ENGLAND’S hopes of retaining the Women’s Ashes were dealt a blow at New Road yesterday after Australia sealed an 89-run victory.

Australia’s Meg Lanning showed her class, defying a slow New Road pitch to hit 85 from 89 balls — and making England pay for fluffing a run out chance when she was still in single figures.

Ellyse Perry provided crucial support with 67 from 58 balls as Australia posted a total of 241-7 from 50 overs — then she dealt a huge double blow to England’s run chase by dismissing skipper Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor.

The home team never really recovered, succumbing tamely to 152 all out and a defeat that leaves them 4-2 down in the multi-format Ashes — although there are 10 points still to be play for, starting with the Test at Canterbury.

England had chosen to bowl first after Sunday’s rain had forced the match into the reserve day.

They restricted Australia’s openers to 24 in the first 10 overs before Georgia Elwiss had Elyse Villani chipping to deep midwicket.

The pressure led to a mix-up between Lanning and Nicole Bolton which left Australia’s captain stranded, but Elwiss was unable to gather Natalie Sciver’s return.

England had to wait until the 27th over before their next breakthrough, when Laura Marsh took a good catch at mid-off to dismiss Bolton for 40.

Alyssa Healy joined Lanning to lift the pace in a third-wicket stand of 31, but it was when Perry joined her captain that caused the damage.

They put on 85 in 13 overs and Lanning was denied a century when she hoisted Jenny Gunn to Sciver at long-on, but Perry powered on.

She then dismissed Edwards from the fourth ball of the England innings, before Taylor was bowled. Heather Knight and Lydia Greenway made 38 and 45 respectively and Katherine Brunt justified her promotion up the order with 31 from 36 balls.

After a fifth-wicket stand of 51 between Greenway and Brunt, the last six wickets tumbled for just 29 runs.