Australia have enjoyed a pre-T20 World Cup confidence boost, cruising to a five-wicket win over hosts England in a warm-up match in Cardiff.
After Megan Schutt (2-20) and Alana King (2-10) helped restrict England to 6-157 at Sophia Gardens, Ellyse Perry (64 off 44) and Beth Mooney (43 off 26) led the way as Australia comfortably reeled in their target with 10 balls to spare.
Australia v England scorecard
The loose nature of the World Cup practice matches, which allow teams to deploy bowlers from outside their batting XI, mean teams are generally more focused on specific areas of preparation than on the scorecard.
The emphatic win would nonetheless be a boost for the Australians under new captain Sophie Molineux ahead of their tournament opener against South Africa in Manchester on Saturday.
One concern for Australia came before a ball was bowled, when Phoebe Litchfield, listed to bat at three, was withdrawn from the game as a precaution after feeling “quad awareness”.
With Molineux opting to chase in the first of their two official ICC warm-up matches, Australia struck an early blow when Garth knocked over Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s stumps in the second over, and Schutt dismissed fellow opener Amy Jones five balls later.
Leg-spinner Alana King was handed the ball in the Powerplay and struck first ball, bowling Natalie Sciver-Brunt for three with a delivery that kept low, in the England captain’s first match since suffering a calf injury six weeks ago.
It left the hosts 3-19 in the fifth over, before Alice Capsey (45 from 36) and Heather Knight (25 from 22) led the recovery.
King broke the 54-run fourth-wicket stand when Knight was caught attempting to reverse sweep the wrist spinner, and Schutt’s second secure the prized wicket of Capsey, albeit via a dubious lbw call with the England No.4 having advanced well down the pitch before she was struck on the pads.
It left England 5-98 in the 15th over, but Freya Kemp (41 from 27) and Dani Gibson (27no from 16) rallied, adding 59 runs from the final 5.2 overs to see England to 6-157.
Molineux deployed seven bowlers in total without bowling herself, with Kim Garth (1-19) and Annabel Sutherland (1-15) also economical.
“It was really pleasing from all three aspects of the game,” Molineux said after play.
“I thought the girls fielded really well with heaps of energy and we saw a few different combinations with the ball.
“We’ve got to keep looking at our options and we’ve got another match in a couple of days so I might snag a few overs then.
“I don’t think you want to steer too far away from what we’re going to do (in World Cup matches) because you want players to be to get comfortable and used to the situations they might come across – but (this is) also an opportunity to explore and find out a bit as well.
“We’ve had three practice matches now in the last week and I’m definitely finding out a few things on the bowling side.”
Mooney set the platform in response with a 26-ball 43, sharing in a 51-run opening stand with Georgia Voll (17 off 16) before the latter was caught behind looking to ramp quick Lauren Filer on the final ball of the Powerplay.
Elevated to first drop in place of Litchfield, Perry hammered a 44-ball 64 and while she was dismissed with two runs required, she had already ensured an Australian victory was never in doubt.
Mooney’s knock continued what has been a promising run for the left-hander since arriving in the UK, following on from the 40, 37no and 25 she scored against South Africa in Arundel last week.
“To see Pez and Moons take the game on like that, really pleased, plenty of positives,” Molineux said.
“(Perry) keeps getting better and better and she makes the people around her better and she leads from the front in that sense.”
Lauren Bell (2-22) meanwhile was England’s standout with the ball, taking the wickets of Perry and Ashleigh Gardner as she continued her recent run of form.
Australia have one warm-up game left, against West Indies, also at Sophia Gardens, on Wednesday (midnight AEST).
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson
ICC World Cup warm-up matches
June 9: Australia defeated England by five wickets
June 11: v West Indies, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, 12am AEST
Australia’s Group 1 fixtures
June 13: v South Africa, Old Trafford, Manchester, 11:30pm AEST
June 17: v Bangladesh, Headingley, Leeds, 7:30pm AEST
June 20: v Netherlands, Rose Bowl, Hampshire, 7:30pm AEST
June 24: v Pakistan, Headingley, Leeds, 3:30am AEST
June 28: v India, Lord’s, London, 11:30pm AEST
Semi-final 1: The Oval, London, June 30, 11:30pm AEST
Semi-final 2: The Oval, London, July 2 (3:30am July 3 AEST)
Final: Lord’s, London, July 5, 11:30pm AEST
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
