, that was plumb’, consults a few teammates and the opposing captain is gone.”
There was no doubt abaout the next wicket, even if England decided to review it, with Perry striking again and trapping Sophia Dunkley lbw.
“Perry’s back with a bang, her second wicket of the day,” Speed said.
England wasted its final review in a desperate attempt to wrestle back momentum but now finds itself in a deep hole.
Perry pounced again for her third wicket of the game in the form of Charlie Dean.
Sophie Ecclestone and Amy Jones combined for a 39-run partnership before Tahlia McGrath eventually broke the pair up to get Australia’s eighth wicket.
McGrath struck again a few balls later to dismiss Kate Cross for a duck.
The final nail was the driven into the coffin by McGrath, dismissing Anya Shrubsole (7) with ease, handing Alyssa Healy yet another catch behind the stumps.
The Aussies are looking to claim an outright series victory and heap more misery on their most bitter rival in the second ODI of the Ashes.
STARTING LINEUPS
Australia: Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Megan Schutt
England: Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Heather Knight (c), Natalie Sciver, Sophia Dunkley, Amy Jones (wk), Danni Wyatt, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross, Anya Shrubsole
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