Friday 23 June Trent Bridge
Tammy Beaumont followed her double hundred off last week with another undefeated ton against an Australian attack. The odds on her adding a further 200 to her overnight score are agaist her. But England will need a minor miracle over the next three days if they are to scoop more than 2 points.
The trouble was, they failed by a distance to achieve their first objective, to see off the last three wickets as quickly as possible.
Instead, Annabel Sutherland announced her presence as a major force in world cricket with a splendid 137* after coming in at No 8. We can sense the Aussies’ all-round strength when we note that she would normally bat around No 3 at home. Later in the day she achieved a big break- through with the ball, snaring Emma Lamb (10) in the slips.
Sophie Ecclestone of England celebrates the wicket of Tahlia McGrath (Photo by Gareth Copley – ECB/ECB via Getty Images)
It took England until 2.30 to bowl Australia out, a long hard struggle. But it was the first time they had taken all ten Aussie wickets for nine years, and they had Sophie Ecclestone to thank for that.
Circumstances dictated that she had to bowl 46 overs to complete her first test 5-fer, (5-129). I’ll comment on the bowling line-up further on.
Australia started on a promising 328-7. England took only one wicket before lunch, while a further 111 were added for the loss of Alana King. The innings cruised comfortably ahead, Sutherland scoring the fastest-ever 100 by a No 8. She reached lunch on 116 off only 160 balls. The final total was a massive 473 on the board.
Despite their fatigue, the experienced English batters responded very well. Apart from Beaumont’s undefeated ton, Knight (57) added a fast-moving 115 with her. When Ashleigh Gardner defeated her with a well flighted off-spinner, Sciver-Brunt (41*) took the game to the opposition, adding a further 67 with the Kent opener.
I suggested yesterday that, in order to achieve victory, England needed to score 400-500 at a rate. With the Autralians’ spirited showing today, that estimate has gone up by 100 or 200 runs. And the bowlers will need the ball to start misbehaving if they are to capture ten more wickets.
In other words, yet another test draw looks on the cards. That would be a huge disappointement to everyone concerned.
The only alternative to that outcome would be another Aussie win as English batting crumbles twice on a wearing wicket. That is too horrible a thought to dwell on.
Second day scores:
Australia 473 (Sutherland 137*, Perry 99) England 218-2 (Beaumont 100*)
Lewis got his selection wrong
Here’s a series of unanswered questions:
When did he know Nat Sciver-Brunt would bowl 5 overs in 5 sessions? When did he find out she had a knee problem? If it was after the toss, why did Heather Knight still want to bowl first with such limited resources?
Did he know he might have to depend on four bowlers? Did he expect Ecclestone to bowl 42 overs in five sessions? However willing and able she is (no doubt about either), even she proved fallible, letting deliveries slip down the leg-side far more often than usual. Will she require more treatment on that shoulder? Lewis had turned his back on other spin options.
Of his three quicker bowlers, two are promising but inexperienced 22-year-olds. Kate Cross plugged away manfully, having recovered from a debilitating injury.
Together they took 5-292. In stark contrast, Cross managed three maidens in her 29 overs; Kim Garth, the Dubliner who emigrated to Australia to play pro-cricket, bowled three in her first eight.
If Lewis had picked an off-spinner (Charlie Dean for preference), it would have relieved the load on Ecclestone, given the batters more to think about and shortened the tail. At No 8 England put Ecclestone (highest score 35) against Sutherland, who has now scored her nation’s fastest hundred.
This is not to blame the bowlers themselves, rather the selectors, who failed to give the captain sufficient options, sufficient variety.
Would Charlotte Edwards have picked the same XI? Flies on walls.
England A v Australia A Second T20, Loughborough:
England win by 5 wickets in the 17th.
Scores:
Australia 165-6 (H. Graham 43)
England 167-5 (B.Smith 66)
England had a mid-term collapse (75-1 – 76-3), but Bryony Smith led the way to a convincing win.
Strangely, all eight Aussie batters reached double figures, but the English bowlers kept a much tighter rein on proceedings.
Latest standings: England 2-0 up
The game was actually shown on livestream! But the video signal was weak, leaving many gaps in transmission. The screen would have delighted lovers of the kaleidoscope.
