- Half-centuries from Knight & Beaumont give England a solid start
- Wickets shared for Australia, including three for only 13 runs in last session
- Match report: Taylor’s bad luck halts England charge against Australia
Here’s Adam Collins’ Day One report from North Sydney Oval:
Related: Women’s Ashes Test: Taylor’s bad luck halts England charge against Australia
That was a lot of fun. I think there was a degree of (understandable) trepedation after the Test match at Canterbury, which took more from the punter than it gave. But a watchful start today allowed England to make moves in the middle session, before Australia struck back: the last three wickets falling for the addition of just 13 runs: Georgia Elwiss and Sarah Taylor giving away starts and, ultimately, the advantage Tammy Beaumont (70) and Knight had secured. A perfect day of Test cricket, all things considered. One observation from my stint: this looks like a pitch that might keep a touch low as early as tomorrow evening.
A word on the crowds, too. Supportive during the light, boisterous in the dark. We’ve all seen how Tests peter out in the stands as the day drags on, but the influx of fans for the final session seemed to give the game (and Australia) a shot in the arm. This mob are set to do their worst tomorrow:
We can't wait for tomorrow with @The_Richies in full voice at North Sydney Oval!
Come on down in the afternoon or even after work in the evening! #WomensAshespic.twitter.com/Q66cjca9X7
Some immediate reactions...
England captain Heather Knight (62) reckons she and the rest of her top-order will rue a host of missed opportunities to produce a big score. “The game’s still in the balance. We’ve got batting to come. It [the pitch] was a little bit slow. You bowl straight and set defensive fields and it’s difficult to score.”
Less than ideal session for England but this is still one of their strongest away showings of recent times.
ENG highest away totals since 2000:
314 v IND, Lucknow 2002
244 v AUS, Bowral 2008
235/7 v AUS, North Sydney Oval today#WomensAshes
100th over: England 235-7 (Wilson 11, Shrubsole 0) Ah, the leg-spinners build-up. The pause to set the field. The ceremonial bringing on of the helmet. Amanda-Jade Wellington gets the nod for the final over of the day. Fran Wilson’s not going to totally shut-up shop: a couple drop short and Wilson makes room to score four runs (altogether) to take her to double figures at stumps. She’s done her job, even if the damage might have already been done with the clutter of English wickets during the final session...
99th over: England 231-7 (Wilson 7, Shrusbole 0)
Oooooo... variation from Tahlia McGrath who, having bowled nothing but outswingers in this spell, gets one to come in. Wilson, out there long enough, is able to cover the movement enough to not only keep it out but also pick up a single on the leg side.
98th over: England 230-7 (Wilson 6, Shrubsole 0)
Picture-perfect forward-press-and-block from Shrubsole as Jonassen bags her seventh maiden.
97th over: England 230-7 (Wilson 8, Shrubsole 0)
Runs for Wilson, as she drives McGrath through cover. It was similar to Brunt’s shot, but Wilson played it late to keep the ball on the deck. A pressure situation, but Wilson relishes this kind of tussle. And with capable batsmen to come, now is the time to prove her worth to this side.
96th over: England 228-7 (Wilson 4, Shrubsole 0)
Jonassen keeps matters on a leash. Wilson, good against the spinners, particularly behind square, tries to sweep but can only glove down the leg side (and through the keeper’s legs) for a single.
@Vitu_E Having just seen that Perry catch there's surely got to be a worry going forward, from a player safety perspective, that that the pink ball is very difficult to pick up under lights? #WomensAshes
95th over: England 227-7 (Wilson 3, Shrubsole 0)
Have to say, the worst ball from that McGrath over was the one that snared Brunt. Shrubsole struggles to lay bat on ball as McGrath finds a bit of extra nip to move the ball away late. A second scalp for the South Australian on her debut.
Brunt doesn’t want to go. She might think it’s a bump ball (it’s not) or she might be stunned by how how bad a shot that was (very). Tahlia McGrath floats one up and Brunt tries to slap-shot it through the covers. She’s not quite to the pitch of the ball and skews it to Jonassen at backward point, who puts in a dive to her left for good measure.
94th over: England 227-7 (Wilson 3, Brunt 1)
Jonassen has a big LBW shout to Wilson. Strikes on the knee role, seemingly in front of middle. The umpire suggests it’s too high. Wilson’s about five-foot-nothing. Think England have got away with one, there...
93rd over: England 227-6 (Wilson 3, Brunt 1)
Right-arm seamer Tahlia McGrath replaces Megan Schutt, who has been frugal if not incisive. Just one from the over, as Healy stands up with a slip for company.
