That’s all from us for today. The match report will be up here soon. Thanks for all the messages, it was an intriguing day. Have a lovely evening everyone. Good night!
Stumps
Well that was a curate’s egg of an innings by England. A super partnership between Jones and Knight, but after Jones fell the momentum slowed. Sciver played very well for her unbeaten 62 - but it had become a rearguard action with Brunt and Shrubsole defending doughtily. Debut Test fifties for Jones and Sciver. I guess England decided that the humiliation of losing the Test as well as the ODIs, and the state of the pitch, meant it wasn’t worth sending everyone in to have an old heave-ho.
What a day for Sophie Molineux, three wickets on debut!
Updated
83rd over: England 199-6 (Sciver 62, Shrubsole 1) Last over of the day and the ball is thrown to Gardner. Sciver dashes a single. The last ball is to Shrubsole, Gardner pauses, fielders move from x to y, a seagull flies across the ground, Australia call for a helmet and shin pads and the crowd start slow hand clapping. Now then.... Shrubsole places glove on hip and ... the ball is legside ...and she pads it away. At stumps, England trail by 221 with just a day to go. To win back the Ashes, England needed to win the game.
82nd over: England 198-6 (Sciver 61, Shrubsole 1) Sciver whips Molineux to mid-wicket and they run two. Then a half-hearted chop. This has end-of-day written all over it.
Updated
81st over: England 195-6 (Sciver 58, Shrubsole 1) Australia choose not to take the new ball. Gardener continues as the shadows start to creep across the pitch. Just a single as the overs tick away.
Updated
80th over: England 194-6 (Sciver 56, Shrubsole 1). Shrubsole soaks up five balls of the over. Just a single to Sciver.
Avitaj Mitra has the germ of an idea.
“Hello Tanya!
Clearly, this test is plodding away to an inevitable draw (as things stand currently).
“Suggestion:England bat for 20 overs tomorrow.. score 271 (thus avoiding the follow on) and declare. The Aussies bat another 15-20 overs, score say 90 runs and declare.
“England would need 240 odd in 50 overs on a pitch taking prodigious spin.
Of course, *very* unlikely to occur, nevertheless.. considering the paucity of Women’s test matches.. this would set up a potentially thrilling finish.
Opinions welcome.”
I love it! But it won’t happen.
Updated
79th over: England 193-6 (Sciver 56, Shrubsole 1). Oooooh a leg bye!
Updated
78th over: England 192-6 (Sciver 56, Shrubsole 1). It is maiden city at Taunton. Another from Molineux.
Ah, there’s Enid Bakewell giving a cheery wave. . One of Wisden’s Five Greats and incredibly young at heart with a candy-crush obsession. Heres’s a super piece by Joe Wilson.
Updated
77th over: England 192-6 (Sciver 56, Shrubsole 1) Gardner has a spring in her step, understandably, spinning on her right foot, arm diagonally across Shrubsole’s toes. Sciver and Shrubsole have a mid-wicket chat. Are there instructions?Will they tarry a little less? And while we’re at it women’s cricket experts - I’m ashamed to ask this but why only four days?
Updated
76th over: England 190-6 (Sciver 54, Shrubsole 0) Shrubsole is watchful, pretty keen to get down the other end as Molineux flights the ball with some style.
75th over: England 189-6 (Sciver 54, Shrubsole 0) A wicket maiden for Ash Gardner! A great little innings there by Brunt - 75 balls and blood sweat and tears in that there 15.
WICKET! Brunt b Gardner 15
Brunt edges onto the stumps via her pads . The end of a super vigil - but I fear doom’s door is now open. Gardener’s first wicket in Test cricket!
Updated
74th over: England 189-5 (Sciver 54, Brunt 15) Molineux spins one past Shiver’s bat. Tasty. Then paddle-sweeps for two. The new ball will be available in six overs.
73rd over: England 186-5 (Sciver 52, Brunt 14) Schutt bowls another maiden. The acceleration waits for another over.
Abhijato has an answer to Geoff’s question:
“I’m inclined to go with Alyssa Healy, the next best all-rounder in the side. She pulls off excellent feats of athleticism behind the stumps to back up a consistent pair of gloves, while also being a highly successful aggressive opener in the mould of Gilchrist. Her outstanding run of form won Australia the last T20 World Cup and she could very well do it again. If I can’t have Ellyse Perry in my team, I’ll shout and stamp the ground like Tanya; if I can’t have Alyssa Healy in my team, I’ll cause a riot.”
72nd over: England 186-5 (Sciver 52, Brunt 14) Another maiden by Molineux.
71st over: England 186-5 (Sciver 52, Brunt 14) Sciver is tempted to have a go at a wide one from Schutt. Don’t do it Nat! Oush, the next one nearly goes through her, a desperate last minute jam down with the bat. So we’ve got 12 overs to go, and England still trail by 234. They must risk defeat to have a go at victory, no? They must hit, hit and hit again.
