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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Geoff Lemon (first), Vithushan Ehantharajah (second)

Australia beat England in Women's Ashes first one-day international – as it happened

Australia’s Jess Jonassen and Alex Blackwell
Australia’s Jess Jonassen and Alex Blackwell saw Australia home during a tense finish at Allan Border Field. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

Australia go 2-0 up...

Well then. If every game is that enthralling then we’ll be knackered by the time the men’s Ashes starts. A perfect curtain-raiser at a sold-out Allan Border Field felt special, especially after the recent deluges threatened to rob us of a full day’s play. England did well to wrestle back the game after coming up short with the bat.

Alex Blackwell’s knock was a lesson to the visitors’ top six, who failed to crack on despite putting together decent starts. England won’t be looking for excuses, but they’ll know they came into this match slightly undercooked after their two warm-up matches were washed out. Thursday presents them with a chance to draw level with the second ODI.

As for Ash Gardner, she was highlighted on this very site as someone who is on the cusp of going big. Today’s turn of three for 47 and 27 off 18 suggests this may be the series that propels her to the next level.

Until Thursday, it’s goodbye from us!

Updated

AUSTRALIA WIN THE FIRST ODI BY TWO WICKETS!

50th over: Australia 231-8 (Blackwell 67, Jonassen 4) No problem for Jonassen, who thumps her first ball through cover for a glorious four to give Australia the win and put them 2-0 up in the series! What a fantastic opening fixture. England were always short but they dug deep to come within two wickets and five balls of pulling off a fine win. Blackwell gets the plaudits as she walks off but it was a brutal cameo from Ash Gardner that did it...

Updated

49th over: Australia 227-8 (Blackwell 67) ... and what that does mean is that the new bat is on strike. Jess Jonassen to face, with two needed from the last over...

WICKET! Wellington run out Sciver 3 (Australia 227-8)

England are fighting for every inch here. Brilliant stop by Sciver at midwicket and a quick throw finds both batsmen at the same end. They cross and Wellington has to go...

48th over: Australia 222-7 (Blackwell 65, Wellington 1) Ball after the Garnder dismissal, Taylor whips the bails off in an attempt to stump Amanda-Jade Wellington first ball. Luckily, the leggie’s back foot was down just in time. Seven needed from 12...

WICKET! Gardner c Marsh b Gunn 27 (Australia 220-7)

Twist, anyone? A brilliant innings comes to an end as Garnder goes for an 18-ball 27. The job’s not quite done yet, with 9 needed from 16, but that’s a wicket England could have done with two overs ago...

47th over: Australia 218-6 (Blackwell 63, Gardner 26) Garnder cannons a Brunt slower ball off her own helmet. She then cue-ends the next ball down the ground for a single. Blackwell, meanwhile, is settling for deflections behind square on the leg side. This time, Gardner picks the variation and powers it over square leg for her second six! Oh no and it’s an awful mess next delivery as Brunt searches for the yorker but ends up sending it down the legside for five wides! 11 off the last two balls and it’s Australia’s to lose from here... 11 needed from 18...

46th over: Australia 203-6 (Blackwell 61, Gardner 18) Agricultural slash from Ash Gardner skews a ball meant for long off to square leg for a couple. But it’s an excellent over from Shrubsole as she concedes just three!

45th over: Australia 200-6 (Blackwell 60, Gardner 16) SIX FROM GARDNER! Sciver’s not even that short but Gardner swivels into a pull shot and puts it onto the grass banks at square leg. A couple of singles and it’s 29 required from 30...

44th over: Australia 192-6 (Blackwell 59, Garnder 9) Nevermind Blackwell, Ash Gardner’s first ball is whipped through backward square leg for four! Shrubsole over-pitching. An over-correction to the off-side... and Gardner punches through backward point! “She’s got a real knack of doing this,” says Charlotte Edwards, who has been on the wrong end of some special efforts from Gardner in Australian domestic cricket.

37 needed from 36

43rd over: Australia 182-6 (Blackwell 58, Garnder 0) Pressure on. Brunt’s change of pace has not only accounted for McGrath (slower ball), but the quicker delivery, combined with Taylor standing up to the stumps, is keeping Blackwell in her crease. 47 needed from 42...

WICKET! McGrath c Winfield b Brunt 7 (Australia 181-6)

McGrath finally gets one out of the screws... but it’s straight to Lauren Winfield on the leg side rope! Cool as you like from the opener. Blackwell or bust.

42nd over: Australia 179-5 (Blackwell 56, McGrath 6) McGrath manages to get a couple of singles away to at least help Australia close out the over as close to a run-a-ball rate as possible, thanks in part to a neat reverse dab for two from Blackwell.