92nd over: England 226-6 (Wilson 3, Brunt 0)
Leg side trash, a beamer, ended up on her backside in her follow-through and then snares England’s crown jewell. No wonder Perry was laughing like that crazy pigeon lady from Home Alone 2 when she finished that over.
Unbelievable catch by Perry! #WomensAshespic.twitter.com/TXdh22aQRk
How’s your luck?! Perry, struggling with the first five balls of the over, gets the prized wicket of Sarah Taylor with a bit of blind (literally) luck. Taylor drives aerially back to the bowler, but she doesn’t pick the ball up until it’s close to her left hand. Perry spots it out of the corner of her eye and tightens her hand instinctly, deflecting it off her shoulder and into the air for a simple second chance.
91st over: England 222-5 (Taylor 29, Wilson 1)
Taylor’s pads get in on the act, tickling one fine and away for four. A single allows Schutt three balls at Fran Wilson. A well-timed clip through midwicket is stopped smartly by Nicole Bolton – one of the two covering that region – but a no ball gives Schutt a fourth at the debutant. A squarer dab on the leg side and Wilson is off the mark in Test cricket...
90th over: England 215-5 (Taylor 28, Wilson 0)
Fine over from Perry. She almost coerces Taylor into a mistake: sending one down with no away shape an almost sneaking through bat and pad, as Taylor gets a single into the on side. Fran Wilson faces her first ball in Test cricket... and leaves it outside off stump. Not a bad place to make your Ashes debut...
Fantastic day to kick off the first day night Ashes test! #Ashes#WomensAshes#Cricketpic.twitter.com/KNHsDUiHQi
Ugly from Elwiss.. she picks up the length of a short-ish delivery from Perry, but in trying to play it around the corner, she loses her shape and top edges high to Megan Schutt, who starts level with the square leg umpire before taking a few steps in to take a simple catch. After all the graft, a grim misjudgement from England’s number four. In her 17th over, Perry has her first wicket.
89th over: England 213-4 (Elwiss 27, Taylor 26)
Close shout for LBW as Schutt catches Elwiss falling over to the off side. Luckily, she got forward enough in the first place, giving the umpire a good indication that it was going over the top.
@Vitu_E The feeling that Taylor is the key for this innings seems to grow with each over. A vital wicket for both sides.
88th over: England 212-4 (Elwiss 27, Taylor 25)
Perry continues after drinks, with two slips and a gully for Elwiss. The penultimate ball squares up the right-hander, angling into off stump and drawing the batsman forward, before seaming away and missing both edge and bail by a whisker. The final delivery gets the edge but squirts away through the cordon for Elwiss’ second boundary. Chuck a third grabber in there.
87th over: England 208-4 (Elwiss 23, Taylor 25)
Taylor came in 25 overs after Elwiss and has now overtaken her. #WomensAshes
86th over: England 206-4 (Elwiss 23, Taylor 23)
Another boundary off Perry, followed by a single, takes Taylor to Elwiss’ score. No clearer indication of their differing approaches to the new ball.
85th over: England 201-4 (Elwiss 23, Taylor 18)
CLOSE! England and Elwiss have got away with one there. Taylor tips and runs to Rachael Hayes, straight to the Australian captain’s favoured left-hand. Elwiss is late (again) setting off and Haynes – one of the best fielders in the game – misses by a whisker. Elwiss not in the picture. Huge opportunity for Australia.
84th over: England 200-4 (Elwiss 23, Taylor 17)
What Taylor has done is put Elwiss at ease. The 26-year-old hasn’t really got one out of the screws this session but doesn’t have to do anything cavalier now that runs are flowing freely at the other end. Comfortable in defence to Perry, before finding a single into square leg to hand the mic back to Taylor.
83rd over: England 196-4 (Elwiss 21, Taylor 15)
Oh Sarah, that is just rude. Schutt starts one from, basically, in front of first slip and moves it in towards the toes. Taylor lines it up and clips it exquisitely through midwicket for four. Not long after that, Schutt moves over to the off side and is picked off with a drive through cover that gets the purists purring.
SHOT! Sublime from Taylor for four more.
Live stream: https://t.co/QA9DruPSVr#WomensAshespic.twitter.com/qFC5yRXRex
82nd over: England 188-4 (Elwiss 21, Taylor 7)
Ellyse Perry starts short and wide and Taylor crunches a cut shot in front of point for four. Unfortunately forElwiss, by the time she gets the strike (one ball later), Perry’s sorted her act out and nearly draws an outside edge with a full delivery that moves away sharply.
