CLAIRE SHOWS THE MEN HOW TO BEAT OZ; CRICKET TWENTY20 FINAL JOY.

Byline: DEAN WILSON 

DEAR Ricky, the Ashes summer has started and our girls are better than your girls.

England 1 Australia 0. England's women put their male counterparts firmly in the shade by beating Australia to reach the World Twenty20 Final and earn their day in the sun.

Claire Taylor's matchwinning 76 not out secured the eight-wicket win at the Brit Oval and there was nothing girly about the way she slapped the Aussie bowlers about.

Together with Beth Morgan, who crashed 46 not out, she put together an unbeaten stand of 122 from just 79 balls to ensure at least one home side will be on show tomorrow.

The precursor to the men's final should see some real support for the women after the first Anglo-Australian contest of the summer provided the perfect omen for the Ashes to come.

Just 10 years after allowing women to join the bacon and egg brigade at the MCC for the first time, Lord's will now play host to the England ladies who are rewriting the rules when it comes to cricket and the fairer sex.

For those who haven't been lucky enough to watch the girls in action, yesterday's match was as good an advert for their game as you're likely to find.

Taylor's knock was full of drives, cuts and sweeps that any cricketer worth their salt would be pleased with and on the biggest stage she fully justified Wisden's decision to make her the first female cricketer of the year earlier this year.

Her cover driven four off Sarah Andrews was as emphatic as the result, paving the way for the familiar sight of team-mates streaming onto the field in delight.

In March they clobbered New Zealand to win the 50over World Cup in Australia and tomorrow's final will be a re-run with skipper Charlotte Edwards confident of more silverware.

"We've just beaten Australia in a game of cricket so I'm really pleased," said Edwards. "The most pressure was on us in this game and we produced the goods against them.

"New Zealand will be slightly worried now because they think we've got a fragile middle order and we've proved a few people wrong. They're going to have a hell of a lot to prove to us having lost out in Sydney and so we'll have to be at our best to make sure we win."

Laura Marsh shone with the ball taking 1-12 from her four overs, but experienced Aussie skipper Karen Rolton powered her side towards an imposing 163-5 with some confident strokeplay.

Edwards opened up with the perfect response by swatting Andrews for three boundaries in an over, but when both she and Sarah Taylor had departed the Australians looked favourites.

Claire Taylor and Morgan, niece of former England spinner Eddie Hemmings, had other ideas though and steadily took control of the game and saw their side home to provide the perfect inspiration to thousands of women and girls around the country.

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown has already sent his message of support.

Taylor said: "All the good things that have happened this year have stemmed from cricket on the field so if we can keep playing really good cricket and keep having fun then together we can go on and be a part of something special."

CAPTION(S):

WINNERS Claire Taylor is hugged by Beth Morgan after hitting the boundary that sealed victory