Day 2 Report : Women’s Ashes Test at Taunton

 

Brief Scorecard – Day 2 at stumps:

Australia (1^st innings) – 341/5 (132 overs, Run Rate 2.58)

Beth Mooney – 7* (27)

Jess Jonassen – 4* (3) (4s-1)

England bowling figures –

Laura Marsh – 25-3-68-2*

Katherine Brunt – 18-5-33-1*

Sophie Eccelstone – 30.2-7-75-1*

Kirstie Gordon – 26.4-7-69-1*

Players to get out –

Ellyse Perry – 116 (281) (4s-16) (124.4overs) (Bowler – Laura Marsh)

Rachael Haynes – 87 (246) (4s-12) (128.6overs) (Bowler – Laura Marsh)

Major Partnership – 4^th wicket partnership of 162runs (71.3overs) between Ellyse Perry and Rachael Haynes

Medical Report – England’s opening batter Tammy Beaumont is fine and available for the rest of the match (She was hit on the hand at short leg and got the X-ray done)

Debutants – Australia – Sophie Molineux, Ashleigh Gardner and Tayla Vlaeminck

England – Amy Jones and Kirstie Gordon

Pre-match Ashes position – Having lost all the three ODIs, English team now needs to win the only Test to keep their Ashes hopes alive while Australia Women just need a draw to retain the Ashes cup.

It was raining mildly just 20 minutes before the start of the day’s play hinting a rain interference into the match. But luckily the play started at the right time and Anya Shrubsole and Katherine Brunt opened up for the bowling side. Spin came in the ninth over of the day but none of the bowlers was able to break the Australian batters’ concentration and patience.

First interesting moment of the day came in 113^th over when Rachael Haynes was dropped by Sophie Eccelstone at square leg. And then, the big moment came when Perry reached her second Ashes hundred in as many innings by taking a single on the third ball of 115^th over. The Australian dressing room was visibly jubilant and wholeheartedly applauded the heroics of mighty Ellyse Perry. English players were also seen congratulating the super-girl of women’s cricket for achieving the rare feat.

Finally, Laura Marsh, in 125^th over, provided the much needed breakthrough to England by getting Perry caught out by Heather Knight at short midwicket. Marsh struck once again just before the lunch break and got Haynes L.B.W. out on the last ball of 129^th over. The replays showed a faint spike on the ultra-edge and had it been D.R.S., Haynes might be saved.

Lunch break happened after 132 overs and soon it was raining. After multiple rounds of inspection, the umpires decided to resume the match after the tea time. But as the heavens had decided otherwise, rain started pouring in once again and this time more heavily, bruising aside all the possibilities of further play. As the ground had a lot of water after hours of downpour, the play was finally abandoned for the day.

There is a rain forecast for Day 3 also and this would further blink the chances of England coming back into this match.

That’s all for now… See you tomorrow with Day 3 report… Stay tuned to latest updates on Twitter handle of Female Cricket.