81st over: England 183-4 (Elwiss 21, Taylor 2)
Right, if this new ball is going to do anything under lights, then Megan Schutt’s the one that’ll orchestrate it. Her 14-overs up to this point have only gone for 17 runs! Seven maidens in that, too. Two from the over, including an innocuous looking leg bye that nearly results in the run out of Elwiss! Nicole Bolton charges in from midwicket, throws down the stumps at the keeper’s end but Elwiss, slack in backing up, gets there with ease.
80th over: England 181-4 (Elwiss 20, Taylor 2)
A maiden take us to the new
cherry
nutpitaya. Other alternative monikers for the pink ball are available, of course.
@Vitu_E For anyone after some radio coverage, this is working for me (though not for @palfreyman1414 sadly) https://t.co/pOWbZNklDp
79th over: England 181-4 (Elwiss 20, Taylor 2)
Class from Taylor, who gets off the mark with a couple of nice inside-out drives into the covers. The big test is an over away...
78th over: England 177-4 (Elwiss 17, Taylor 0)
Australia loving this. Sarah Taylor out to bat during the Twilight period, with the new ball due. A difficult time for anyone to start their innings, even if you’re the sharpest talent in the game.
Going down leg? We can see all three stumps but the umpire’s happy to send Sciver on her way. She’s hanging back to Jonassen and is late to intercept a ball into her that goes on to strike the pad. Jonassen, who has bowled smartly, picks up her second.
77th over: England 176-3 (Elwiss 17, Sciver 18)
Another outing for the ‘Kayak’: for those just joining us, it’s a name England players have given to a paddle-sweep that Nat Sciver likes to play. It brings her four runs at the start of Wellington’s 16th over.
76th over: England 172-3 (Elwiss 17, Sciver 14)
A single apiece for Sciver and Elwiss, who are starting to play with a bit more authority. Mockers incoming, no doubt...
75th over: England 170-3 (Elwiss 16, Sciver 13)
A misjudgement at point allows Elwiss a couple after she thinks she’s flayed a short, wide delivery from Wellington straight to the fielder. A powerful sweep races away to the fielder behind square on the leg side. Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry are starting to go through some light warm-ups. The new pink ball is just around the corner...
74th over: England 167-3 (Elwiss 13, Sciver 13)
Eeesh... Sciver’s got away with one there. She’s keen to hang back to Jonassen and, as a result, is beaten with a bit of skid off the pitch. A thin inside edge beats the stumps and runs away for a couple to fine leg. To be fair, it might have only been one for any other pair, but these two are sharp between the wickets.
73rd over: England 165-3 (Elwiss 13, Sciver 11)
Cracking delivery from Wellington – sharp spin past Elwiss’ outside edge as the number four bat presses forward and finds nothing but air.
72nd over: England 164-2 (Elwiss 12, Sciver 11)
Jonassen flights a couple up, enticing something uppish. Sciver and Elwiss, though, keep their urges in check and play it all under the eyes. Sciver even manages to pinch a couple, as Australia’s fielders give them too much room.
71st over: England 162-3 (Elwiss 12, Sciver 9)
The leg-spin of Amanda-Jade Wellington to continue on after a good go at the end of the second session. Elwiss off the mark in this period with a comfortable single.
70th over: England 161-3 (Elwiss 11, Sciver 9)
Back in play for the last session of the day. You can email in or get in touch over Twitter (details up top). Should be a thrilling finale to what has been an absorbing day’s play so far. Nat Sciver kicks us off with an extra cover drive that shocks Jess Jonassen so much that she goes on to deliver a ball straight to mid off! The natural light is fading fast and North Sydney is looking ominously beautiful, like the first chapter of a Cormac McCarthy novel.
69th over: England 157-3 (Elwiss 11, Sciver 5)
No runs off the bat, but a bit of extra movement into the right-hander beats Alyssa Healy on the leg side for a couple of byes. That takes us to the second and final intermission today. Solid from England, who picked up the pace to put on 94 in the middle session. But the loss of Tammy Beaumont (70) and Heather Knight (62) have kept Australia in this. Both looked in the mood for centuries but were undone by enforced misjudgements outside off stump and on leg stump respectively.
68th over: England 155-3 (Elwiss 11, Sciver 5)
A second maiden in a row and 15 balls without a run for England. No dramas, though: the Dinner break – the 40-minute interlude – is an over away, by my calculations...
