Heather Knight has single-handedly scripted magnificent fightback for the visitors in the Women’s Ashes Test match at Canberra. She carried her bat through the innings and stayed unbeaten on a stunning career-best 168 runs.
Australia had a frustrating start to the day when England added 62 runs to their overnight score eating up into the lead. England managed to reduce the lead to only 40 runs thanks to a massive 100 run partnership between Heather Knight and Sophie Ecclestone. A record best-ever ninth-wicket partnership for England.
Heather Knight single-handedly did the bulk of the scoring. Full of confidence Knight carried on right from where she left off yesterday. A hard slog-sweep off Jonassen took her to 150 off 274 deliveries. She added 41 runs to her overnight score of 127 before she ran out of partners at the other end.
A knock to remember for ages.
She walks off to a standing ovation at Manuka Oval, staying unbeaten throughout ❤️#Ashes #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/7tkPW6Nvn5
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) January 29, 2022
Australia had a disappointing morning in the field when they gifted Ecclestone two lives. However, Ecclestone played her part perfectly well in her century stand with the captain.
“The way Sophie batted was unbelievable, the team really needed her to stand up. She’s got a really sound technique and really chuffed for her that she was able to put in that patient knock…to get us close to the score,” said the proud Captain.
Knight went past her previous best of 157 scored back in 2013 and became the second batter to score two 150 plus scores in the Ashes Test. Karen Rolton is the only other batter to make two 150+ scores in an Ashes Test.
Knight said,” Think it’s my best innings for England, definitely. The situation we were in, in an Ashes game against probably the best team in the world, so super pleased,”
“I felt quite rusty at the start, they bowled pretty well with the first new ball, but when you’ve played a lot of white-ball cricket and you have a red-ball moving it’s quite hard not to have a little flirt with it, and I did that a few times but managed to get through that tricky period and when the spin came on I felt a lot more comfortable and found my rhythm,” she said.
STANDING OVATION!! 🙌❤️#Ashes pic.twitter.com/5nCaoLbAZE
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) January 29, 2022
Katherine Brunt jolted the hosts with two quick wickets in the second innings. Alyssa Healy would like to forget this Test match as Katherine Brunt got the better of her for the second time in the match. The Australian wicketkeeper couldn’t open her account in both innings.
Katherine Brunt has bagged seven wickets so far in the match. “Brunty’s having a brilliant Test and the way she bowled- the aggression, the skill- hunting Australian wickets, and to pick up those two wickets felt like we could really break the game open, try and get them out for a cheap score and set up a chase so obviously a little bit frustrating,” Knight said.
“We are still holding out a little bit of hope… there’s a little bit of time left in the game so we are going to have bowl absolutely out of our skins to try and take early wickets and put the Aussies under the pump. We live in hope,” said Knight.
No play was possible after lunch on Day 3 due to heavy rain, there’ll be an early start on the final day with 109 overs to be bowled. Australia will look to build on its 52-run lead. England is eager to get some points under their belt as they trail by 2 points in the multi-format series.