England's Danielle Wyatt has inspired one of the greatest victories in Ashes history in an effort that had to be seen to be believed.
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A record-shattering Beth Mooney century (117* from 70) was one of the greatest knocks in Twenty20 international history, and it was supposed to gift Australia an outright Ashes victory.
But it wasn't even the best innings of the night.
England opener Wyatt blasted a remarkable 100 (56) to gift England a stunning four-wicket win with one over to spare in front of 3417 at Manuka Oval on Tuesday night.
Wyatt and Heather Knight (51) took advantage of a horror Australian fielding display that saw four catches dropped to steal an historic victory and tie the Ashes series at 8-8, although the hosts retain the trophy as defending champions.
Wyatt hadn't even made an international half-century five days ago but took the required run rate from 10 an over to under a run a ball in the blink of an eye.
Wyatt was dismissed late but an Anya Shrubsole ramp shot handed England the highest ever successful run chase in the international arena.
"It's a bit surreal, I still can't believe what's just happened," Wyatt said.
"I feel a different player nowadays really. To get the chance to open the batting - I came in at number six in the first game - I felt really confident. I feel in a good place with my cricket at the minute."
England captain Knight stole bragging rights as player of the series to cap off "a really special night", and while the Test match belonged to Ellyse Perry, the Twenty20 series was Wyatt and Mooney's.
Mooney became the fourth player to score a women's Twenty20 international century when she blasted 117 not out - the second highest score ever.
Wyatt only needed about two more hours to become the fifth in what Knight dubbed a jaw-dropping knock, and the first English woman to score a Twenty20 international ton.
Mooney ripped the English attack to pieces just four days after belting an unbeaten 86* to secure the Ashes, on the same night Wyatt notched up her own half-century.
After what must have felt like the longest four days of her career Rachael Haynes finally lifted the Ashes trophy, but she was left with a bitter taste in her mouth as England's 6-181 toppled Australia's 2-178.
"It's a bit of a funny game, I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry really," Mooney said.
"It was one of those game where a couple of people bat phenomenally and take the game away from each team and then a couple of chances go down and you fall by the wayside. It's not all doom and gloom, we've won the Ashes."
It was perhaps fitting that the only person Mooney hasn't leapfrogged in the record books for highest all-time score in an innings was usual Australian captain Meg Lanning.
Lanning held a training and development clinic in Canberra on Tuesday with junior players from Wests-UC celebrating the CommBank Cricket Club sponsorships program, after registrations opened for 2018.
She has been sidelined for the summer with a shoulder injury and admits missing an Ashes triumph - however bittersweet - was tough.
But the world's No. 1 batter is eyeing a return on Australia's tour of India in March, where she could rejoin an outfit in dire need of a confidence boost.
Haynes hadn't skipped a beat in her absence, at least until Australia's 11th hour capitulation that extended their Twenty20 series losing streak that dates back to 2015, but Lanning still heaped praise on the stand-in skipper.
"She's a very cool, calm and collected player and has had captaincy experience in the past so we knew she would do a good job," Lanning said.
"I think she's stepped in as a batter as well and done a really good job there so it's been great to see her performing well and leading the girls well as well.
"We had a bit to bounce back from and the way we've played throughout the series has been great.
"The dressing room after that semi-final in the World Cup was one of very big disappointment. In a way having the Ashes series come up pretty quickly was a good thing.
"It gave us something to turn our focus to. The way we've attacked this series has been great. I think we've been really determined to win and play well."
Australian coach Matthew Mott says his side should have bowled England out "for 100" and while disappointed, he was rapt his side stood up when the series was on the line in Sydney.
"At the end of the day, we'll have the Ashes and we'll have them until we play them again," Mott said.
But still, it was not enough to claim the outright win Australia so desperately craved.
WOMEN'S ASHES
Third Twenty20 international: ENGLAND 6-181 (Danielle Wyatt 100, Heather Knight 51; Jess Jonassen 2-25, Delissa Kimmince 2-30) bt AUSTRALIA 2-178 (Beth Mooney 117*, Ellyse Perry 22*; Katherine Brunt 1-25, Sophie Ecclestone 1-34) at Manuka Oval.