67th over: England 155-2 (Elwiss 11, Sciver 5)
Like this from Rachael Haynes. Schutt’s got a knack for picking up wickets, especially when batsmen have gone into their shells and she’s bang on the money as she returns to replace Wellington. Healy up, Schutt unneringly accurate and a sixth maiden to show for her efforts.
66th over: England 155-3 (Elwiss 11, Sciver 5)
Elwiss and Jonassen meet again, only this time Elwiss is able to push one away and scamper through for a single. That being said, she’s nearly done herself over when she doesn’t ground her bat and just banks on the fact that her feet will be beyond the crease before the ball threatens the stump as the throw comes in. Only just, though...
65th over: England 154-3 (Elwiss 10, Sciver 5)
Sciver off the mark with a paddle-sweep. “She calls that ‘the Kayak’,” laughs England legend Charlotte Edwards. Wellington drifts too far down the leg side and Sciver shovels it on the way to get off the mark, ninth ball, with four.
64th over: England 148-3 (Elwiss 9, Sciver 0)
Jonassen and Elwiss do the dot-ball dance. The left-arm spinner leads with a maiden.
63rd over: England 148-3 (Elwiss 9, Sciver 0)
A run from Elwiss, watchfulness from Sciver and a good set of six from AJ-Dubz. The leggie has been the most expensive of the Australian bowlers but she’s pegging back her economy rate now with some excellent control.
62nd over: England 147-3 (Elwiss 8, Sciver 0)
Elwiss is tetchy. Five dots against Jonassen are all mostly attempts to find something in the off side. Last ball, she finds one through backward point.
Jonassen wins a close leg before decision, Knight gone for 62. Huge wicket, was well set. (Pretty happy with the , too). #WomensAshespic.twitter.com/5LQO1bxqmj
61st over: England 146-3 (Elwiss 7, Sciver 0)
The shadows are getting longer as the lights are switched on at the North Sydney Oval. Sciver dots out the last four balls of the over.
60th over: England 145-3 (Elwiss 6, Sciver 0)
Nat Sciver to the crease, then. Can’t wait to see how she goes here. A fine World Cup has led into a fairly tame start to this Ashes series. She’s not all smashy smashy: her Test debut – Perth, 2014 – saw her grind out a 49 that helped England to victory. She’s got time on her side in the short- and long-term. But Australia have kicked this up a gear and “Dinner” suddenly seems a long way away for the tourists...
About that sweep... Knight goes down again, sweeping on line rather than length. As such, she’s not able to fully commit to the shot and, set too early, can’t quite follow the ball as it pitches on leg and straightens enough for the umpire to raise the finger after it strike’s the out half of the England captain’s front pad.
59th over: England 145-2 (Knight 62, Elwiss 6)
These two bats exchange the strike and, for a moment, it looks like Knight has crunched one through the leg side, down on one knee on the sweep. Just one, mind, thanks to a strong hand from the fielder at square leg.
58th over: England 142-2 (Knight 60, Elwiss 5)
Jonassen and Elwiss duke it out between themselves. Elwiss, right-handed, is playing inside out to both these twirlers, who are taking the ball away from her. Outside edge in play, perhaps, but she’s middled every defensive shot so far.
57th over: England 142-2 (Knight 60, Elwiss 5)
Another leg-side “free hit”, this time Wellington’s the charitable bowler and Knight’s the recipient.
Fifty for Heather Knight.
The last time two members of England's top 3 made fifties in the same Test innings was vs India at Leicester in 2006 (Laura Newton & Claire Taylor).
Last did so in Australia in 1968 (Bakewell & Heyhoe-Flint at Adelaide).#WomensAshes
56th over: England 136-2 (Knight 55, Elwiss 4)
Just one from the over as Knight keeps Elwiss calm, who has come out looking for a single-a-ball, here.
55th over: England 135-2 (Knight 54, Elwiss 4)
If Georgia Elwiss could have ordered a ball to get off the mark this morning, it would have been a freebie outside leg stump, with one fielder behind square. A sweep helps it on the way, beyond Schutt at fine leg, for four.
54th over: England 130-2 (Knight 53, Elwiss 0)
Knight takes the entirety of this over, as Jonassen darts a few in. Single off the final ball. Georgia Elwiss is at the other end. Selection over Jenny has brought out the Gunn Nuts. She bowls a bit too, does Elwiss, and a place at number four further beefs-up a strong middle order.
53rd over: England 129-2 (Knight 51)
Excellent knock from Beaumont, who looked odds-on for three figures before that misjudgement. Credit to the bowler for enticing such an error. Into the England middle order we go.
