• England 18-3 & 201; Australia 207 (day two)
Ellyse Perry reversed Australia's fortunes with bat and ball as the second Ashes Test match followed a all too familiar pattern.
Australia were teetering early on, reduced to 37 for five largely by the debutant Katherine Cross. Bowling a tight line, Cross got plenty of swing on a sun-baked surface. Her fourth delivery clean-bowled Jess Cameron before she followed up a wicket-maiden by dismissing Alex Blackwell with a yorker.
Katherine Brunt, meanwhile, grew increasingly hostile and vocal as her spell progressed, culminating in the wicket of Sarah Elliott for 13. Her aggression was matched by Jodie Fields, who followed the Australian men's example as she dispatched the final over of Brunt's spell for 16.
The heat appeared to affect Brunt's control immediately after lunch. Warned earlier for a chest-high delivery, a second beamer to Perry saw her removed from the attack by the umpire and she was unable to bowl for the remainder of the innings.
Cross picked up the gauntlet admirably, tempting Fields into a drive that was brilliantly caught by a diving Jenny Gunn at gully.
"The spell after lunch in the heat was really tough," said Cross. "It was frustrating and disappointing to lose someone of Katherine's aggression and stature but we had to get on with it. We pulled together and bowled them out in the end. I'd watch out for Katherine in the second innings."
With Brunt absent and Charlotte Edwards missing with a knee injury, Perry looked untroubled. She registered her first Test half-century and an 85-run partnership with Erin Osborne before falling to Gunn for 71.
"It was nice to have the opportunity to bat with Jodie and Erin," said Perry. "Partnerships were something we'd spoken a lot about leading into the match, about how crucial they are. To have a couple of partnerships over 50, in the context of the match and looking at the score England made initially, let us wrestle the momentum back that England had in the morning."
Anya Shrubsole bowled admirably in the oppressive heat, claiming Coyte shortly after Australia crept into the lead. Despite a leg cramp whilst fielding she took a fine tumbling catch to limit Australia's lead to 6 runs.
Opening alongside Sarah Taylor, Heather Knight fell to Rene Farrell, beaten for pace, before Perry rounded off a good day by dismissing Lydia Greenway LBW. Farrell then induced a poor shot from Taylor to have her caught at first slip for a duck and leave England struggling on an increasingly difficult batting surface.
"This afternoon was disappointing but it shows that there's plenty in it for the bowlers and it will be hard for Australia to bat on the fourth day," said Cross. "There's a lot in this game and we're excited by that." Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 day ago.
Ellyse Perry reversed Australia's fortunes with bat and ball as the second Ashes Test match followed a all too familiar pattern.
Australia were teetering early on, reduced to 37 for five largely by the debutant Katherine Cross. Bowling a tight line, Cross got plenty of swing on a sun-baked surface. Her fourth delivery clean-bowled Jess Cameron before she followed up a wicket-maiden by dismissing Alex Blackwell with a yorker.
Katherine Brunt, meanwhile, grew increasingly hostile and vocal as her spell progressed, culminating in the wicket of Sarah Elliott for 13. Her aggression was matched by Jodie Fields, who followed the Australian men's example as she dispatched the final over of Brunt's spell for 16.
The heat appeared to affect Brunt's control immediately after lunch. Warned earlier for a chest-high delivery, a second beamer to Perry saw her removed from the attack by the umpire and she was unable to bowl for the remainder of the innings.
Cross picked up the gauntlet admirably, tempting Fields into a drive that was brilliantly caught by a diving Jenny Gunn at gully.
"The spell after lunch in the heat was really tough," said Cross. "It was frustrating and disappointing to lose someone of Katherine's aggression and stature but we had to get on with it. We pulled together and bowled them out in the end. I'd watch out for Katherine in the second innings."
With Brunt absent and Charlotte Edwards missing with a knee injury, Perry looked untroubled. She registered her first Test half-century and an 85-run partnership with Erin Osborne before falling to Gunn for 71.
"It was nice to have the opportunity to bat with Jodie and Erin," said Perry. "Partnerships were something we'd spoken a lot about leading into the match, about how crucial they are. To have a couple of partnerships over 50, in the context of the match and looking at the score England made initially, let us wrestle the momentum back that England had in the morning."
Anya Shrubsole bowled admirably in the oppressive heat, claiming Coyte shortly after Australia crept into the lead. Despite a leg cramp whilst fielding she took a fine tumbling catch to limit Australia's lead to 6 runs.
Opening alongside Sarah Taylor, Heather Knight fell to Rene Farrell, beaten for pace, before Perry rounded off a good day by dismissing Lydia Greenway LBW. Farrell then induced a poor shot from Taylor to have her caught at first slip for a duck and leave England struggling on an increasingly difficult batting surface.
"This afternoon was disappointing but it shows that there's plenty in it for the bowlers and it will be hard for Australia to bat on the fourth day," said Cross. "There's a lot in this game and we're excited by that." Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 day ago.