A dominant morning for England on day three saw them add 90 runs to their overnight total in the Women’s Ashes, with Nat Sciver-Brunt being the only wicket to fall.
England needed this. With Australia having played on the front foot for the vast majority of the match, this was the first passage of play which suggested that the hosts could, just maybe, turn their opponents over.
Between Tammy Beaumont and Sciver-Brunt, the pair continued to press Australia. Sciver-Brunt flailed boundaries, while Beaumont turned the strike over with ease, as she made the most of the boundary riders Australia had been forced to adopt due to the aggression of Sciver-Brunt.
The only surprise was when it came to an end, as Sciver-Brunt, having been so dominant against spin, edged Ashleigh Gardner behind to depart for an excellent 78. The pair had added 137 together at almost five-runs-an-over and brought England into the contest for the first time.
It could’ve been different, however. Facing her first ball of the morning, Sciver-Brunt was given out LBW only to overturn it on review. Minutes later and she slashed at a wide one that flew between first and second slip. It was 10 minutes of chaos in an innings of otherwise perfect control.
In the minutes leading up to lunch, England brought up their 300, with Beaumont still steering the ship, unbeaten on 144.
This Test is the first five-day women’s Test since 1992, and the extra day will absolutely be required, as both teams have put on batting clinics. The shape of the contest is limbering up to be a two-day, one-innings shootout. At the very least, England will be looking to bat for the remainder of the day, which will bring them level with Australia, if not beyond their first-innings total of 473.
An intriguing factor that lies ahead is how Danni Wyatt, veteran of almost 245 white-ball matches for England but on Test debut here, will play. Captain Heather Knight has given her express permission to play her shots, and an additional tempo with the bat could be what’s needed to create some extra time in a game where wickets have been difficult to come by.
For the meantime, England have Beaumont and Sophia Dunkley at the crease, facing up against an Australian bowling attack that is spoiled for choice. Eight players have turned their arm over for the visitors, who faced with an overwhelming amount of possibilities, have perhaps underbowled some of their premier weapons such as leg-spinner Alana King - who has been responsible for just 10 of their 83 overs.
For now the match is in a holding pattern, as England look to rein in Australia’s first-innings total and reset the contest back to zero. For the rest of day three, only good things can happen quickly for Australia, but it’s England who look set for the long haul.