41st over: Australia 174-5 (Blackwell 53, McGrath 4) It’s a real struggle for McGrath out there. Once again, Brunt’s got her number and, somehow, McGrath’s not bowled when trying to heave a back-of-the-hand slower ball that looked destined for the top of off stump. A single of the final ball won’t displease England... 55 from 54 needed

40th over: Australia 171-5 (Blackwell 52, McGrath 3) A dot off the first ball from Marsh and it’s 65 from 65 required. Pressure on Blackwell, which she tries to release by skipping down the wicket. A bit of grip for the off-spinner, though, plugs, lifts and creates another dot as Blackwell fails to find the leg side. A single to long on brings McGrath back on strike. Pressure on the newbie rising... but a scampered single to mid off gives Blackwell back the strike. A bit of cat and mouse as Blackwell moves around the crease creates confusion as Blackwell steps to the off side, changes to a left-handers grip and then leaves the ball outside her new off stump. Taylor, meanwhile, can’t see a thing and it races away for four byes.

39th over: Australia 164-5 (Blackwell 50, McGrath 2) Knight plays her ace as Katherine Brunt returns. Immediately, Brunt starts with four dots to McGrath. Make that five, as McGrath misjudges the boune and plays into the covers with her hands well out in front of her eyes. A slower ball is thumped to the fence for.. no, straight to midwicket! A maiden. Brilliant from KB...

BLACKWELL MOVES TO HER 25TH ODI FIFTY

38th over: Australia 164-5 (Blackwell 50, McGrath 2) A wayward delivery is helped around the corner for four before Blackwell brings up her half-century from 62 balls with a punch down to long on. She came in at 87 for four and, much like Villani before her, has hit the ball cleanly and regularly to the fence, with six fours in her first 50.

65 required from 72

37th over: Australia 156-4 (Blackwell 44, McGrath 0) Classy from Blackwell, who charges Hartley’s second ball of her final over and blazes it down the ground for four.

36th over: Australia 151-5 (Blackwell 39, McGrath 0) All on Blackwell from here. Tahlia McGrath dots out the last three balls of the over, swiping ineffectively at her first. This is only her second ODI appearance for Australia. A lot of faith to have her so high...

Sciver your timbers



35th over: Australia 150-5 (Blackwell 38) Cat, meet the pigeons.

WICKET! Haynes c Sciver b Hartley 30 (Australia 150-5)

BIG SCALP! A partnership of 63, the highest of the match, is ended then and there as Haynes slaps a short ball seemingly beyond Nat Sciver at midwicket. But Sciver is not of our world and dives low to her left to take a fantastic catch! A third wicket for Hartley...

34th over: Australia 148-4 (Haynes 29, Blackwell 37) Three half-chances from Nat Sciver’s over, there. A shot on the bounce for Wilson at cover. A classy leg-side stumping in which Blackwell’s back foot stayed rooted behind the crease. An LBW appeal a tad high. Unfortunatelyfor England, the sum of the three is sod all. Australia require 81 from 96 balls..

A simple chance, all in



DROP!

33rd over: Australia 145-4 (Blackwell 36, Haynes 28) And it’s a bad one. Alex Hartley’s fielding has improved exponentially over the last year but that’s a poor drop. Blackwell misjudges the flight and ends up chipping back to the bowler. It comes at a comfortable height and not as quick as Hartley expects. The hands are in position, but there’s not enough behind them.

32nd over: Australia 143-4 (Hayes 27, Blackwekk 35) Gunn’s variations, while effective, aren’t really forcing Haynes and Blackwell to do anything different. Worth having a quick burst from Brunt? Four singles from the over.

31st over: Australia 139-4 (Blackwell 33, Haynes 25) A single to square leg brings up the fifty partnership.

Get Blackwell


30th over: Australia 135-4 (Haynes 23, Blackwell 31) Gunn back into the attack after her first over went for 11. Wicket-to-wicket she goes and I can’t imagine there’d be too much variation in line. But there is in length and the last ball is put away emphatically through extra cover for four. The partnership is 48...

29th over: Australia 128-4 (Haynes 20, Blackwell 26) Taylor is standing up to both batsmen, as Shrubsole varies her angle on the crease to try and find a way beyond this partnership. Haynes drives to mid off and this time nearly runs herself out! The throw from mid off misses.

28th over: Australia 126-4 (Haynes 20, Blackwell 25) Ooooh chance? Knight goes for a return catch and turns away whincing. In fact, it wasn’t a chance, as Haynes drives back to the bowler on the bounce, but it jams her fingers and goes away for a single down the ground. Knight is leaving the field to get treatement. Danni Wyatt is the substitute fielder.

27th over: Australia 123-4 (Haynes 19, Blackwell 23) Haynes is happy to tick things along with singles. Blackwell’s able to find boundaries at will, without taking too many risks. Given the required rate is 4.61, Australia will fancy themselves as favourites.

26th over: Australia 120-4 (Haynes 18, Blackwell 22) Captain Heather Knight, with her crafty (non-turning) off spin, is now in play. Flight from Knight tempts Haynes to go big... a lofted shot down the ground doesn’t go far enough but, thankfully for Australia, it’s just beyond the despairing dive of Anya Shrusbole. A single taken brings Blackwell on strike, and a couple of late dabs bring six runs in total.

25th over: Australia 110-4 (Haynes 13, Blackwell 16) Shrubsole back into the attack. Tell you what, Haynes has nearly done to Blackwell what she did to Villani. Again, it’s a drop into the covers that the Australian captain is running for. This time, Blackwell’s quicker from the nonstriker’s end and Sciver’s throw is wayward.

