The Ashes 2023: England's Tammy Beaumont revels in 'special' double century
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Watch the best of Tammy Beaumont's 208 for England against Australia
Tammy Beaumont said scoring England women's first double century was "pretty special" as it came against the "best team in the world".
The 32-year-old broke Betty Snowball's 88-year-old individual record of 189, finishing with 208 at Trent Bridge.
She was the last wicket to fall as England made 463, before Australia reached 82-0 at stumps on day three in the one-off Ashes Test, a lead of 92.
"It's a great accolade. I guess I just had a day out," said Beaumont.
"I wasn't aware of the [England record] milestone, that's why I didn't want to celebrate it and we still needed runs.
"To do it in England, it is pretty special, the highest score I have in an England shirt against the best team in the world and I hope it goes down in the books.
"I had a lot of help from the skipper, Heather Knight, and Nat Sciver-Brunt. They have known me for so long and know when I need a kick up the bum to keep going."
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Speaking to Sky Sports, Beaumont added: "I can't quite believe it to be honest. I scored a double hundred in the A game last week and I thought there was no chance of repeating it.
"I'd been pretty calm for 300 or something balls, but if you're going to score a double hundred you might as well really let it rip.
"I reckon the girls will tell you I said absolutely nothing at tea, I was just steely-eyed."
Beaumont moves on to 192 to break record for highest Test score by an English woman
What records did Beaumont set?
Beaumont recorded England women's highest-ever individual score, beating Betty Snowball's 189 against New Zealand in 1935, while also becoming her country's first double centurion.
Her 208 was the fifth-highest Test score of all time, with Pakistan's Kiran Baluch 242 against the West Indies in 2004 leading the charts.
The England opener finished five short of Ellyse Perry's Ashes record score of 213* in 2017, which ranks fourth on the all-time list.
Beaumont's innings was the highest score ever against Australia, surpassing Rachael Heyhoe Flint's 179 in 1976, and the first double ton against the perennial world number ones.
She hit the most fours in an England Test innings (26).
Beaumont also becomes only the fourth England player to score a century in all three formats, joining Heather Knight, Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan.
'Uncertainty brought out drive and determination'
Previously a regular in all three formats, Beaumont was dropped from England's T20 side after the 2022 Ashes and missed last summer's Commonwealth Games and this year's T20 World Cup.
England have instilled a new aggressive and attack-minded approach under coach Jon Lewis and Beaumont is more of a touch player than others in the set-up.
"I spoke to Tammy in the build-up to the series and she wasn't quite sure about her place in the team," said England all-rounder Georgia Elwiss.
"She's in that sort of space at the moment where it is an uncertain time.
"England want to play this aggressive style, but actually Tammy doesn't necessarily play that naturally. She is more a timer of the ball but she's got all the shots.
"She's gone away and worked really hard on her game and probably been a bit more comfortable in her own skin.
"It's not nice, but at times that brings out the best in you, it brings out the drive and determination within you, and it has done that in the build-up to this Ashes series."
Tammy Beaumont scored runs all round the wicket in her historic 208
'She's an absolute badger'
Beaumont, who spent time working as a pundit for Sky Sports over the winter and is immersed in the sport, is "hugely annoying to play against", according to team-mate Elwiss.
"She often fields at short leg and she just doesn't shut up!" added Elwiss. "We've played against each other in some internal games, and she's obviously doing her job because she gets in your head.
"She is hugely competitive and one of those people that always wants to be batting. In the nets if there is a spare slot that is her in there.
"She's an absolute cricket badger and is the sort of person that sees something and says 'well, if you can do that, I can do that' and that is brilliant to have."
'More than six-year-old Tammy could dream of'
'Very, very proud' Beaumont's family react to record-breaking innings
Beaumont's parents and partner Callum were interviewed by BBC's Today at the Test programme, with her mum Julie saying they were "very, very proud" of her innings.
"It's just fantastic, more than you could ever dream of when this little six-year-old told us 'I'm going to play with my brother at the boys' team'," said Julie.
Her dad Kevin says he is a nervous watcher, with Callum adding: "Putting Kevin and I together is a nightmare because we set each other off.
"You see the effort she puts in everyday and I'm so chuffed to see her achieve what she dreamed of. She dreamed of Test match hundreds and it's wonderful."
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