Yes Wello! Beautiful leg-spin delivery from Wellington to find the edge and Blackwell takes the catch. Beaumont out for 70 #WomensAshespic.twitter.com/B4Xu6yF1Tk
A fine-innings comes to an end in an equally impressive way. Wellington drifts one into the right-hander and gets a bit of tweak away. Beaumont presses forward and tries to force one into the off side but only manages to edge to first slip where Alex Blackwell takes a tidy catch to her left.
52nd over: England 127-1 (Beaumont 69, Knight 51)
Well in, Heather Knight. A Test centurion already, she’s brought up an accomplished fifty off 67 balls. Six boundaries to help her get there.
51st over: England 123-1 (Beaumont 67, Knight 49)
Afternoon and morning to Australia and England, respectively. Vish here to take you through the second-half of an opening day that is leaning suggestively towards England. Amanda Wellington’s drifty leggies get my stint underway. Knight pops a single off the first ball and that’s all.
50th over: England 122-1 (Beaumont 67, Knight 48)
One hundred overs in the day, and the middle drinks break comes BANG ON 50 OVERS. How good are women cricketers. Precision.
49th over: England 121-1 (Beaumont 67, Knight 47)
Can’t bowl to her anymore. Schutt to Beaumont, and the ball is creamed through cover for four. This innings has been like one of those cactus flowers: ever so slow blooming, but a sight to see now that it has. (And as per our earlier discussion, only gets the chance to come out once every couple of years.)
48th over: England 117-1 (Beaumont 63, Knight 47)
Jonassen with the lefties, round the wicket, angling at the stumps. Nothing complicated about what she does, but she does it well. They work three from the over. The question is, can the frustration game that JJ uses in ODI cricket find wickets in Test cricket.
47th over: England 114-1 (Beaumont 61, Knight 46)
Schutt is so slippery. She’s a Parramatta eel. She sneaks the ball through onto pad with such regularity. Does so again here, and again it’s just, just missing. Tries it again, and this time Knight produces the official Jonathan’s Hardware Shot. Of. The. Day.
46th over: England 110-1 (Beaumont 61, Knight 42)
Wide and full from McGrath, and slashed through cover for four! Beaumont getting down into a crouch, reaching out, and flaying the drive. It wasn’t technical, but it was flamboyant. She whips the next to the on-side, and beats midwicket for four more! Tries to triple the dose, but this one is stopped at midwicket. This pair really getting away now. They’ve got another hour and a bit to make metaphorical hay while the literal sun literally shines.
45th over: England 102-1 (Beaumont 52, Knight 41)
Megan Schutt comes back into the attack for Perry, looking for that breakthrough. Just a couple of singles instead. England now building that position into something imposing.
44th over: England 100-1 (Beaumont 52, Knight 41)
This lovely email in from John Stevenson: “Tahlia McGrath’s grandparents have driven over to watch the baggy green presentation and the match but they didn’t know she was selected before they left Adelaide (next door neighbours). They are just sooooo proud of her and her achievements. Granddad is called Gordon and is the guy with the magnificent beard!”
43rd over: England 97-1 (Beaumont 50, Knight 40)
42nd over: England 92-1 (Beaumont 49, Knight 37)
Beaumont bunkers down this over against McGrath, giving her a third maiden. Tortoise rather than hare, and it’s proving as effective.
41st over: England 92-1 (Beaumont 49, Knight 37)
Beaumont’sturn, nice and full from Perry, and driven down the ground for four. Then a single.
40th over: England 87-1 (Beaumont 44, Knight 37)
Tahlia McGrath back, and England is away! Heather Knight gets an erring line and leg glances for four. Then a fuller ball, beautifully clipped through midwicket. That went relatively straight, that shot, rather than square, the weight transfer perfect, the timing spot on. Knight is the breath of life in this innings.
39th over: England 79-1 (Beaumont 44, Knight 29)
Knight cuts a single, but that’s all from the Perry over. She’s only gone for 16 from her 10.
38th over: England 78-1 (Beaumont 44, Knight 28)
Beaumont closing on that Test fifty now. Gets the strike from Knight, then unleashes a strong cover drive for four. Good stroke, Jonassen the bowler.
37th over: England 73-1 (Beaumont 40, Knight 27)
Knight flicks a full ball off her ankle to midwicket for a single, and that’s the only score from the Perry over.
36th over: England 72-1 (Beaumont 40, Knight 26)
Beaumont has been becalmed on 36 for a long time, but finally moves beyond it with a brace from Jonassen. Then follows up with another. First the cut, then the drive. 40 from 112, Knight going along at a brisker 26 from 47.