24th over: Australia 109-4 (Haynes 12, Blackwell 16) She might be at it again, you know... another boundary to Blackwell, this one run fine to third man.

23rd over: Australia 103-4 (Haynes 11, Blackwell 11) Century up for the hosts: Blackwell skips and thumps Hartley back past her for four. Worth looking back at this scorecard from the World Cup semi-final against India. Harmanpreet Kaur took the biscuit, but Blackwell was concocting her own one-woman salvo in the chase before she became the last wicket to fall...

22nd over: Australia 97-4 (Haynes 10, Blackwell 6) Now it’s time for England to do what they do best in this period. Strangle. Marsh, as smart as they come, gets a few darts out to prevent both batsmen from getting under the ball. Takes pace off a couple to really make them work: Haynes, though, still manages to nab a single through extra cover.

21st over: Australia 95-4 (Haynes 9, Blackwell 4) Quality shot through midwicket from Blackwell gets her off the mark with a four in her 142nd ODI.

20th over: Australia 88-4 (Haynes 8, Blackwell 0) Tit for tat after England’s top-scorer Lauren Winfield was sawn off by her partner. Villani has been the only batsman on both sides to have cracked on at nearly a run-a-ball. What a waste of a fine start. Alex Blackwell is in and Australia need 141 from 180 balls.

WICKET! Villani run out Sciver/Taylor 38 (Australia 87-4)

Another gift for England and it’s a biggie! Haynes sets off for a single into the covers but Villani is far from convinced. Still, she sets off as Sciver swoops, hurls and Taylor, positioned in front of the stumps, gathers and removes the bails with the nimbleness and thuggery of Seve Ballesteros!

19th over: Australia 87-3 (Villani 38, Haynes 8) Effective from the skipper: Hartley moves to over the wicket to the left-hander, so Haynes knows she can hit through the line of the ball, over but inside mid on, for four.

18th over: Australia 82-3 (Villani 38, Haynes 3) Marsh continuing. Villani, too, as she strikes down the ground and manages to beat Jenny Gunn to the rope for her seventh boundary. Haynes off the mark with a neat looking cover drive.

17 overs: Australia 74-3 (Villani 33, Haynes 0) Needless from Perry, now that I’ve had a few watches of it. Rachel Haynes to the middle for her first knock as sort-of-full-time captain.

WICKET! Perry st Taylor b Hartley 20 (Australia 74-3)

First ball after the drinks break. Perry’s been using her feet to turn Hartley’s natural length into half-volleys and the odd full toss. So Hartley pulls her length back, beats the edge and Sarah Taylor’s sharp hards do the rest. Another big scalp for the left-arm spinner.

16th over: Australia 74-2 (Perry 20, Villani 33) Laura Marsh, queller-in-chief, is brought into the attack and immediately finds the edge of Villani’s bat. Unfortunately for Marsh, there’s no first slip and both third man and fine leg are up in the circle. Four more to EV. And then some, as the number four bat skips down and drives beautifully over the umpire’s head. Drinks.

15th over: Australia 64-2 (Perry 19, Villani 24) Both Perry and Villani using their feet to Hartley’s left-arm spin. From around the wicket, it can cramp right-handers for room. But in stepping forward, and often away to the leg side, they’re making half-volleys of most and full tossses of a few. Basically, not needing to worry about any turn.

14th over: Australia 59-2 (Perry 16, Villani 22) Ooooooh one goes begging for England... Villani whips away to deep square leg where Tammy Beaumont is hurtling in from the boundary. The England opener took a couple of brilliant catches in that position during the World Cup but this one dies on her a more than she expected. Still: she got there and it probably should have been taken.

13th over: Australia 58-2 (Perry 16, Villani 21) Alex Hartley into the attack. What you need to know: left-arm spin, fight for days, only deals in high profile scalps. The woman for the occasion. That being said, she does give Perry the chance to hit the first six of the innings with a juicy full toss. Perry obliges, right down the ground.

12th over: Australia 52-2 (Villani 21, Perry 10) Fifty up for Australia as Villani goes high to the leg side for another four. She’s racing away, while Perry dawdles like a distracted toddler. A toddler that has smashed everything out of the middle, mind.


11th over: Australia 47-2 (Perry 9, Villani 17) Eventful first ball from Jenny Gunn... Perry slaps it straight back at the bowler, who sticks out her right hand as her follow-through takes her to the left. The tips of her fingers are stung as the ball races away for four. Knowing Villani wants to go after anything wide, Gunn bowls her “whiff ball”, which is a few clicks faster than a tectonic plate. After missing out on the first one, Villani throws her hands through a second which clears the infield and skips over the cover boundary for four. An ill-timed aerial drive down the gound gets her a couple more, too.

10th over: Australia 36-2 (Perry 4, Villani 11) The last over of the first Power Play sees a change as Nat Sciver replaces Shrubsole. Sarah Taylor’s up to the stumps and there’s a bit of outswing on offer for the Surrey allrounder. Just when it looks like Sciver’s just going to concede just a single from her first over, a slight drop in length allows Villani to slap her over backward square leg for four. Second Power Play – a maximum of four players outside of the circle – has been called...

