The Ashes 2023: Tammy Beaumont century leaves one-off Test in the balance
- Published
Women's Ashes 2023: Tammy Beaumont's maiden Test century leads England's fightback
Women's Ashes Test, Trent Bridge (day two of five): |
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Australia 473 (124.2 overs): Sutherland 137*; Ecclestone 5-129 |
England 218-2 (53 overs): Beaumont 100*; Sutherland 1-28 |
England trail Australia by 255 runs |
Tammy Beaumont's maiden Test century led England's emphatic fightback with the bat on day two of the one-off Ashes Test match at Trent Bridge.
Beaumont was 100 not out as England finished the day on 218-2 in response to Australia's 473.
The opener joins Heather Knight, Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan as the England players to score centuries in all three formats of the game.
The visitors, who resumed on 328-7 overnight, were propelled by number eight Annabel Sutherland's brilliant 137 as Sophie Ecclestone took a Test career-best 5-129 for England.
England were frustrated by a ninth-wicket partnership of 95 between Sutherland and Kim Garth, who made 22, as Knight's seamers struggled to create chances on a flat pitch in the morning session.
Australia's 473 is the highest first-innings total in women's Test match history but England started aggressively and did not take a step back, even after the loss of Emma Lamb for 10 in the 10th over.
Knight scored 57 in a stand of 115 with Beaumont as Australia's bowlers, boasting two more spinners than England, suffered the same fate as the hosts.
Beaumont was reprieved on 61 as Australia opted against reviewing a catch, with replays showing she had hit the ball on to her boot before being caught at short leg.
She will be joined by all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who added an entertaining 41 from 44 balls, when England resume on day three.
Beaumont leads England fightback
Classy Beaumont piles pressure on world's best
All of the pre-Ashes talk from England and their coach Jon Lewis has been about their approach, promising aggression and taking the attack to Australia - especially with the bat.
And at the first opportunity, Beaumont proved England's commitment to the cause, reaching her century from 152 balls, including 16 fours, as the pitch continued to favour batters and Australia's bowlers also struggled to find much seam or swing with the ball.
It was Beaumont who dropped Ellyse Perry on 10 on day one before the all-rounder went on to make 99, perhaps adding fuel to her desire to make Healy and Australia rue their missed review opportunity.
It is rare to see Australia on the back foot, as they offered Beaumont and Knight plenty of scoring opportunities with their inconsistency - though their fielding remained sublime throughout, one of the hallmarks of their recent success.
England's Tammy Beaumont brings up her first Test century against Australia
Australia's batting line-up is formidably world-class, as Sutherland's century from number eight proved, but England dealt the world champions a similar fate.
Ash Gardner took the wicket of Knight, but Sciver-Brunt replaced her and immediately matched Beaumont's free-flowing scoring with ease.
England have still got plenty of runs to score before they surpass Australia's total but the way in which they reached their first 200 has sent a very clear message of intent to their opposition.
Sutherland comes of age as Australia's depth prevails
The best of Sutherland's maiden international century
All-rounder Sutherland has been a familiar name in Australia's squads in all three formats since her international T20 debut in February 2020, but has not quite managed to make her mark in a world-dominating team.
The 21-year-old is seen as the heir to Perry's throne: a quick bowler, a fine athlete and, ominously for opponents all around the world, a batter currently at number eight but with the ability to open.
Sutherland capitalised on a tired England attack to score Australia's fastest century in women's Test cricket and the fourth-fastest in history. Her 148-ball innings was one of technical brilliance with her scoring straight down the ground of particular elegance.
Ecclestone grafted away with a 15-over spell after 28 consecutive overs on day one, and was rewarded with a five-wicket haul, but England's bowling tactics were unusual.
A knee niggle restricted Sciver-Brunt to just five overs in the innings, part-time spin options Knight and Lamb did not bowl at all, and it could be argued that Lauren Filer's pace - that rattled Australia on day one - was underused.
But the game is on a knife edge. With two classy centuries already scored and three days' play still remaining, we could be set for the second Ashes classic of the summer.
'The game is finely balanced' - what they said
England opener Tammy Beaumont on BBC Test Match Special: "It was a tough one, I was really flagging at the end of that last session but the bowlers have done a great job out there.
"The game is finely balanced. It's a very good batting wicket, if two people get in it's very hard to get them out. I don't think I batted my best, I was stubborn, which Heather Knight has called me for years."
Australia all-rounder Anabel Sutherland on TMS: "It was a lot of fun out there.
"I think we are on top at 250 ahead. Nat and Tammy took some momentum England's way but there is some variable bounce in the pitch and we saw some chances to our spinners and looking forward to getting stuck in on Saturday."