Summary

  • Australia reach 56-1 after tricky session under lights - report

  • England bowled out for 170

  • Sciver-Brunt (51) only batter to resist dominant hosts

  • King stars with the ball (4-45)

  • Brown (2-47) impresses with pace

  • One-off Test, Melbourne, day one of four

Live Reporting

by Timothy Abraham & Sam Drury

  1. Eng 64-3

    Beauty.

    Darcie Brown starts the over with a brilliant delivery that drags Nat Sciver-Brunt forward then swings away to beat the outside edge.

    She gets away with a full toss later in the over on the way to completing another maiden.

  2. Michelle Goszko
    Ex-Australia batter on BBC Sounds

    The Aussies have got a plethora of options with the ball in hand: Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner, Alana King.

    They haven't really rotated their bowlers today.

  3. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    Cricviz analyst

    Garth dismisses Bouchier first over in 'perfect start' for Australia

    England batters so far today have been troubled while playing defensive shots. All three dismissals have come while they have looked to defend. They've played 38% false shots when playing defensive shots, and while looking to be positive playing attacking shots and rotating the strike they've only played 18% false shots.

  4. Eng 64-3

    Make that 10 overs bowled by Kim Garth and there is likely to be another one from that end before lunch.

    Probably time for two, maybe three, overs more before the interval.

  5. Michelle Goszko
    Ex-Australia batter on BBC Sounds

    It's a big change here for the Australians as well. Kim Garth has bowled nine already which is much more than she'll be used to.

  6. Eng 63-3

    Nat Sciver-Brunt drives smartly through mid-on but has to settle for three after a very good chase from Alana King, who flicks the ball back just before it reaches the rope.

    A little under 10 minutes until lunch. Australia on top and England are having to battle.

  7. Eng 60-3

    We do have a bowling change but still no spin.

    Instead, Darcie Brown returns and Nat Sciver-Brunt pulls her first ball through mid-on for four.

    Not out of the middle but always safe and a solid enough contact to get the ball to the rope.

  8. Michelle Goszko
    Ex-Australia batter on BBC Sounds

    I wonder how long Alyssa Healy will wait to bring a spinner on here.

  9. Eng 56-3

    Superb from Kim Garth.

    She gets one to hoop back and hit Sophia Dunkley on the back leg.

    There's an appeal but that was doing too much.

    In the nine overs since drinks, England have scored just 12 runs and lost Heather Knight.

  10. Michelle Goszko
    Ex-Australia batter on BBC Sounds

    GarthGetty Images

    The ball hasn't swung as much as I thought it might.

  11. Sarah Elliott
    Ex-Australia batter on BBC Sounds

    Annabel Sutherland has been excellent with the ball in hand this series.

  12. Eng 55-3

    Drilled through mid-off by Sophia Dunkley.

    A boundary to start the over and she tries to end it in the same way.

    Annabel Sutherland throws out a wider delivery, a real tempter, and Dunkley doesn't need asking twice.

    She goes at it with an almighty swing of the bat but gets nothing but fresh air as Sutherland allows herself a smirk.

  13. Eng 51-3

    Nat Sciver-BruntEPA

    Another maiden from the impressive Kim Garth.

    Nat Sciver-Brunt is doing what she has to do at the moment and remain watchful, not do anything silly and just keep batting.

    She's played enough cricket to know that if she does that, the runs will eventually start to come a little more easily.

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  15. Eng 51-3

    Australia captain Alyssa Healy is on the player mic for the TV and is being asked about whether the slips should be a bit closer given a few edges haven't carried in this session already.

    She insists they're pretty close and that they have been talking about getting closer but expect the pitch is going to start quickening up.

    Right on cue, Annabel Sutherland gets one to jump out of the surface - relatively speaking at least - to Sophia Dunkley.

    "See, that one carried," chirps Healy.

  16. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    Cricviz analyst

    KnightGetty Images

    Change of ends from Kim Garth does the trick against Heather Knight. In her first spell, Garth induced 10% false shots off the English batter and in the second spell after changing ends, she induced 50% false shots.

  17. Eng 48-3

    Kim Garth has got the ball on a string at the moment.

    The Australia seamer can't believe she hasn't got a third wicket when Nat Sciver-Brunt leaves a ball that shapes away late and just misses off stump.

    It doesn't get much closer than that but there are only two types of leave as the old saying goes...

  18. Sarah Elliott
    Ex-Australia batter on BBC Sounds

    Australia won't feel as if they've won the series unless they win this Test.

  19. Eng 48-3

    Sophia Dunkley is the new batter for England and just about keeps out an Annabel Sutherland delivery that is zeroing in on the stumps.

    A thick inside edge is enough save the right-hander this time.

  20. That lbw was closer than it appeared. Only just clipping leg, according to ball-tracking.

    A review wouldn't have saved Heather Knight but not quite as plumb as it first appeared.