The home side resumed the 2nd day’s play at 56/1 and the overnight duo of Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland took the cautious approach in the first hour of the day’s play as they got closer to the 100-run mark. Lauren Bell broke the crucial 80-run partnership by removing Phoebe Litchfield (45 off 127 balls) in the 40th over of the innings to provide the 2nd breakthrough for the visitors.
Danielle Wyatt-Hodge dropped Annabel Sutherland (29* off 66 balls) in the 4th over of the 2nd day’s play bowled by Sophie Ecclestone. The visitors dropped another chance off Annabel Sutherland (31* off 71 balls) in the very next over of Sophie Ecclestone’s bowling by wicket-keeper batter Amy Jones. Skipper Alyssa Healy joined Annabel Sutherland at the crease and the latter eventually went on to score a gritty half-century off 107 balls.
Annabel Sutherland and Alyssa Healy close in on England’s first-innings deficit by tea
The duo resumed after the Tea interval, with Australia at 154/2 in 55 overs. The pair wiped off the deficit with another crucial 71-run partnership for the 3rd wicket, before Sophie Ecclestone removed skipper Alyssa Healy (34 off 68 balls) in the 62nd over of the innings to provide the 3rd breakthrough for her side.
Wicket-keeper batter Beth Mooney joined Annabel Sutherland at the crease and the duo continued to build the lead. The 23-year-old youngster Annabel Sutherland became the only Australian to convert her first three half-centuries into a century in a Women’s Test. She brought up her milestone in 193 balls, becoming the player with joint-most centuries (3) for Australia alongside Jill Kennare in a Women’s Test.
The duo took the lead past the 100-run mark with an unbeaten 108-run partnership for the 4th wicket as the players took dinner, with Australia at 278/3 in 84 overs.
Beth Mooney and Annabel Sutherland build a solid lead by the dinner interval
The pair continued to capitalise on the 2nd new ball in their favour by churning out some quick runs. The wicket-keeper batter Beth Mooney completed her 5th half-century in Tests off just 64 balls. The young 20-year-old all-rounder Ryana MacDonald-Gay provided the massive breakthrough as she cleaned up Annabel Sutherland (163 off 258 balls) to break the 154-run 4th wicket partnership in the 91st over of the innings.
Ashleigh Gardner joined wicket-keeper batter Beth Mooney at the crease and the pair continued to pile on the misery with another substantial 81-run partnership for the 5th wicket to take Australia past the 400-run mark. Sophie Ecclestone returned and picked up the wicket of Ashleigh Gardner (44 off 81 balls) to provide the 5th breakthrough for England. The lead had already soared past 200 for the home side.
Vice-captain Tahlia McGrath (9* off 21 balls) joined wicket-keeper batter Beth Mooney (98* off 149 balls) at the crease and saw the day through with the latter just two runs short of her well-deserved maiden century in Tests. Australia ends the 2nd day’s play at 422/5 in 120 overs, with a massive lead of 252, heading into the penultimate day of the historic pink-ball Test match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
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