The Tahlia McGrath-led side handed another hammering blow to the visitor’s morale with a massive 72-run in the 3rd and final T20I of the ongoing Ashes series to go 12-0 up in the multi-format tally.
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Injury concerns in both camps, Test debut for Georgia Voll
Both sides had their share of injury concerns, heading into the historic one-off Pink-ball Test match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Kate Cross missed out on a spot in the side as she was yet to recover from her back injury, while, for the home side, the regular skipper Alyssa Healy was struggling with her foot injury ahead of a historic Test match.
The 21-year-old top-order batter from Queensland, Georgia Voll was handed her debut cap by the former Australian skipper Belinda Clark for the one-off Test match. It was a historic occasion for women’s Test cricket as it marked the first after 76 years and it is the first-ever pink ball Test at the MCG.
Disciplined bowling from Australian pacers pushes England on the backfoot at lunch
The Australian new-ball bowlers Kim Garth and Darcie Brown removed the English top order, including the wicket of their skipper Heather Knight in the 16th over of the innings after the Australian skipper Alyssa Healy won the toss and opted to field first at the iconic MCG. Kim Garth accounted for the big wicket of Heather Knight. Sophia Dunkley joined Nat Sciver-Brunt at the crease and the duo were leading the visitor’s recovery at 64/3 in 26 overs heading into the lunch interval.
Nat Sciver-Brunt stands tall with her 5th half-century in Tests at Dinner interval
Alana King broke the crucial 50-run 4th wicket partnership between Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophia Dunkley, by removing Dunkley (21 off 71 balls) in the 39th over of the innings. Danielle Wyatt-Hodge joined Nat Sciver-Brunt at the crease and the duo stitched another crucial 30-run partnership for the 5th wicket to take them closer to the 130-run mark. Alana King returned and picked up the wicket of Danielle Wyatt-Hodge (22 off 46 balls) in the 49th over of the innings to provide the 5th breakthrough for Australia.
England lost a couple of wickets in quick succession and found themselves in deeper trouble at 142/7 in 58 overs. Ryana MacDonald-Gay joined Nat Sciver-Brunt at the crease and the pair went into the dinner break hoping to take their side past the 200-run mark.
Australian openers off to a confident start after bowlers wrap England for 170
Alana King disturbed the furniture to get the big scalp of Nat Sciver-Brunt (51 off 129 balls) in the first over after dinner. She completed a gritty half-century, her 5th in Tests for England. The lower order added 26 runs before the visitors were bundled out for 170 in the 72nd over of the innings. Skipper Heather Knight (25 off 50 balls), and Ryana MacDonald-Gay (15 off 66 balls) were the only other batters to enter into the double digits with the bat for England. Alana King (23-6-45-4), Kim Garth (10-4-13-2), Darcie Brown (18-4-47-2), and Ashleigh Gardner (10.4-2-30-1) were impressive with the ball for Australia.
The Australian openers Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield got their side off to a watchful start with a 19-run opening partnership. Lauren Bell picked up the wicket of the debutant Georgia Voll (12 off 16 balls) to provide the first breakthrough for England in the 7th over of the innings. Annabel Sutherland joined Phoebe Litchfield at the crease and the duo went unseparated into the tea break with Australia at 27/1 in 12.5 overs.
Litchfield and Sutherland weather the storm as the home side end day 1 at 56/1
The duo was cautious to see the day through, capitalizing on the loose deliveries to keep the scoreboard ticking and the pair of Phoebe Litchfield (20* off 65 balls) and Annabel Sutherland (24* off 51 balls) saw the day through with an unbeaten 37-run partnership for the 2nd wicket to take their side past the 50-run mark. The home side are 114 runs behind, ending their day on 56/1 in 22 overs.
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