PLAYER RATINGS: Darcie Brown stars as Australia defend mediocre total to retain Ashes

The Cricketer assesses the individual performances of the players as Australia retained the Women's Ashes in the first ODI at Canberra's Manuka Oval

AUSTRALIA

Rachael Haynes (4): Ugly dismissal after struggling to get going 2

Alyssa Healy (27): Opted not to face the first ball, which was a change; dug in but was undone by a fine delivery from Cross and an excellent piece of wicketkeeping from Jones 5

Meg Lanning (28): Another victim of Cross' seam movement, albeit in the other direction to Healy; looked primed for a big score 5

Ellyse Perry (0; 0-16): Early on her first ball from Ecclestone and chipped back to the left-arm spinner – just her fourth duck in international cricket 4

Beth Mooney (73): Excellent knock from the left-hander who held the Australian innings together as others fell around her; started slowly but counterattacked well towards the end 8

Tahlia McGrath (29; 2-34): Poor stroke led to her wicket, but once again looked in excellent touch as she helped Mooney to rebuild a floundering innings; tendency to hit the seam made her an ideal bowler for the surface 7

^{Heather Knight fell first ball to Darcie Brown (Mark Evans/Getty Images)}

Ashleigh Gardner (12; 0-7): Run out after the slightest of miscommunications with Mooney 3

Jess Jonassen (4; 2-30): Economical as always and cleaned up at the end, including the Ashes-retaining catch off her own bowling 6

Alana King (18; 0-11): Not the ideal pitch for a leg-spinner, but King's role in an eighth-wicket stand with Mooney was vital in the end 4

Megan Schutt (1*; 2-39): Skilful on her return to the side, dismissing Wyatt with a perfect leg-cutter 7

Darcie Brown (4-34): Player of the match despite Mooney collecting the official gong; successive dismissals of Beaumont and Knight proved pivotal 9

ENGLAND

Lauren Winfield-Hill (13): England needed her to make a meaningful contribution, but she could only pull Schutt to the single fielder on the legside boundary 3

Tammy Beaumont (3): Undone by a ball from Brown that swung away late and took her outside edge; England needed their ODI linchpin at her best 2

Heather Knight (0): A golden duck for England's captain at Manuka Oval, where she has such a remarkable record 2

Nat Sciver (45; 0-47): Played a lone hand with the bat and was mortified when a leading edge looped back to Brown; dropped a sitter at mid-on and went wicketless with the ball 6

Amy Jones (16): Tight no-ball call went against her, but a soft dismissal nonetheless when England needed more from their No.5; kept beautifully 4

Sophia Dunkley (5): Tends to take a few balls to get her feet moving and paid the price here, trapped in front by a ball that nipped back from McGrath 3

^{Darcie Brown broke the game open with the wickets of Beaumont and Knight (Mark Evans/Getty Images)}

Danni Wyatt (20): Wickets above meant she couldn't counterattack, but hung in to give England half a chance before receiving a good delivery from Schutt 5

Katherine Brunt: (32* & 3-40): Led the way with the ball once again; unfortunate with the new ball but returned to dismiss McGrath and close out the innings; spirited with the bat 8

Sophie Ecclestone (3; 1-36): Economical but some way below her best, too short and wide on occasion although took the prize first-ball scalp of Perry 6

Anya Shrubsole (1; 1-44): A threat with the new ball while it was swinging, but less so in her later spells when Australia targeted her 5

Kate Cross (17; 3-33): England's best bowler by a distance, Cross threatened figures like these throughout the Test where she was let down by her fielders; produced terrific deliveries to Lanning and Healy; due a promotion with the bat 8