9th over: Australia (Perry 3, Villani 7) Brunt’s run of dots is ende 31-2d by a dab through backward point for a single before Villani rocks back and cuts the penultimate ball of the over for four through the same region. The first non-Healy boundary of the Australian innings.

8th over: Australia 26-2 (Perry 2, Villani 3) CHANCE! Villani off the mark with an edge that Sarah Taylor can only tip around the post. The frustration here is not with Taylor but the fact that first slip had been taken out for the start of the over.

7th over: Australia 22-2 (Perry 1, Villani 0) Heather Knight doing what Rachel Haynes did so well in the first act: a fairly orthodox ring field – first slip, too – but everyone in a few paces to ensure there’s no single on offer in the circle. Both Perry and Villani have cracked some nice looking drives that have only found fielders. A second consecutive maiden for Brunt.

6th over: Australia 22-2 (Perry 1, Villani 0) Perry off the mark with a late cut to the fielder at third man off her 10th ball. Villani six-balls and no runs into her stay. Both have excelled from this position before: in early, plenty still to get. But just the start that England wanted.

5th over: Australia 20-2 (Perry 0, Villani 0) A real gift for England and Brunt, who was finding little through the air and less off the pitch. Credit to her, though: it was a better length delivery that nabbed Healy. But, still...

I mean... why, Alyssa?

WICKET! Healy c Shrubsole b Brunt 18 (Australia 20-2)

Having hit expertly along the carpet, Healy, for some reason, decides to clonk one in the air, straight to Anya Shrubsole at wide mid off. “I hope she’s kicking herself in the changing room,” says Mark Taylor. Nonsense shot to play in the circumstances.

4th over: Australia 20-1 (Healy 18, Perry 0) Just as with Megan Schutt earlier, Anya Shrubsole is making the new white ball talk. A reminder that this is the first time that these two sides are using a new ball from each end – a recent law change in women’s ODIs. Healy drops and runs into the off side, as Fran Wilson mops up well at backward point. Perry yet to get off the mark...

3rd over: Australia 19-1 (Healy 17, Perry 0) Another straight drive from Healy frustrates Brunt further. There’s a bit of history between these two. Safe to say they “enjoyed” their battles during the 2015 series over in the UK.

2nd over: Australia 14-1 (Healy 12, Perry 0) Anya Shrubsole, World Cup final revelry still in the threads of her ODI kit, gets England on the board. Bit of shape away from the left-hander but it was the bounce that did for Bolton.

Areas, Ravi...

WICKET! Bolton c Taylor b Shrubsole 2 (Australia 14-1)

That’ll do it. The carnage of the first over makes way for a bit of English glee in the second as Nicole Bolton misjudges one from Anya Shrubsole and in attempting to run the ball down to third man she merely edges it through to the keeper.

1st over: Australia 12-0 (Healy 12, Bolton 0) Alyssa Healy averages 13.1 batting in the top two positions. After the first over here, she’s already onto 12. A whip off her pads, a pull in front of square and a drive inside mid on bring her three boundaries, as Brunt realises that Healy’s not here to scratch around.

Morning/Afternoon all, depending on which hemisphere you’re reading this from. Up top, it’s just ticked past 4am and it is from here that I’ll be guiding you through Australia’s chase. I know what your wondering and the answer is “yes” – I have eaten a second dinner (or is it a pre-breakfast?) to tide me over. Coffee helped for a bit. A smoothie will have to do from here on in.

England will need a bit more than pulped fruit to defend their total of 228-9. Australia start this part of the match as favourites. Left-handed bat Nicole Bolton takes her usual spot up top and Alyssa Healy will join her, opening for the first time in ODIs since 2014. Katherine Brunt to take the new ball...

Australia will chase 229 to win the first Ashes ODI

A mid-sized target, but certainly defendable for England if they can get on top early. Megan Schutt on ABC Grandstand says that it’s a good batting wicket, and that they’ll approach things positively. So no fears for Australia, after England got off to a great start, then rather squandered it as some fine bowling from Australia reeled them back in. It was a game of pressure, and not a lot went England’s way when they tried to release that pressure.

I will leave you to ponder the teams’ respective chances at the break, and you will soon be in the capable and tender hands of Vithushan Ehantharajah.

50th over: England 228-9 (Shrubsole 11, Hartley 2)

Shrubbers! Lovely shot from Anya Shrubsole, cracks a lofted off-drive down the ground for four. Clean strike. They get a single, then Alex Hartley’s only ball is the last of the innings, and they scramble back for a second run after Hartley heaved it into the leg side. Healy’s backhander hits the stumps, but Hartley was home.

That’s it! Schutt ends with 2 for 44 from her 10. Great bowling.

WICKET! Gunn c Wellington b Schutt 9

Wellington gets the immediate chance to make amends, and does. Mid off this time, and Gunn scooped the Schutt delivery straight there. England down to Jack.