35th over: England 68-1 (Beaumont 36, Knight 26)
Perry to bowl from the Fig Tree / Mollie Dive end. Mollie Dive may sound like a bawdy Irish tavern owner, but she was an Australian Test cricketer who was also awarded an Order of Australia and worked for the CSIRO. Perry bowls on Knight’s pads, and is flicked fine for four. Seventh boundary of the innings.
34th over: England 64-1 (Beaumont 36, Knight 22)
To wit: Jonassen bowling, a single to Knight, and the new session has begun.
And yes, the obvious observation is that it has been very slow. England have wasted the best period to bat, with the harder ball and better carry from the pitch and the afternoon sun. But think about why. The last Test any of these players played, as noted, was over two years ago. On current plans, each team will get two Tests in each four year cycle. And that’s if you make it into the team. If you miss selection, there’s another two year wait.
So of course, no one wants to get out. No one wants to waste their opportunity to make a decent Test score. They get paranoid. They get defensive. And they come out and block, and block, because they can’t bear the risk of getting out.
33rd over: England 63-1 (Beaumont 36, Knight 21)
Perry back on looking for a late wicket. And beats the bat for the first time today! Beaumont fishing outside off and nearly nicks behind. That came after Knight drove the first ball of the over to long-on. She’s been the least cautious and most composed today, Knight. One slip in for the last ball, Perry targets the off stump, it’s defended, and that is the tea break.
32nd over: England 62-1 (Beaumont 36, Knight 20)
Five minutes to the dinner break, so England won’t want to do anything much until then. Just make sure they go in nine wickets down. Knight drives Jonassen for a run to long on.
31st over: England 61-1 (Beaumont 36, Knight 19)
Another tidy over from Wellington, the single only to Knight. Apparently Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon are in the crowd watching on. The hill is getting well populated now, and there are scattered spectators in the grandstands. I expect evening will be the more popular time today and tomorrow.
30th over: England 60-1 (Beaumont 36, Knight 18)
Jonassen has some runs saved by a tumbling Villani at point. Knight sweeps a single. Things meandering along here.
29th over: England 59-1 (Beaumont 36, Knight 17)
Just the single from Wellington this time.
28th over: England 58-1 (Beaumont 36, Knight 16)
Beaumont is looking good here. England need her to go on, having taken the time to establish her innings. She opens the face to late cut a couple of runs, then times the next one better and cuts Jonassen for four.
27th over: England 50-1 (Beaumont 30, Knight 15)
Wellington has settled into her spell now. Gets her length right, lands the ball in that off-stump danger zone. Draws defensive forward shots instead of big hits. Two singles from the over are all that results. England’s 50 is up, slow but steady.
26th over: England 48-1 (Beaumont 29, Knight 14)
Jonassen meanwhile is changing ends. She’ll operate from the scoreboard end of the ground now, with the Ken Irvine scoreboard and the Macartney Stand behind her. Much tidier, as is her wont, conceding only a single.
25th over: England 48-1 (Beaumont 28, Knight 14)
24th over: England 38-1 (Beaumont 28, Knight 4)
Whack! Tammy easing into her task. Gets her first short ball, and pulls McGrath for four.
23rd over: England 34-1 (Beaumont 24, Knight 4)
Jonassen still, and the England pair gets a couple of sweeps away for a single apiece. Very wide from the last ball, short again, and JJ has ignored Perry’s warning! Instead the cut shot goes past Perry, who sprints after it, dives to flick back, and saves the boundary. Two runs only.
22nd over: England 30-1 (Beaumont 23, Knight 1)
McGrath getting some nice outswing shape on the ball. Moving it away, moving it away. Does she have the one that comes back in? No sign yet. But there it is! Changes the grip and hits Beaumont on the pad. Going down leg. Familiar refrain. She really gives the impression of working hard to get to the crease, McGrath, and she gets through another maiden.
21st over: England 30-1 (Beaumont 23, Knight 1)
Jonassen bowling straight, drawing shots straight. Mid-on, back to the bowler. Mel Jones on the commentary wants to see Wellington on while the captain is new to the crease. Two spinners who both turn the ball away, as opposed to Gardner who turns it in. Hmm. Though Jonassen doesn’t turn it much. JJ drops in a rank short ball from the second-last ball, but Knight can’t take toll, smacking it close enough to Perry at point that the shot is stopped. Perry gives the bowler a word: not sure whether warning or encouragement. Maiden.
20th over: England 30-1 (Beaumont 23, Knight 1)
The wicket-taker McGrath bowls to Beaumont, who drives nicely out through the covers. There’s a lot of space out there, so they belt back for the second run and make time to return for the third. Heather Knight now faces her first ball captaining a Test match, and unlike Winfield she’s off right away. Tapping through midwicket for a single.
