After a solid performance on day one where Australia A overcame early jolts to post a commanding 343, thanks to a gritty 77 off 131 from comeback batter Rachel Trenaman and half-centuries from Charli Knott (52 off 74), Nicole Faltum (52 off 88), and Sianna Ginger (54 off 102), the momentum was firmly with the hosts.
Issy Wong (5-63) was the standout for England A with the ball, claiming five wickets across two days, while Grace Potts (2-54) mopped up the tail early on day two.
The Aussies looked in control at stumps on the opening day, with a late unbeaten 40-run stand between Ginger (41*) and Maitlan Brown (19*) giving them a strong finish after a wobbly start.
However, the second day at Cricket Central saw England A stage a remarkable comeback led by two contrasting yet equally impactful centuries from Paige Scholfield and Alice Capsey.
Reeling at 34 for 3 in response to Australia A’s 343, the visitors were in early strife—Mady Villiers (8 off 5) fell to Tess Flintoff (1 for 50) in the second over, followed by Lauren Cheatle’s (2 for 53) twin strikes that saw Hollie Armitage (5 for 14) and skipper Grace Scrivens (18 off 37) bowled in quick succession.
But from there, the day belonged entirely to the fourth-wicket duo. Scholfield, a seasoned domestic campaigner, and 20-year-old Capsey, one of England’s brightest young talents, turned the tide with a mammoth double-century partnership of 210 runs that left the Aussies searching for answers.
Capsey, making her first-class debut, showcased her natural flair and composure in a 170-ball masterclass, peppered with 14 boundaries, eventually falling lbw to Maitlan Brown (1 for 39) for a well-crafted 108—her maiden hundred in any format.
Scholfield, ever so solid, remained unbeaten on 138 off 218 balls at stumps, anchoring England A’s innings and reducing the deficit to just 26 runs by close of play. The pair took a particular liking to spin, with Scholfield notably dispatching three consecutive boundaries off one Sophie Day over.
Even after Capsey’s dismissal, Jodi Grewcock (29* off 84) provided steady support, rotating the strike and ensuring the pressure never eased on the Australians and along with Scholfield, the duo have added an unbeaten stand of 74 runs.
Despite taking the second new ball late in the day, Australia A couldn’t force a breakthrough, as England A ended day two with the upper hand and their hopes of finishing the multi-format tour on a high very much alive.
They ended the second day at 317 with the loss of just 4 wickets and will definitely look to take a handy first innings lead on day 3. With the series already seeing the Aussies clinch the one-dayers 2-1 and England A taking the rain-marred T20 leg 1-0, the red-ball decider now hangs delicately in balance with two crucial days to go.
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