49th over: England 219-8 (Gunn 8, Shrubsole 5)

Dropped! Amanda Shellington, unfortunately for her, as Gunn chips down to long off and Wellington puts down a straightforward catch running in. It doesn’t cost Australia too much, as yet another Jonassen over goes for three. She’s finished her allotment with 1 for 38.

Updated

48th over: England 216-8 (Gunn 6, Shrubsole 4)

Schutt continuing, and Shrubsole gets a welcome boundary with a big edge through slips. Probably won’t be enough, but we’ll see.

Updated

WICKET! Marsh c Healy b Schutt 2

Sayonara, wheels. Marsh goes for a big wallop, just gets an edge, and it soars high to drop mid-pitch into the waiting gloves of the keeper.

47th over: England 210-7 (Gunn 4, Marsh 2)

Four overs remaining. Jonassen to Gunn, who knocks a run into the covers, gets the strike back, then sweeps another. Both of these two can bat, Laura Marsh used to open in T20s. But Jonassen just gives nothing away. Three singles from the over, nothing more. Quoth the raven.

Updated

46th over: England 207-7 (Gunn 2, Marsh 1)

10 overs, 2 for 50 is Perry’s analysis at the end of the spell. The wheels all but removed for England at this stage. Perry gets a brilliant ovation from the packed pavilion as she goes back to field in the deep.

Updated

WICKET! Brunt b Perry 11

Can’t do it today. Brunt walks at Perry, goes for a mighty slog down the ground, and misses it utterly to lose her leg bail. Some joy for the pace bowler at last.

45th over: England 204-6 (Brunt 11, Gunn 1)

Gunn and Brunt at the crease. These two did the job in Bristol in the World Cup, setting enough runs to beat Australia by three. Must do the same here. Honours are with Gardner for the first five balls of the over, keeping Brunt tied down, but nobody puts Katherine in the corner. Last ball, she puts every ounce of muscle she has into a big sweep, and that’s a lot. Schutt sprinting around from backward square nearly gets there for the mid-air diving take, but it just gets by her for four.

WICKET! Wilson c Perry b Gardner 26

Well, Wilson never looked on today, despite hitting her first ODI six. She goes for the big loft, Perry is at deep midwicket, and Gardner gets her third for the day.

44th over: England 198-5 (Wilson 26, Brunt 6)

Single for Wilson first ball, then Wellington gets too far to the leg side for Brunt. First a sweep under-edged for a couple, then one nailed square for four.

Wellington finishes her block of 10 with 0-39, which shows how good her first eight overs were. She helped build the pressure that got her teammates wickets, even though she didn’t get amongst those numbers herself.

43rd over: England 191-5 (Wilson 25, Brunt 0)

That rather derails England’s momentum. Brunt is a fast scorer, can she get it back?

WICKET! Sciver c Villani b Gardner 36

What a take from Villani! She’s down at long on, and Sciver lofts a big hit straight. Villani gets back and she’s right on the rope. Gets up with both hands, reels in the ball, but is about to fall out of bounds. She spins around, gets the ball in one hand, and flings both arms out like a swan dive, somehow giving her the balance to hover right above the rope. She manages to place her leading foot about a centimetre inside the boundary, and she’s staring straight down at that foot as she recovers her balance. So she knows it hasn’t touched the fibre, and she’s able to signal to the umpire that it was cleanly held. The replays confirm it. Quick thinking in the field, and a huge wicket for Australia.

42nd over: England 188-4 (Sciver 35, Wilson 23)

The Duke of Wellington returns. This could get interesting. She’s not in her groove yet, drops short too many times. Scivers sweeps one, Wilson cuts one, Sciver pulls one, so does Wilson. Sciver cuts, then finally they nail one, Wilson pulling between the outfielders. Poor over from Wellington, great for England.

41st over: England 179-4 (Sciver 32, Wilson 17)

Gardner the bowler from the commentary end of the ground. Round the wicket, flat, attempted pull, wide. That’s to start with. Then another one. Can’t give that many away. A couple of singles, then there’s the pressure shot from Wilson. Big straight drive, skewed leading edge, but again the breeze carries it longer, and it lands beyond Villani as the fielder sprints back. The ball plugs and stops. Shows you how much moisture remains in this turf. A couple of runs. Seven from the over, that’s what England need. Minimum.

40th over: England 172-4 (Sciver 30, Wilson 14)

Wilson walks across her stumps, Perry tries to get past her pads, and the umpire calls it wide. I still think the rules should be amended to accommodate that. Unfair advantage for a batsman to change the lines. But Wilson can’t get off strike. Sciver scored a single from the first ball, and Wilson is stuck for a couple more dots. Finally whacks a run through cover. Some pressure building on Fran?

Ten overs left. Can they get past 250 with another 80 runs?

39th over: England 168-4 (Sciver 28, Wilson 13)

Jonassen replaces Schutt and bowls her eighth over, Haynes ringing the changes. Three singles, but then Wilson can’t get away. Defends a couple, plays straight to the field. Biding time for the final assault?

38th over: England 165-4 (Sciver 26, Wilson 12)

That is Fran Wilson’s first ODI six. Perry is taking some tap. Not a deliberate shot, one might say - I think she was trying to paddle the ball through square leg. Got a top edge, and Perry gave her enough pace for the top edge to carry the fine leg rope. This is the Perry mode du jour - bowl fast, decent looking deliveries, and go for plenty of runs. Wonder if it’s a matter of bowling too short?