19th over: England 26-1 (Beaumont 20, Knight 0)
A single from Jonassen’s over. Ben Jones is on the tweety box.
@GeoffLemonSport Is the change in England's (likely) batting order an aggressive move? Taylor given more license at No.6 than No.3? #WomensAshes
18th over: England 25-1 (Beaumont 19)
17th over: England 24-0 (Winfield 4, Beaumont 18)
Starting after drinks with spin. Jess Jonassen, the left-arm ortho, who made 99 in her last Test start at Canterbury. Bowls around the wicket, Winfield drives to cover, Beaumont flicks square, both add a single.
16th over: England 22-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 17)
McGrath carries on. Struggling to be as accurate as her senior teammates. She bowls one down leg, then too straight and Beaumont whips off her pads to the midwicket boundary! A welcome boundary for England as the drinks break rolls around.
15th over: England 18-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 13)
Schutt to bowl her eighth on the spin. Can’t bowl more than 10 in an ODI, so this is a big early workload for her. She’s conceded two runs so far. Two! And then doubles that tally first ball of the over, as Beaumont reaches for a wide ball and drives through cover. Maybe Schutt is tiring, as she goes too far to leg, and Beaumont is able to whip a couple more through midwicket. Then a single to fine leg.
Both package deals? If they went Gardner they would had to of played Cheatle and didn’t want to make the tough call on Villani or Jonassen
14th over: England 13-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 8)
Change in the bowling, and it’s Tahlia McGrath. Third seamer in this side, so she has a job to do. Does it pretty well to start with, on around off stump, Winfield pushing forward in defence. “Goes at the ball with hard hands,” says Isa Guha on the live stream commentary, urging Australia to get a close-in catcher in front of the wicket to look for a rebound. McGrath does well until the last ball of the over, slipping her line to concede a couple of leg byes fine.
13th over: England 11-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 8)
Shooter McGavin keeps aiming straight on the green. On or outside off stump, sometimes slightly straighter, giving nothing away. Maiden.
12th over: England 11-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 8)
Another shout for Perry, another one just missing leg maybe. I reckon they should give that on the Scorcese Oscar theory - the body of work earning the eventual reward, even if the awarded project itself isn’t the greatest. Seems to be a close one every over from Perry.
11th over: England 10-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 7)
Another maiden to Schutt. I predict plenty more for her. So accurate.
10th over: England 10-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 7)
Perry has conceded eight runs from her five overs. The final ball is another lbw shout, this one closer still, but maybe Beaumont had just got far enough forward? Some slight bit of doubt whether it would have hit leg stump, though I might have fired her for that one. Another maiden.
The Final Word before the first ever pink ball day/night women's Test - @collinsadam and @GeoffLemonSport take a look at the historic test https://t.co/tOpECBw5cN
9th over: England 10-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 7)
England still settling, another single to midwicket for Winfield. Adam has been on the hunt for England’s batting order.
England (likely) batting order: Beaumont, Winfield, Knight, Elwiss, Sciver, Taylor (wk), Wilson, Marsh, Brunt, Shrubsole, Ecclestone. The major structural change: Taylor usually comes in at three, now down to six. #WomensAshes
8th over: England 9-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 6)
Finally Winfield does get a bit of width, and slices one through covers. They get a single as cover tumbles around to field. Beaumont flicks through square with a bit of flourish, finding a way to score from the straighter ball. Perry hits the pad and appeals again, but again going down leg.
7th over: England 7-0 (Winfield 2, Beaumont 5)
Width on one ball, nothing too short, a very disciplined early performance from Australia’s opening slingers. Off stump or straight, and a good length. Winfield keeps driving, but hitting the field straight, or back to the bowler. No power in those shots. Takes a single to leg to close the over.
6th over: England 6-0 (Winfield 1, Beaumont 5)
Two slips in for the brisker Perry, and a gully, with a backward point set further back. Cover, mid off. Perry cuts one back in to Beaumont, hits her on the thigh pad so the umpire rules too high. Perry was a bit rusty with the ball starting the ODI series, but has got better as it has gone on. Bowled very well with the pink ball in the warm-up too. It’s another maiden as she spends most of the over concentrating on off stump.
5th over: England 6-0 (Winfield 1, Beaumont 5)
Slip, gully, and a short leg as Schutt targets the pads. Has a big shout early to warm up the voicebox, but the ball was going well down leg. Schutt hooped a few balls massively in the warm-up game in Canberra, but if there’s any swing she has to make the most of it early before the ball gets scuffed.
