Women's Ashes Test 2015: Jess Jonassen frustrates England

  • Published
Jess JonassenImage source, Reuters
Image caption,

Jess Jonassen came in with Australia in some trouble on 87-4

Women's Ashes Test, Canterbury, day one

Australia 268-8: Jonassen 95*, Shrubsole 4-59

England yet to bat

Jess Jonassen's unbeaten 95 on her Test debut frustrated England as Australia finished day one of the Women's Ashes Test on 268-8.

Seamer Anya Shrubsole's four wickets in 27 balls helped reduce the Southern Stars from 66-0 to 99-5 in Canterbury.

But 22-year-old Queensland all-rounder Jonassen helped Australia fight back.

She shared half-century partnerships with Alyssa Healy (39) and fellow debutant Kristen Beams (24 not out) to give the tourists the upper hand.

Australia lead the seven-match Ashes series four points to two, having won the three-game one-day international series 2-1.

Four points will be awarded to the winners of the four-day Test, with three Twenty20s to follow.

On-song Shrubsole

Having claimed just one wicket in the three ODIs, Shrubsole produced some of her best bowling of the series in the one-off Test.

The 23-year-old Somerset player struck in the third over of her second spell and finished with 4-59.

After a 66-run opening stand, Elyse Villani (33) and Australia captain Meg Lanning (3) fell in identical fashion, caught well at first slip by Heather Knight.

Shrubsole bowled debutant Nicole Bolton (36) after lunch before having the dangerous Ellyse Perry caught behind by Sarah Taylor for five to put England in the ascendancy.

Women's Ashes 2015: England v Australia Test

Venue: Canterbury Dates: 11-14 August Start time: 11:00 BST

Coverage: Ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, Radio 4 LW, online, tablets, mobiles and BBC Sport app. Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website

Debutant Jonassen steals the show

Jonassen walked to the crease with Australia on 87-4 before Alex Blackwell (7) was trapped lbw to give Katherine Brunt a deserved wicket and leave the visitors in trouble on 99-5.

Jonassen shared a 77-run sixth-wicket partnership with Healy, who was watched by her fiance Mitchell Starc - part of the Australia team beaten in the men's Ashes - and uncle Ian Healy, a former Test wicketkeeper.

Healy had contributed 39 when she was out lbw for the first of Laura Marsh's two wickets.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

A crowd of about 2,000 watched the opening day at Canterbury, where the ground's famous lime tree was outside a shortened boundary

Sarah Coyte was caught behind off Kate Cross's bowling before Megan Schutt was out lbw to Marsh.

But the home side endured a frustrating last hour-and-a-half as Jonassen played several sublime cover drives to move closer to her century.

She was assisted by a dogged innings from fellow Test debutant Beams as Australia kept England at bay.

'England will be disappointed'

England bowler Shrubsole told BBC Test Match Special: "It's probably an even day and both teams will be happy. In an ideal world we would've liked to have picked up the last two wickets but Jess played brilliantly.

"We're relatively happy and hopefully we can take the last two wickets early on. There are a few tired bodies but this is what we do the training for. If a number 10 can play like that then it shows it's clearly not a bad track."

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

England players celebrate as Anya Shrubsole takes the wicket of Australia's Ellyse Perry

Ex-England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent did not agree with Shrubsole's assessment.

"England would've wanted Australia wrapped up for 150 at the most and will feel they have let the game slip away from them," she told BBC Test Match Special.

"They will be a little bit disappointed but it has been a brilliant fightback from Australia. They had to deal with some really positive bowling from England."

Jonassen said batting was "tough" and praised England for bowling "very well".

She added: "The pleasing thing is that I managed to get through and be there at the close of play.

"We're in a really good position and hopefully we can score a few runs quickly on Wednesday and get some joy with the ball."

Women's Ashes 2015

Date

Game

Venue

Winner

Pts available

21 Jul

1st ODI

Taunton

Eng (4 wkts)

2 (Eng 2-0)

23 Jul

2nd ODI

Bristol

Aus (63 runs)

2 (2-2)

26 Jul

3rd ODI

Worcester

Aus (89 runs)

2 (Aus 4-2)

11-14 Aug

Test

Canterbury

-

4

26 Aug

1st T20

Chelmsford

-

2

28 Aug

2nd T20

Hove

-

2

31 Aug

3rd T20

Cardiff

-

2

Around the BBC

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.