37th over: England 156-4 (Sciver 24, Wilson 5)

Schutt is back, with her trademark squat at the top of her mark. Still giving away very little. Three dots as Wilson can’t beat the field, then a couple of singles. The brakes remain on.

36th over: England 154-4 (Sciver 23, Wilson 4)

Perry is back. Funny that McGrath only got one over as a change bowler. It’s not going to engender confidence in your new player. Perry mostly bowling short. Wilson pulls a run, Sciver slashes another off the top edge to third man. Then Perry goes short once too often, and Sciver slams the boundary on the pull shot through square.

35th over: England 146-4 (Sciver 17, Wilson 2)

Gardner dishes up another economical over. Plenty of people out on the hill, and I noted when I came into the ground this morning how many families and people with young kids, especially young girls, were coming in. Great to see, and the generation of elite players in another 15 or 20 years should be well stocked.

34th over: England 143-4 (Sciver 15, Wilson 1)

A few singles from Jonassen’s wicket-taking over.

A question on the tweet box.

Not really, no. Historically there hasn’t been the depth in power hitting for the end of the innings. But that’s changing. Wilson is all about improvising and hitting unexpected gaps, Sciver can hit a monster ball. So a pair like this could definitely add runs quickly.

WICKET! Knight c Schutt b Jonassen 15

The pressure tells! Dot ball, dot ball, and eventually Knight feels she has to go. Tries to loft lift Jonassen over mid-on, doesn’t strike it right, and it drags squarer to deep midwicket. Of course there’s someone out there, and the classic pressure-slog-wicket combo comes through. England wobbling now, after a great start. Fran Wilson in next, a fine finisher. Can she rescue this innings?

33rd over: England 139-3 (Knight 15, Sciver 12)

This is top bowling from Australia now. Five dots to Sciver from Jonassen, then six to Heather Knight from Schutt. A maiden, and nearly had a catch from a miscue to the covers.

32nd over: England 139-3 (Knight 15, Sciver 12)

Jonassen back with a very tidy over. Tangling them up a bit, Knight off strike first ball but Sciver can’t beat the field from any of the next five balls.

31st over: England 138-3 (Knight 14, Sciver 12)

Schutt is back, and Healy is standing up to the stumps to make sure Sciver can’t step out against the seamer. England’s big hitter can’t score for three balls, then finds a couple of runs. Knight drives nicely to the outfield for a single.

30th over: England 134-3 (Knight 13, Sciver 9)

Wellington at it again. Once an over, she bowls an unplayable ball. That classic leg-spin shape, the drift and dip, the turn away. Too good for most players, they almost can’t get wickets because those balls are always going to beat the bat. But then she can throw in the straight one, like the one that should have got her Winfield’s wicket. This over Sciver finds a comeback at last, a hard sweep shot that splits the outfield for four. This should be fun.

Updated

29th over: England 127-3 (Knight 12, Sciver 3)

Gardner doing her bit as well, racing through the overs and giving nothing away. Three singles from the over. They need to get Sciver, the Australians, she’s the most dangerous in England’s team.

28th over: England 124-3 (Knight 11, Sciver 1)

Wellington turning the screw again. They just don’t want to take a risk against her. The wickets are falling at the other end, but much of the credit has to go here.

27th over: England 122-3 (Knight 10)

Australia dragging themselves back into this match now, thanks to Gardner.

Updated

WICKET! Taylor lbw Gardner 34

Good ball! Taylor looks annoyed, but that was out. Gardner around the wicket, lands it just on leg stump and straightens it. Taylor is on the back foot trying to work it square and misses, and while it hits her a bit high it would have been hitting the bails. Gardner’s first Ashes wicket.

“You know what they say about pretty 30s,” says one observer. “They win you games of cricket.”

26th over: England 113-2 (Taylor 29, Knight 6)

Taylor was Wellington’s wicketkeeper at the Adelaide Strikers two seasons ago, so if anyone in the England team can read her, it’s Sarah. She’s trying to find ways to score. Plays a clever lap shot down to a very fine fine leg, after Knight gets down low and nails a sweep straight to the long leg for a single.

Updated

25th over: England 110-2 (Taylor 27, Knight 5)

Knight wants to get on with it. Tries to loft Gardner down the ground, but doesn’t get all of it and the ball plugs between Villani and Schutt out at deep midwicket. Worth a couple, then a misfield at cover lets Knight scramble another single.

Updated

24th over: England 104-2 (Taylor 25, Knight 1)

Reassessment time for England, and Haynes takes advantage of the potential hesitation by bringing Wellington back. She dishes up a maiden. Interesting point of balance in this innings.

Updated

23rd over: England 104-2 (Taylor 25, Knight 1)

The skipper is out in the middle now, as Gardner finishes her over tidily.

Updated

WICKET! Winfield run out (Jonassen / Healy) 48

It’s finally over. Winfield chops behind point and starts wandering down the pitch while ball-watching. It was Taylor’s call and she started going, then turned back. Someone had to be out, and the throw as in. Winfield could feel unlucky, but to be fair she’s already been out three times.

