Australia squanders golden opportunity as Australia defend meager total in Women's Ashes Women's Ashes

So close yet so far. England fought off all the hard work in the second Women's Ashes ODI in Melbourne on Tuesday, finishing with a 49-run loss by eight Australian wickets after incurring one of their worst ever batting defeats. A score of 180 eliminated the Australian team.

Then, after reaching 125 for eight, England somehow managed to get within 22 runs of the target, thanks to a patient defender of 47 not from Amy Jones and the determination of England's Nos. 10 and 11. Lauren Filler and Lauren Bell survived 29 runs with the ball between them as Jones did her best to play the role of senior hitter and see her team cross the goal line.

The final few overs were a blur: the usually flawless Aussie fielders made four catches, and then Annabelle Sutherland was forced to abandon the attack after delivering two no-balls above waist height in the 48th over. Talia McGrath stepped up and finished the game. But the 11th-hour drama seemed to confuse Jones, who failed to score a run off the final ball, leaving Bell to face Megan Schutt in the 49th hour. Shute bowled to her immediately and Australia celebrated.

It was England's golden chance to level the Ashes at 2-2 when Australia's impermeable middle order was finally breached by an unlikely source – Alice Capsey's off-spin ball. Capsey saw off Sutherland and snatched away Ellis Perry as Sophie Ecclestone caused her usual chaos at the other end. Ellyse Perry's century and bewildered Ash Gardner with a hissing break. A combination of sharp catching and even sharper use of DRS – which required the intervention of third umpire technology to catch the wickets of Perry and Beth Mooney on the front leg – England finished with less than 200 seconds left time to complete the remarkable feat of defeating the defending world champions. It was the first time since 2009 that they failed to reach this total while batting first in a home ODI. But this is not enough.

Leg-spinner Alana King smothered England's chase and finished with 4 for 25. Danni Wyatt-Hodge hit a golden duck and then caught Nat Sciver-Brunt on the screen. But England still decided to take on her: both Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone bizarrely thought her last game would be a time to try and speed up. Dean slipped while trying to make a tackle before Ecclestone cut in and moved in behind. The ball that sealed the hat-trick missed Philer's bat by mere inches, but nonetheless, what should have been England's innings was dead and buried, as was Philer's dismissal in the 43rd over as she rushed off the pitch But was sent back by Jones.

If batsman Kapusi can match the feat of bowler Kapusi, England will win. Her contribution in the Women's Ashes opener totaled four runs and a boundary catch. In less than 48 hours she dusted herself off, hopped on a flight from Sydney to Melbourne and apparently found time to convince captain Heather Knight that she should play some ball. The result? Three wickets for 22 runs in seven overs, including two wicket maidens.

From there, Farrar managed to stay upright long enough (she slipped five times on the ensuing sprint on a court that was still wet from Sunday's storm) to knock one back to McGrath Si's stumps and Ecclestone hit two more to wrap up the tail. With a keen ability to take the ball and an even sharper use of DRS, England achieved something remarkable. It's a pity that they failed to do this.

The two teams will then fly to Hobart for the final ODI on Friday, a 4-0 draw against Australia. England's question for themselves must be: if we can't even beat Australia on a day when Australia's middle order is in ruins, then when can we?