A partnership between Karen Read and Sharon Tredrea recovered their innings, before quick scoring from Jen Jacobs and Marie Cornish saw them to victory.

[7] The England captain, Susan Goatman, won the toss,[a] and chose to bat first on a pitch described as "placid" by the Australian press.

[9] Southgate in particular was described in The Age as being "uncomfortable against the spin",[8] while The Times criticised Heyhoe-Flint for "not forcing the pace when England had wickets in hand.

"[12] In the final ten overs, the England batters began to score more quickly;[9] but both were dismissed shortly before the close of the innings.

Their opening pair, Peta Verco and Hill, were both caught by Goatman off the bowling of Avril Starling, while Kennare was the first of three Australian to be run out.

Karen Read and Australia's captain, Tredrea, formed a solid partnership and steadied their team's innings.

England adopted a tight field to minimise Australia's scoring options, but Jen Jacobs lofted the ball over the fielders during her innings of 37, which The Times described as one of the highlights of the match.

The Times praised England's "excellent work in the field",[12] though it was ultimately a mis-field that gave Australia their winning run in the penultimate over.

[10] Umpires: Key England's Brittin finished at the tournament's leading run-scorer, with 391 runs, while Australia's Fullston took the most wickets, with 23.

Writing for Wisden, Netta Rheinberg noted that England could no longer "consider themselves able to fend off all challenges", and that as a result they implemented efforts to improve cricket at a junior level, to encourage future talent.