Sophie Ecclestone and England have ended the Women's Ashes on an incredible high.
The World Cup winners looked set to lose the final Twenty20 international after a Beth Mooney-inspired Australia fired 178-2 despite a ninth wicket of the multi-format series for Chester teenager Ecclestone.
But a thrilling 139-run partnership between Danni Wyatt (100) and captain Heather Knight (51) ensured England completed a record run chase when reaching 181-6 with an over to spare.
The two-point victory in Canberra means Knight's side draw the series 8-8. However, Australia will retain the trophy as they are the holders.
But the hosts would never envisaged what was to follow after Mooney cracked 117no from 70 balls.
Ecclestone, from Helsby, clean bowled Elyse Villani to reduce Australia to 93-3 on her way to figures of 1-34.
But, along with the rest of the England bowling attack, the former Helsby Hillside Primary and Helsby High student was unable to remove Mooney, whose score was the second highest in women's Twenty20 history.
Australia's prospects of winning the series outright were strengthened when they made a trio of early breakthroughs in the reply.
But the tourists refused to cave in and Wyatt's century, achieved in 57 balls and the first by an England women's player in a Twenty20 international, and a half-century from Knight, the player of the series, set up a thrilling finale.
And it was one which Fran Wilson capped when she hit a boundary off the final ball of the 19th over.
Skipper Knight, speaking to Test Match Special on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, said: "What a game it was. I thought they had too many but there is a hell of a lot of fight in this team and to level at 8-8 makes me really proud.
"We lost a few early wickets but it was a belter of a pitch so boundaries were easy to come by. I was just trying to get Danni on strike.
"We're gutted we didn't win the Ashes but to draw the series is the next best thing. What a game and what a spectacle for women's cricket."
It was a series to remember for Ecclestone.
The 18-year-old, the only change to the England squad that won the World Cup in the summer, was not selected for the first ODI.
But Ecclestone (1-49) was called into the side for the second and she took the wicket of opener Alyssa Healy on her Ashes debut.
That could not prevent Australia from running out 75-run winners on the Duckworth–Lewis method.
But, with Ecclestone (1-38) snaffling opener Nicole Bolton, England then made it third time lucky as they overcame their old foes by 20 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method.
Ecclestone's performances in the ODIs led to her being named in the line-up for the sole Test.
She grabbed her chance to shine as she finished with figures of 3-107 from 37 overs in the drawn clash.
Ecclestone then played in the first two Twenty20 internationals.
In the first, which Australia won by six wickets to ensure they could not lose the Ashes, she hit a six and then took 1-26.
In the second, which England won by 40 runs to keep their hopes of drawing the series alive, she claimed 2-26.
Ecclestone plays for Lancashire as well as Cheshire and her local senior men’s side, Alvanley.