4th over: England 6-0 (Winfield 1, Beaumont 5)
Winfield facing Perry now, from the scoreboard end. Opens the face and cleverly glides a run behind point. Splits the slip and gully. Thinks about a second but turns it down. That suits Beaumont, who sees a bit of width and slashes at it. Carries over gully for four!
3rd over: England 1-0 (Winfield 0, Beaumont 1)
Rattling through the overs already. Another maiden to Schutt, straight and at the stumps, happy to defend.
2nd over: England 1-0 (Winfield 0, Beaumont 1)
Ellyse Perry commencing from the scoreboard end. Beaumont is stretching well forward to each delivery, to leave or defend. Eventually jags a single out toward square leg from a forward push.
1st over: England 0-0 (Winfield 0, Beaumont 0)
Megan Schutt from the Moreton Bay Fig end to take things up, and it’s a sedate start. Lauren Winfield goes up periscope with her backlift, almost hitting herself in the back of the head as she awaits the ball. Defends out the over. So much time in a Test match, as opposed to an ODI innings, you’d assume every player will want to take their time and get themselves in. A maiden to start.
It must be a very emotional moment for the players, I appreciate that. Though if they played Fast Car by Tracy Chapman everyone would cry just as hard.
The Welcome to Country is fulsome and friendly, the teams head to the boundary edge, and the umpires walk onto the pitch. Let’s play.
Now it’s time for two terrible songs. I mean, the national anthems. Seriously though, wouldn’t the world be a better place if we just played two random dancefloor bangers at the start of each sporting match?
“Hey Geoff,” writes Michael McCann, “I’m enjoying follow your live text on the Test. Like you I’m quite surprised by that Australian XI, hopefully England play well to keep the series alive. Do you think England can take this series to the wire?”
Huge chance if they can make the most of batting first. The draw definitely suits Australia more, so England really have to come out of this Test ahead.
England: Winfield, Beaumont, Taylor, Knight, Sciver, Wilson, Elwiss, Brunt, Marsh, Shrubsole, Ecclestone
Australia: Bolton, Mooney, Blackwell, Perry, Villani, Haynes, Healy, McGrath, Jonassen, Wellington, Schutt
Currently the points split is 4-2 in favour of the home side. Australia got two points for each of its ODI wins, England won the third ODI for a couple of points of its own. This match is worth four points, or none for a draw. Then three T20s follow, at two points each.
So if Australia wins the Test, Australia retains the Ashes, because England couldn’t top eight points even with a T20 clean sweep.
One-day internationals (two points for a win)
Also massive news! The tourists bat first, with a sigh of relief. The pitch will be at its hardest, so strokes should be easier to play. They have glorious sunshine and will enjoy that for several hours, and even if they’re bowled out later in the day, they can have a go at Australia’s batting in the twilight and the dark. Advantage Eng-er-land, Eng-er-land, Eng-er-land.
... emanating from the ground. We’re told the Australian debut caps have been handed out to Amanda Wellington, Beth Mooney, and Tahlia McGrath. That means that all-round sensation Ash Gardner isn’t playing, nor is left-arm quick Lauren Cheatle. They were both absolute locks in my XI, but Aussie selectors have gone with a more conservative route. They must want McGrath to play third seamer while strengthening the batting, and they reckon Gardner is more about quick runs than occupation. A massive shame to miss out on seeing such a good player.
There was a lot of talk earlier this season about how Australia had only had two Indigenous Test cricketers. Now... Australia has still only had two Indigenous Test cricketers.
Welcome to North Sydney Oval, the most gloriously Art Deco cricket ground in the world. Also the only one, as far as I know. It’s glorious. Beige and wattle green, red benches, gently sloping corrugated roofs, supporting beams with curlicues galore, cute little towers and gantries everywhere like an adorable fort.
And even more notable on this ground - the Women’s Ashes Test match is about to start. One of these rare Tests in women’s cricket. No one in the world has played one since the last Ashes Test, in Canterbury some two years and more ago. August of 2015, by my dusty memory. I was there, and there was a lot of angst about a slow game on a terrible pitch - it was so used that an op shop would have turned it down as a donation. I’m hearing rumours that this Sydney pitch has already had a 50-over game on it, and is very dry, so we’ll see if it carves up the pink ball.
Geoff will be here shortly. In the meantime, have a read of Mel Jones’s preview of this historic match:
Related: Women's Ashes: the twilight zone Test that could swing the series | Mel Jones
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