England’s bid to wrap up Australia’s innings quickly on the second morning of the lone Women’s Ashes Test was thwarted by Annabel Sutherland’s classy unbeaten century at Trent Bridge.
Sutherland was without a fifty in 33 previous international appearances in all formats but showed the enviable depth of Australia’s batting line-up with a composed innings from number eight to propel the tourists past 400.
The 21-year-old moved to a maiden Test ton, and the quickest by an Australian woman, off 148 balls with a flick off her pads for her 12th four. She was 116 not out at lunch as her side ended the session on 439 for eight.
It was honours even after the opening day of the multi-format series as Australia closed on 328 for seven, with Sutherland on 39, but England were unable to polish off the lower order on Friday morning.
Lauren Bell made the sole breakthrough midway through the session when her delivery hooped back through the gate of Alana King, bowled for 21 after providing capable support for Sutherland.
King had earlier survived a DRS review in Sophie Ecclestone’s first over of the day after the slow left-armer arrowed a delivery into the Australian’s pads.
While Hawk-Eye showed the ball would have brushed leg stump, the initial not out decision stayed with the on-field umpire.
England later burned a review on Ireland-born Australia debutant Kim Garth (14 not out) as Bell’s delivery would have sailed past leg stump on a largely frustrating first session for the hosts.
Their seamers were for the most part innocuous, while even Ecclestone, who bowled 11 overs after sending down a mammoth 31 on Thursday, could not make much of an impact as Sutherland put Australia on top.
Sutherland, who registered a hundred in a warm-up against England A last week, started to cut loose after reaching three figures here in just her third Test, taking a trio of fours in an over off Lauren Filer, although the last of those was via an outside edge.
