Women's Ashes: Heather Knight's 157 boosts England

Heather Knight struck the third-highest score for England in Women's Ashes Test history as they fought back against Australia on day three at Wormsley.

Knight made 157 before she was run out following a mix-up with Laura Marsh, whose 291-ball half-century was the slowest in women's Test history.

Their seventh-wicket stand of 156 helped England to 314 all out.

Australia reached 64-1 at the close, a lead of 81, with a draw looking the most likely result with one day left.

A draw would give both sides two points in their quest for the Ashes, which is being decided by a new format.

Following this Test, the two sides face each other in three one-day internationals and three Twenty20s.

Beginning the day on 172-6, England chipped away at Australia's first-innings score on a lifeless wicket in Buckinghamshire.

The tourists, who had declared after making 331-6, struggled to make a breakthrough, perhaps not helped by their decision to delay taking the new ball.

Facing the old ball for an extra 20 overs, Knight and Marsh, who had come together on day two with the score on 113-6, established a seventh-wicket record for England in Test cricket.

For Knight, a maiden international century turned into the seventh-highest score by an England woman in Tests, her chanceless innings ended by a run out.

After cutting the ball into the covers, where it was fielded by Haynes, Knight was left stranded when Marsh turned down the single.

Marsh continued her slow grind, adding 29 runs in 22 overs with Danielle Hazell, and eventually completed her maiden Test fifty with a third boundary.

Her 343-minute vigil ended when she was bowled playing across the line to the medium pace of Megan Schutt.

When number 11 Anya Shrubsole was caught behind off Erin Osbourne's off-spin, England were still 17 adrift of Australia's score.

But, with just four sessions left, the deficit was unlikely to prove too significant.

In response, England's opening bowlers Brunt and Shrubsole were impressive either side of a break for rain and bad light.

But despite Shrubsole in particular going past the edge with regularity, England could not find the breakthrough.

It was the introduction of Jenny Gunn that removed Haynes, who was caught at cover by Tammy Beaumont for 23.

England applied the pressure and Sarah Elliot almost chipped Laura Marsh to mid off, but she and Meg Lanning survived to the close.

Match scorecard

Listen to live commentary of the Women's Ashes via the BBC Sport website and on BBC Radio 5 sports extra.