Updated

22nd over: England 102-1 (Winfield 48, Taylor 24)

Tahlia McGrath on for her first run from the racetrack end of the ground. Looks likely, tall, good pace, lots of upside. They work her around though in her first over, it’s always going to take some time to settle if you’re bowling in the Ashes for your second ever international match.

21st over: England 96-1 (Winfield 44, Taylor 22)

Ash Gardner comes on with her off breaks. That’s enough quiet stuff, says Winfield, as she walks at the bowler and crashes six down the ground. Big swing, nice arc of the ball. Eight from the over.

20th over: England 88-1 (Winfield 37, Taylor 21)

Wellington proves that she can do the same. Two singles from her over the only gain for England.

19th over: England 86-1 (Winfield 36, Taylor 20)

Jonassen back again, doing what she does. Four singles as things calm down. An exercise in contrasts.

18th over: England 82-1 (Winfield 34, Taylor 18)

Wellington! Brilliant from her, shocker from the umpire. That is plumb. She tosses it right up, pitches on middle, goes on straight, Winfield misses the sweep, and it’s hitting middle stump. Except the umpire doesn’t move and there’s no DRS. That’s a shocker.

Then guess what happens next? Dropped. Winfield, another big sweep, to deep midwicket. Perry running forward, dives, tough chance and she can’t hold on. That would have been a great take, but two chances go begging for Australia in the over. Everything happens when Wellington’s at the crease.

17th over: England 78-1 (Winfield 32, Taylor 16)

Jonners to continue after the scheduled sporting hydration refreshment interval. Gives it some flight and a chipped single, then pulls back the length and Taylor nearly jabs it to short midwicket.

We’ve had word in from Amanda Wellington’s mum. Heather, I don’t think you have much to worry about.


16th over: England 75-1 (Winfield 30, Taylor 15)

“Phwoar, this girl’s got something!” is the expressive outburst from Charles Dagnall on ABC / BBC radio, as Wellington produces another peach. A mango. A luscious dragonfruit. Tossed it up, drifted in, pitched and spat the other way. She’s beat the edge three times in seven balls. Winfield and Taylor both watchful now, they’re a little worried. A couple of careful singles, and that’s all they’ll risk from the over.

It’s drinks.

15th over: England 73-1 (Winfield 29, Taylor 14)

Jonassen overpitches, after I promised she wouldn’t, and Taylor crashes it straight for four. Mid-on and mid-off are both up, and she cleared them with ease. Gets a single through the covers, and then Winfield tries to match the big hit. Gets a fair bit of it. Gets enough of it, for six! Just. It was a bit miscued, it was hanging for a long time, but with Villani running back hoping for a catch, the ball caught the breeze and just plonked over the midwicket rope. Another big over for England, they’re flying this morning.

14th over: England 62-1 (Winfield 23, Taylor 9)

Here we go, here we go, here we go. Amanda Wellington is absolutely one of the most exciting talents in world cricket. Leg-spinner, gives the ball plenty of air, rips the hell out of it, lands it and turns it massively. A couple of singles, then she hits her straps. Lands two in a row that do exactly what I just said, beating the edge and then the shoulder of the bat with turn.

13th over: England 59-1 (Winfield 22, Taylor 7)

Jonassen relentless when she bowls. At the batsmen constantly, gives them very little room, rattles through the overs, rarely overpitches. Winfield tries to sweep and gets a big top edge that luckily lands safely behind square leg. The shortish length stops her finding any fluency trying to force through the leg side.

12th over: England 56-1 (Winfield 21, Taylor 5)

Taylor looking good early. Haynes has had a lot of running to do early from her spot at cover, and she does well again there, hauling the ball back for two runs rather than four. Perry the bowler, she’s mostly been handled with relatively assurance this morning, and the wicket came from a fairly ordinary shot. Six overs done for her now, 1-27.

11th over: England 49-1 (Winfield 20, Taylor 3)

Dropped! The spin change is made, Jess Jonassen comes on, and so nearly brings immediately results. Winfield forces straight and hits it straight back at Jonassen, it was hit hard but direct. Should really have snared that but it was low. A drive out to the cover boundary is well saved with a big dive.

10th over: England 49-1 (Winfield 17, Taylor 2)

Eight from the over, with some wides and leg byes, and a couple for Taylor first ball. But Australia have the wicket they wanted.

WICKET! Beaumont c Schutt b Perry 24

Caught at mid-off! Diving take from Schutt as Beaumont walked at Perry, tried to bang it straight, and could only lift it to the infielder. Dropping just in front of her, it was a good take by Australia’s opening bowler from Australia’s other opening bowler. The lead runscorer of the World Cup is gone.

9th over: England 41-0 (Winfield 15, Beaumont 24)

Haynes has more faith in her bowler than I, and keeps Schutt on. This time it works a treat, Schutt restricting the scoring to a single. England probably happy with how they’re going, no need to force it.

