Women’s Ashes: England fall short of the lead, but Australia is off to the perfect start

It was an exceptional day of Test cricket for both teams as England made a strong start with the bat, scoring runs quickly. A crucial third-wicket partnership of 137 runs was forged by Nat Sciver-Brunt and Beaumont, with Sciver-Brunt contributing a valuable knock of 78 runs before being dismissed by Ashleigh Gardner, who took four wickets by the end of the day.

After Sciver-Brunt’s dismissal, Beaumont accelerated her scoring rate, but England desperately needed a substantial partnership. Unfortunately, Gardner’s dismissal of Sophia Dunkley denied them that opportunity. Despite regular wickets falling, Danielle Wyatt and Beaumont played impressive shots to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Beaumont took charge of the innings and scored runs single-handedly, as the lower-order batters couldn’t provide much support. By tea, England reached a score of 428-6, with Beaumont unbeaten on 195. After the break, she etched her name in history by becoming the first English woman to score a double-century in Test cricket, breaking an 88-year-old record set by Betty Snowball.

Beaumont’s remarkable innings of 208 made her the highest scorer for England women. Moreover, England’s total of 463 now stands as the highest ever recorded against Australia in women’s Tests, surpassing their previous record of 414 set in 1998. Undoubtedly, the day belonged to Beaumont, who displayed incredible composure and resilience.

On the other side, Ashleigh Gardner bowled skillfully, dismissing key England players including Sciver-Brunt and Dunkley. She had previously taken the crucial wicket of skipper Heather Knight, preventing England from establishing a significant first-innings lead. With England being bowled out for 463 runs, they trailed Australia by 10 runs.

In the second innings, the Australian batters made a strong start, particularly the debutant Phoebe Litchfield and Beth Mooney as openers. They scored runs impressively and took minimal risks. England initially struggled with the new ball, allowing Australia to dominate the day with both bat and ball. The day ended with Australia at 82-0, leading by 92 runs, which will undoubtedly boost their confidence heading into the next day.