England is 87/7 after 38.4 overs as Australia rushes through its overs, pressurising the England batsmen, who have a hopeless task to make 181 to avoid Australia picking up all six points.

Kris Britt, a leg spinner, almost took a hat trick with her 16th, 17th and 18th balls in international cricket, but Laura Harper just kept the hat trick ball from sneaking through her defence.

Kathryn Leng and Clare Connor went 30 deliveries without scoring after first drinks, when England was already scuppered at 37/4 after 19 overs.

Kris Britt then had Leng caught by Belinda Clark at midwicket off a short one. She followed her maiden ODI wicket with another a ball later, when Sarah Collyer was lbw half forward.

Britt had made two ducks and had not bowled in her ODI career before the break through.

England brought up the fifty in 169 deliveries, with Clare Connor (21 not out) and Laura Harper adding 42 for the seventh wicket.

Harper (16) was dismissed by Karen Rolton, who induced an edge to a wide one in the 39th over to bring about the drinks break.

The score was 37/4 after 19 overs at drinks with Kathryn Leng and Clare Connor both yet to score.

Openers Charlotte Edwards and Arran Thompson spent the first few overs playing themselves in, gently pushing Julie Hayes and Emma Twining’s bowling into the covers.

Thompson flicked Hayes, surprisingly opening the bowling instead of 100-wicket woman Cathryn Fitzpatrick, through square leg to the rope in the fifth over, to make the score 5-0.

Edwards eventually edged a forward defensive, played away from her body, to be caught by Julia Price off Twining for seven off 35 balls.

Fitzpatrick came on for Hayes (four overs for eight) and found previously unseen lift from the Southern End, from which Australia’s Kris Britt had earlier been bowled by a mollygrubber.

Claire Taylor fell to a classic Fitzpatrick yorker after failing to score in her 15 delivery innings.

Fitzpatrick’s accuracy and pace again showed her as women’s cricket’s best bowler.

Thompson, the only England batsman to offer any aggression, was stumped by Price for 18 off a offside delivery from Clea Smith in the 18th over, leaving England 31/3.

Fitzpatrick’s (two for nine off six overs) pace and full length comprehensively beat Laura Newton an over later, prompting the drinks break.

Before Belinda Clark’s dismissal at 147/4 in the 35th over, Australia might have hoped for around 250.

After Clark’s impetuosity had brought about the drinks break, Kris Britt went back to her first delivery, the ball kept low and she was bowled by England’s best bowler, fourth change Sarah Collyer.

As it was, England bowled tightly until the last three overs, with Sarah Collyer (2/31 off nine overs) and Laura Harper (1/29 off ten) keeping the ball well up to the bat.

Julie Hayes’ opened up at the end to reach her ODI best of 44.

Hayes stepped well forward to defend Collyer’s hat trick ball, and she and Jones took Australia to 150, in 216 balls.

Mandie Godliman missed stumping Hayes, on 13, off Collyer with the score 171/5 as Australia’s run rate fell below four an over.

Melanie Jones (37 off 73 balls) swept hard at Harper and Claire Taylor made another good catch, right in front of her face at square leg.

Unable to score regularly in front of the wicket, which was a little slow and low, Australia’s middle order grew frustrated against England’s slower bowlers.

Hayes passed her ODI best of 20 not out, scored in the opening game of this tournament, and added 42 with Cathryn Fitzpatrick to take Australia beyond 200, off 283 balls in the 48th over.

Cover point Arran Thompson ran out Fitzpatrick, who was attempting a quick single off Collyer at 216/7 with nine balls left.

Hayes went in the last over, aggressively playing and missing on one knee to Clare Connor.

Julia Price and Clea Smith hit a boundary each to set England 227 for its first win in the tournament.

England’s Australian coach John Harmer was pleased his team kept Australia to around 200.

Melanie Jones is unbeaten with 25, while Belinda Clark went the ball before the break for 81.

On a clear day, in front of a meagre crowd, Australia captain Clark made an effortless 26th ODI half century off 71 deliveries.

A fine leg glance for three brought up the landmark, but then spinners Laura Harper and Clare Connor bowled five overs for ten runs between the 20th and 25th overs, until Clark hit Connor over the top in the 26th to break the spell.

Jones swung Harper just over Claire Taylor at midwicket in the next over and cover drove her to the boundary again three balls later, pushing the run rate above four an over.

Clark and Jones’ fourth wicket half century partnership came in 74 balls as the pair accelerated towards an imposing total.

When Pearson returned for the 30th over Clark pulled a fifth boundary from her bowling, four of which have been off the back foot through the onside.

Clark fell when stepping down the wicket to Sarah Collyer’s accurate medium pace, swinging across the line to be bowled after 106 deliveries of classy batting.

Australia is 68/3 at drinks with Belinda Clark 40 and Melanie Jones yet to face.

Winless England had an early boost when Lucy Pearson’s third delivery produced a loud lbw appeal, then her fourth beat Melissa Bulow’s forward defensive, ducking in to uproot her off stump.

This brought together the intimidating pair of Clark and Karen Rolton, who have over 6000 ODI runs between them.

Pearson dropped short in her next over and Clark gave a warning of her strengths with a violent pull to the boundary. Left armer Pearson went shorter in her third over and Clark pulled harder.

Pearson had figures of one for 36 off six overs after her first spell.

Clark, looking for her first half century of the tournament, dominated the early strike.

Rolton, on four, impatiently went for a big drive at Clare Taylor (1/9 off five overs) when she had a chance to face, inside edging onto her middle stump, leaving Australia 22/2 in the sixth over.

Rolton’s series average, after scores of 86, 68 not out and 68 dropped from 111 to 75.33.

Australia reached 50/2 off 66 balls, with Clark and Goszko turning the strike over confidently.

However, Goszko, on nine, was put down by Clare Connor off Laura Harper at short cover and in the next over the right-handed New South Walian fenced at Laura Newton and Kathryn Leng dived to make a stunning catch at slip.

England is seeking its first win of the World Series of Women’s Cricket after losses to India, Australia and New Zealand.

Unbeaten Australia makes two changes from the team that beat India by 59 runs yesterday. Kris Britt replaces Alex Blackwell and Clea Smith comes in for Lisa Sthalekar.

England replaces left armer Laura Spragg with batsman Kathryn Leng after Thursday’s four wicket loss to New Zealand.

Australia: Belinda Clark (captain), Melissa Bulow, Karen Rolton, Michelle Goszko, Melanie Jones, Kris Britt, Julie Hayes, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Julia Price (wicketkeeper), Clea Smith, Emma Twining. 12th man: Alex Blackwell.

England: Clare Connor (captain), Sarah Collyer, Charlotte Edwards, Mandie Godliman (wicketkeeper), Laura Harper, Kathryn Leng, Laura Newton, Lucy Pearson, Claire Taylor, Clare Taylor, Arran Thompson. 12th man: Dawn Holden.