Alison Mitchell
Cricket commentator on BBC Test Match Special

Was that guided or an edge? It goes for four and Heather Knight brings up her fifty. It brings up the hundred partnership as well.

Fifty for Knightpublished at 17:40 British Summer Time 23 June 2023

17:40 BST 23 June 2023

Heather Knight has a half-century off 85 balls.

The England skipper brings it up with a flashing cut of the final ball of Kim Garth's over which beats the dive of slip.

Tammy Beaumont was given a let off a little earlier when Australia declined to review after she hit the ball against her foot which was caught at short leg.

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Former England batter on BBC Test Match Special

A bit of Lewiball coming out here, well executed from Heather Knight. The field aren't moving and saying it is still on if Knight wants it.

A bit of extra bounce from Ash Gardner's third ball and it pops up at Heather Knight who gets some bat on it but it falls short of the fielder at slip.

Fourth ball and Knight gets down on one knee and reverse sweeps it through the gully region. That's a good response from the England skipper. She's not letting Gardner settle.

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Former England batter on BBC Test Match Special

Generally the pitch been good to bat on with the occasional low ball. I don't think the Australians have bowled that well. They need a bit of control, which Gardner could bring. If the two spinners go tandem then maybe they could create a bit of pressure.

Alex Blackwell
Former Australia batter on BBC Test Match Special

Kim Garth is someone I expected would get a go in this Test. It's that ability to swing the ball, no one can swing the ball quite like Kim.

Dublin-born ex-Ireland international Kim Garth is thrown the ball as Australia push for a breakthrough in what remains of the day.

There's a brief moment of alarm for England skipper Heather Knight, who has moved on to 40, when she plays Garth's third ball very ball late and chops it into the ground. The ball spins towards the stumps but Knight is able to nudge it away.

Ash Gardner's off-spin is where Aussie skipper Alyssa Healy turns next.

Tammy Beaumont seems relatively comfortable as she sees off a maiden. Gardner's fourth ball turns out the rough but the England batter fends if off.

Katherine Sciver-Brunt
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

In this 20 minutes I reckon Australia have saved 25 runs. Very annoying! You know you've got to hit it real sweet. Maybe that's why we've improved our aerial game - if you can't go through them...

Roberto Colombi: Listening to Alex Blackwell talking about the WBBL - totally agree with her about the venues North Sydney Oval & Drummoyne Oval being iconic and fabulous to watch cricket at - also the women promote the game so well staying up to an hour after matches to sign autographs. Class!

Alana King is whistles through another over - two runs from it - to take us to drinks.

Tammy Beaumont is 66 not out and Heather Knight is unbeaten on 38.

England trail by 349 runs and can be happy with their work with the bat so far this evening.

Katherine Sciver-Brunt
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

I know Healy's the captain but she's also the wicketkeeper. Personally I don't like keepers having a big say. The chat is between bowler, captain and wicketkeeper - that's the way of things.

It's in defence of the wicketkeeper, how on earth is Alyssa going to have a good idea of what that's come off. It should be between Litchfield and King.

Australia burned through one of their reviews just before tea so perhaps it was a case of once bitten twice shy from Alyssa Healy?

Annabel Sutherland is through an over - four runs off the bat of Tammy Beaumont after the Aussie all-rounder dropped it a little too short.

Katherine Sciver-Brunt
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Getty Images

Tammy Beaumont is most vulnerable LBW, all day, every day. There will become a time where Tammy is vulnerable for a certain amount of time and then she just becomes frustrating.

Alana King hits Tammy Beaumont on the toe and the ball pops up to Phoebe Litchfield at short leg who gobbles up the catch. King appeals, but it's given not out by Anna Harris.

There's a mid-pitch summit but wicketkeeper-skipper Alyssa Healy Australia declines to review the decision despite lbw and a catch both in the mix.

The post-script is that UltraEdge shows it was bat on to boot so Beaumont would have been out if the Aussies had reviewed it. Will they come to rue that decision?

Annabel Sutherland, who made an unbeaten 137 earlier today, is into the attack.

The all-rounder targets the channel outside off stump although Tammy Beaumont is able to squirt one through the covers to rotate the strike.

England's run rate up at 3.77, incidentally.

The Cricketer's James Coyne: Australia have a left-arm spinner, an off-spinner and a leggie - like a County Championship attack on an uncovered pitch in August not long after the war. This pitch is a bit flatter than that, though. Interesting challenge for England nonetheless.

England skipper Heather Knight is now on to 36. She smashed a lovely four off Darcie Brown a little earlier.

Thankfully, Phoebe Litchfield is okay to continue.

Alana King's fourth ball is punched through the covers by Heather Knight and it's through to the boundary for four.