8th over: England 40-0 (Winfield 14, Beaumont 24)

No spin. Perry to continue. Looks good against Winfield, yet another beating of the edge as Lauren tries the advance again.

Great to hear Jim Maxwell back on the ABC - apparently the online feed is having some troubles, but we can hear the famous tones booming down the corridor from the commentary box. “Perry in to bowl...”

She keeps scoring to a couple of singles.

Some more stats gold from the main account:


7th over: England 38-0 (Winfield 13, Beaumont 23)

Start the over with a six! Beaumont gets another one on her pads from Shooter McGavin, and times it gloriously over forward square leg. The ropes are right back at Allan Border Field but that sailed into the fence. Lovely timing. Then she flings the bat at a wide ball outside off, over-corrected, and thrashed it through cover point for four. Time to try some spin, Captain Haynes? Looks that way, as Beaumont takes a single and Winfield edges for four.

6th over: England 23-0 (Winfield 9, Beaumont 12)

Perry continues. Straight, Winfield gets down low and laps around the corner, a kind of knee-high pull shot. Takes a single. Perry gets more elevation a couple of balls later, nice head-high bouncer but Beaumont is equal to that, another single to the same long leg position. Perry bowls a wide that’s nearly flicked for four. Winfield batting with a much higher backlift than in the World Cup, blade right up, in the Jonny Bairstow mould. It looks good as she walks at Perry and cover drives for four. That was a dismissive shot.

5th over: England 16-0 (Winfield 4, Beaumont 11)

Clipped through square for four! Beaumont finding her range, as Schutt gets onto the pads. Plenty of space out on the leg side, there’s only a mid on, short midwicket, and a long leg.

4th over: England 12-0 (Winfield 4, Beaumont 7)

Bit more action from this Perry over. First it’s a genuine edge from Winfield, down to third for a single. Then Beaumont slams a boundary through cover point, going at a wide one, before scrambling a single into the covers. Perry comes back with a very brisk delivery that zips past the edge.

3rd over: England 6-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 2)

Nice slower ball from Schutt, outside off, draws an awkward waft from Tamsin. Schutt drills in on that off stump again, and the result is a maiden. Very handy start from the women in gold.

Stats guru Hypocaust has a take on Australia’s team selection:

2nd over: England 6-0 (Winfield 3, Beaumont 2)

Perry will open proceedings from the racecourse end. Shortish length to a shortish player, Beaumont gets on the back foot and nudges around the corner. Winfield does likewise, then Beaumont again. Taking things easy at the start here, though both at times like to get off to a flyer.

1st over: England 3-0 (Winfield 2, Beaumont 0)

Schutt to start, as is so often the way. Winfield to receive. She drives one firmly to mid-off, another to cover, but can’t beat the field. Schutt’s only error is to let one slip down leg side. Otherwise she’s tight on the off stump. Perfect length. All Winfield can do is drive straight, with no real power. In the end she knocks a couple of runs away off the final ball.

Right, the anthems are done. Australia has been advanced, fairly. The Queen is doing just fine without our help, just quietly. The teams are walking out. England gave medals to the kids standing with them - for a minute we were asking, were those their World Cup medals? That would have been an amazing alpha move. Sadly not true, it turns out.

Teams

Interesting from Australia, who’ve dropped Beth Mooney and boosted Alyssa Healy up to open. This was telegraphed when Healy went up to open in the WNCL the last few state games. Perry will bat at three. And Tahlia McGrath will play her second game, the seaming all-rounder, taking the spot that Mooney freed up, while Amanda Wellington comes in for fellow leg-spinner Kristen Beams.

England, serenely, are fielding the same XI as the World Cup final. Guess you would.

Australia
Alyssa Healy +
Nicole Bolton
Ellyse Perry
Elyse Villani
Rachael Haynes
Alex Blackwell
Tahlia McGrath
Ashleigh Gardner
Amanda Wellington
Jess Jonassen
Megan Schutt

England
Tammie Beaumont
Lauren Winfield
Sarah Taylor
Heather Knight
Natalie Sciver
Fran Wilson
Katherine Brunt
Jenny Gunn
Laura Marsh
Anya Shrubsole
Alex Hartley

Australia win the toss and will bowl

Interesting call by Rachael Haynes. Perhaps they think this pitch might be weird after sweating away under covers forever? They’ll be able to assess conditions from the field, any rate. England to bat.

Talk to us

And of course, as ever, we want you involved. Your thoughts, concerns, fears, hopes, loves, criticisms, favourite poems. Anything you like. Drop me an email via geoff.lemon@theguardian.com, or tweet me @GeoffLemonSport.

Here’s the scene at Brisbane...

Who has the better chance? England are fresh off a World Cup win, Australia have some issues. If you want a primer, here’s my Guardian summary.

Good morning from Brisbane, or good middle of the night to England, or good dawn, post-prandial, or crepuscular limerance wherever else you might be around the world. The dove has returned with an olive branch, the Ark has found land, because the rain has stopped. It is a gorgeous sunny morning here at Allan Border Field, as we wait for the Women’s Ashes to get underway with the first One-Day International.

Geoff will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s the Guardian’s view on the women most likely to be game-changers over the next month.

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