Women’s Ashes 2023 Nottingham Test Day 2 Highlights - ENG 218/2, Aus 473 a.o: Beaumont century puts England in control

The momentum has swung evidently in England’s favour at the end of day 2. The day began with the Australian tail trying to get to a big score. Annabel Sutherland looked fluent as she registered her maiden century (in any format) and anchored Australia’s innings to 473. England began in assured fashion with the bat with Emma Lamb and Tammy Beaumont starting proceedings. Lamb fell soon to Sutherland but there was no stopping Beaumont who registered a century, becoming only the second woman after Heather Knight to score a ton in all international formats of the game. She was ably supported by Heather Knight (57) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (41*) who has been scoring at almost T20I pace to frustrate the Aussies. Wickets were hard to come by for the visitor and they will seek to see the back of the duo currently batting to gain an edge in this match. An exciting day 3, with promises of more runs, beckons. Let’s hope rains stay away in Nottingham for the weekend.

Tammy Beaumont becomes just the second woman, after Heather Knight, to score a century in all three international formats

What a brilliant century for Tammy Beaumont. Brings up her century with two runs through square. Beaumont has set the pace for this innings and England is in control of their innings here, having lost just two wickets.

There’s the breakthrough Australia has been looking for. Ash Gardner takes the pace off for this one and a thick edge off Knight’s bat goes into the safe hands (gloves) of Alyssa Healy.

Knight cuts to third man to bring up her fifty. England in control in Nottingham

England is going about things at a very healthy rate of 3.75. Australia needs a wicket here. Who do they turn to?

A classic pull through midwicket to bring up her fifty! Her third in Test match cricket. Tammy Beaumont has anchored this England response quite admirably and will hope to back up the double century she scored in against the Australia A side.

Sutherland, who is fresh off an unbeaten century, contributes with the ball too! She sends in a fuller delivery trying to draw out a drive from Emma Lamb who bites the bait. Leading edge gets taken in the slips by Jess Jonassen. Breakthrough.

Here’s how the spinner got to her maiden Test fifer, with Darcie Brown being the wicket the wound up the Aussie first innings in Nottingham.

That’s a wrap on the Australian first innings. A neat caught-and-bowled to tie up the bowling effort with a bow. This is the 6th highest total in Women’s Tests and like we mentioned before, a team has not lost a Test in the women’s game after scoring so much. What can England respond with?

Ecclestone’s armball hits Kim Garth on the pads. The finger goes up. Australia reviews but she’s clearly out. Partnership broken and there’s just relief on Ecclestone’s face as Kate Cross jumps on her back in delight. The Aussies have frustrated the host this morning in Nottingham.

No women’s side has lost after making a total as big as this. Should Australia declare?

Centurion Annabel Sutherland takes strike as Australia looks to pile on the score against England.

Annabel Sutherland (116*) and Kim Garth’s (14*) unbeaten 77-run stand helps Australia go into the lunch on day two comfortably at 439/8. England only picked one wicket and conceded 111 runs in the first session.

Sutherland and Garth score a flurry of boundaries post crossing the 400-run mark.

Annabel Sutherland reaches her maiden Test century with a boundary. She reaches the milestone in 148 balls - fastest women’s century for Australia in Tests.

A solid ninth-wicket stand between Annabel Sutherland and Kim Garth helps Australia cross the 400-run mark. Sutherland into the 90s with a four.

England has its breakthrough. BOWLED! Partnership broken, England pegs one back and breaks a stand that was starting to threaten. An inswinger which King tries to drive but the gap lets the ball clip her off stump. Coming in next is Test debutant Kim Garth.

Annabel Sutherland registers her first fifty across formats. Does so with a couple of runs through mid-on off Lauren Filer’s bowling.

A handy 35-odd run stand between this duo is helping Australia keep the runs coming,. Sutherland is looking at a half century, two runs away from her 50.

Sutherland scored a century in the warm up fixture earlier. Can she replicate that here in Trent Bridge? Lauren Bell and Kate Cross will start proceedings for England today.

Heather Knight has taken the game to a very deep Australian attack right from the word go. Her fields, particularly to Ellyse Perry, played to Perry’s strengths, to try and choke the runs out of her scoring areas of choice. Day 1 has seen a number of ‘Bazball’ parallels too, given Australia’s run rate.

Fancy terms aside, women’s cricket primarily operates in the realms of white ball cricket and so the scoring rate could be understand in the light of force of habit. Some of the veterans on either side of this contest have played some red ball cricket at the international level and the sensibilities show.

How much Australia can prolong its innings and how soon England can wrap stuff up, especially in the first session, will be the key contest to keep an eye on.

No rain is expected at Trent Bridge today but conditions are overcast.

Australia’s Ellyse Perry hit an eye-catching 99 before Sophie Ecclestone led England’s fightback on the first day of the women’s Ashes on Thursday.

Perry was Australia’s driving force as the tourists reached 328-7 at close of play in the lone Test of the multi-format series at Trent Bridge.

In the biggest moment of a dramatic day, Perry overturned an lbw verdict off Lauren Filer’s first ball at international level.

Perry, who had scored only 10 at the time, went on to reach her fifth 50-plus score in 10 Tests against England.

Just as Australia looked set to take a stranglehold on the Test, Ecclestone dismissed Jess Jonassen and Australia captain Alyssa Healy, for a duck, in the same over.

Filer eventually claimed the prize scalp of Perry as she eyed a century, while slow left-armer Ecclestone bowled Tahlia McGrath, who smashed 61 in a 119-run stand with Perry.

The five-day Test is worth four points in the series and will be followed by three Twenty20 internationals and three one-day internationals.

After the thrilling first men’s Test between England and Australia earlier this week, it was the women’s turn to seize the spotlight.

Trying to regain the urn for the first time since 2015, England were cheered on by an attendance of 5,545 -- the largest crowd on a single day for a women’s Test in the country.

England captain Heather Knight, who promised to “entertain and inspire” on the eve of only the second five-day women’s Test in history, was attacking with her field settings after the hosts were asked to bowl.

But Australia, buoyed by their T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year, were in control at 226-3 before losing three wickets for 12 runs in the space of 24 balls to give England renewed hope.

Annabel Sutherland (39 not out) and Alana King (seven not out) will hope to blast Australia towards 400 when play resumes on Friday.

Aussie legend Ellyse Perry was unable to get to a century, dismissed for 99. She weighed on her innings and the heartbreak of the dismissal here

​​

All six women’s Tests played since 2015 ended in draws, with sessions or even days lost to poor weather, prompting the shift in approach from the ECB.

The Test match will be England’s women’s first over five days on home soil. However, women’s Tests in Australia are set to remain at four days, said Peter Roach, Cricket Australia’s Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling - although consideration will be given to a reserve day in the event of wet weather.

Unlike the men’s Ashes, which started last week and features five Test matches, the women’s version is a multi-format, points-based encounter.

Running from June 22 to July 18, the women’s Ashes includes one Test, three Twenty20 internationals and three one-day (50-over) internationals.

An ODI or T20I victory earns 2 points and a tie means 1 point for each team, while there are 4 points awarded to the winners of the Test, with each side awarded 2 points for a draw.

This year’s Test will last five days rather than four, which has been the traditional length in the women’s game.

You can watch the Women’s Ashes on the Sony Sports Network. Sony LIV will be streaming the games live.