In a result that beaten captain Charlotte Edwards said entrenched Australia as the best team in the world, the Stars claimed a stunning 5-28 in the first six overs of England's chase to make their earlier total of 7-107 after being sent in at the County Ground in Hove.

"You're like 'Yeah, we can do it' [at the change of innings], but when it actually happens it's very special," said Lanning after Friday night's match, played in front of a sell-out crowd of 5750.

"We probably didn't think we'd go that well early on, but (Sarah) Taylor and (Charlotte) Edwards were the key and we got them out early. Five wickets in the first six overs put us in a great position.

"Our bowlers were fantastic. Everyone came in and chipped in - and they had to. We didn't bat well enough, but our bowlers came and saved us today."

The 20-run win took the Stars to an insurmountable 10-4 points lead in the series with one match to play, on Monday in Cardiff.

Ellyse Perry (2-13) continued her dazzling record in the series with the new ball to take two wickets in the third over, while recalled seamer Rene Farrell took another two in the sixth over to leave the home team reeling.

Farrell, playing only her second match of the series, ended with 3-17 after taking the final wicket of the match, although arguably more significant was her ability to get her finger on a Lydia Greenway drive that ended hitting the non-striker's stumps and running out Danni Wyatt, which exposed England's tail.

"I've got a bruise for the fingertipper, so maybe I'll say that one," said Farrell, when asked whether she preferred the wickets or the run-out.

Edwards reckoned that run-out, when Greenway and Wyatt had added 13 runs from just nine deliveries, was "a really big moment in the game".

"I thought Lydia [Greenway] played fantastically well there and Danni Wyatt was showing what a good T20 player she is," Edwards said.

"That was a moment that . . . obviously didn't help our cause. But being 5-28 in a T20 match is never going to be ideal.

"The batters haven't been consistent enough over the series, and ultimately we've paid that price.

"If you can't chase 107 in a T20 match you're obviously not going to win many games. It's just bitterly disappointing."

While Australia have won the past four major international tournaments stretching back to 2010 - three World Twenty20s, one 50-over World Cup - they lost the Ashes away in 2013 and home in 2013-14.

Lanning, who became Australia's youngest male or female captain during the latter - and, at 23, is now the youngest Ashes-winning captain - said it was "certainly nice to have the Ashes in the cabinet now".

"England have been too good for us in the past in the Ashes series, but we really came here full of confidence, knowing that if we could play to our potential we'd get the series win," she said.

"World cups are pretty special but the fact that it's the Ashes [is significant]. We haven't been able to get there in the past few times I've been involved in, and to come over here and beat them on their own soil is certainly a very special moment. Today's game was one of the best games I've ever been involved in, so it's certainly up on the top shelf [for achievements], that's for sure."

A "heartbroken" Edwards said she felt the Stars were the best team in the world even before England's series defeat was confirmed on Friday night.

"I think they've been the No.1 team in the world [for a while], and that's why it was a fantastic effort in 2013 and 2013-14 to go and win firstly here and then in Australia. It was probably one of my greatest achievements as captain, because they were the best team. We just played very, very well," she said. "They're definitely the No.1 team in the world, and we've got a lot of work to do [to catch up]."

The reporter is covering the women's Ashes with the support of Cricket Australia