Annabel Sutherland made history by being the first woman to make a Test century at the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the recently concluded Women’s Ashes Test. In addition to leaving her mark on the record books, her 163 runs were crucial to Australia’s dominant position over England. Over the last two days, 23000 plus individuals have entered the gates, setting a global record for a women’s Test match.
Sutherland’s patience and calculated shot selection defined her innings. She took advantage of England’s fielding errors, including eight dropped catches and several misfields, to amass a commanding total at 24 not out to start the day. Her collaboration with Beth Mooney, who was still unbeaten at 98, cemented Australia’s domination and gave them a significant first-innings lead. Sutherland’s century off 258 balls, which came after she was dropped twice at 29 and 31 runs, was one of the highlights. While her occasional boundaries demonstrated her power-hitting talent, her ability to find gaps and rotate the strike kept the scoreboard moving.
“Just the time I think that you’ve got to build an innings,” Sutherland said. “I absolutely love batting, and I think you’ve got time to work through those waves of ebbs and flows of the game. And I think just recognising those moments is something I do pretty well and trying to grind out those tougher periods and then cashing in when you can.”
Women’s Test matches have not been played here since 1949, when Betty Wilson, an all-rounder Victorian, was Australia’s top player. Sutherland today tied Wilson with three Test hundreds, the most ever for an Australian woman, along with Jill Kennare. Due to Perry’s hip injury, Sutherland had her first opportunity to bat at No. 3 in a Test match.
Many outstanding female players have played for Australia over the years but have never had the opportunity to play in a Test match at this location. Sutherland is the only woman in history to record successive scores of 150 or higher, having achieved back-to-back Test hundreds. Her quick rise in international cricket was highlighted by this effort, which represented her third Test century in as few as nine games.
Sutherland was justifiably named Player of the Match for her amazing performance, solidifying her place as a rising star in women’s cricket. Her momentous knock at the MCG will go down in the history of the Women’s Ashes series as a turning point.
Australia won the Women’s Ashes 2025 in style, going 16-0 to drub the English squad and send them home from Down Under in a humiliating manner. Australia’s young leg spinner Alana King was awarded the Player of the Series with the young leggie having a stellar and impactful series.
In the opening ODI, King picked up two crucial wickets, breaking a threatening partnership between Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Amy Jones, sending Jones home just as she was looking to rebuild the English innings. King and Ashleigh Gardner restricted the English team to 204, which the hosts chased down picking up a four-wicket win.
In Melbourne for the second ODI, Australia were bowled out for a paltry 180, which England seemed to be cruising to before King spun a web around the English batters, picking up 4/25 in her 10 to see Australia steal a 21-run win. King was not only miserly with the ball but chipped in with crucial wickets to dent the English hopes.
The final ODI in Hobart saw the hosts pile up a huge 308/8 batting first but the visitors were given a solid platform for the chase by Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt-Hodge. England seemed to be slowly getting towards the target before King removed the two set batters in Wyatt-Hodge and Amy Jones before wrapping up the tail to pick up a five-wicket haul to see Australia take an 86-run win.
King continued her white ball form into the shortest format as well, starting the first T20I in miserly manner with a 3-1-14-2, which put the brakes on England’s chase of 199. She went wicket less in the next game although she didn’t give away too many runs and rounded out the white ball portion of the Women’s Ashes miserly performance, giving nothing away to pick up 1/17 in her two overs in the final T20I.
In the Only Test of the series, King started with a four-wicket haul in the first innings, helping Australia restrict the visitors to 170 and closed out a stunning Ashes series for herself with a five- wicket haul which included what could be one of the balls of the Year if not the Century to send Sophia Dunkley packing.
King finished the 2025 Women’s Ashes with 23 wickets across 7 games and not only did she regularly chip in with crucial wickets but also kept the English batters tied down.
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