Abhijato has done algebra This crude formula is something I just whipped up for chases in T20s: [Number of Wickets left - {(Required Run Rate) - (Current Run Rate)}]*100. If result is above 55, batting side usually wins; if not, bowling side does ... Now, can anyone confirm or reject this?
Scratching my head. Anyone?
Updated
70th over: England 185-5 (Sciver 52, Brunt 14) Lanning turns to Schutt with her idiosyncratic two-step-bend at the top of her mark. A word here for Brunt who is having to play an atypical knock, curbing her natural instincts. Actually I read a super piece (that will appear in the next Nightwatchman magazine) about the mental strain needed to do that.
Geoff Wignall is setting OBO readers quizzes: “I was wondering: if you could steal one of the Aussies to play for England but you couldn’t have Perry, whom would you choose (and why)?”
I can’t have Perry? Why not? Shout and stamps.
Updated
68th over: England 185-5 (Sciver 52, Brunt 14) Nicole Bolton hurts her right hand diving to stop a drive at extra cover. The physios runs on with their bag of tricks and they bandage up her wrist and thumb with flesh coloured tape. Sciver watches Molineux’s next three deliveries with great care and shows a beautifully straight back
John Box too wants a scorecard. Fingers crossed! If it doesn’t get sorted tonight - not sure if I’ve emailed the right person - we’ll get it done for tomorrow morning. Thanks for the reminder.
And someone’s enjoying himself!
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) July 20, 2019
Updated
67th over: England 182-5 (Sciver 51, Brunt 11) . I’m enjoying Vlaeminck’s effort and enthusiasm. All long limbs and youth. Brunt pulls down to long leg off the last ball, they go through for a single and that’s the fifty partnership.
Ah, the camera pans back. How gorgeous Taunton looks, those spires and hills. The warmth of the evening sun. No jumpers on the fielders yet.
Updated
66th over: England 180-5 (Sciver 51, Brunt 10) I don’t want to jinx anyone here but Sciver and Brunt are looking - dare I say it - untroubled out there. They nurdle a couple from Molineux, order a pinna colada and enjoy the evening sun.
Updated
Sciver moves on to fifty!
65th over: England 178-5 (Sciver 50, Brunt 9) Sciver cuts Vlaeminck confidently and that’s her maiden Test fifty in her fifth Test. She’s played very well. She smiles broadly but there is still a lot to do. England trail by 243.
Updated
64th over: England 171-5 (Sciver 49, Brunt 7) Jonassen again. Sciver pulls a shortish ball, it floats towards the boundary and she moves on to 49.
This is the saddest thing about the lack of long-form women’s cricket.
There will be an entire post Mithali Raj generation of Indian women cricketers who will not have a Test record. :(
— neeru bhatia (@neerubhatia3) July 20, 2019
Updated
63rd over: England 171-5 (Sciver 45, Brunt 7) Vlaeminck runs in accompanied by a chorus of seagulls. Hold on to your ice-creams. Just one off the over, a single down to fine leg.
Geoff Wignall writes: Good afternoon Tanya,
Hi Geoff!
These Australians seem an impressive and unrelenting bunch.Re the treatment of women’s cricket: I’m sure if this was a men’s test I wouldn’t have to scroll down to 5 hours ago to discover the Aussie 1st innings total - might even get a scorecard link. A matter for your corporate overlords?
Er....I’ve gone blank as to what we normally do. Let me try for a link.
Updated
62nd over: England 170-5 (Sciver 44, Brunt 7) Jonassen raises her hands and her voice for hearty lbw shout - but it was bat before boot. Not out.
Just discovered that Nat Sciver nudged Vlaeminck for the 100,000th run in women’s Test cricket in the last over. Rosette someone!
Updated
61st over: England 169-5 (Sciver 43, Brunt 7) Tayla Vlaeminck runs in - 70mph isn’t bad for a loosener. She was a bit all over the place in her first spell, perhaps a little longer out at pasture will have settled the nerves. She mixes it up - a bouncer, full length and a widish delivery on the offside. Just one from the over.
Another cracking piece on Perry. Loving the fact the best writers WANT to write about women’s cricket. What a sea change.
Piece on the inherent sadness of Ellyse Perry.
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) July 19, 2019
A player who has reached the ceiling of her game before that of her ability
⏩ https://t.co/UaIZhTUnW4 via @cricbuzz #WomensAshes pic.twitter.com/RXgweTK8OB
60th over: England 168-5 (Sciver 42, Brunt 7) A Nat Sciver dive saves her skin as she and Brunt scamper two from Jonassen. A little later on in the over Sciver is tempted forwards to prod and the ball, I think, falls just short of Meg Lanning at slip. Australia’s spinners revelling in Ciderabad. And that’s drinks! Crucial session coming up now, this summer’s evening in Somerset.
59th over: England 164-5 (Sciver 39, Brunt 7) Sciver gets busy, cracking Gardner for a boundary through mid-wicket and scampering a few more.
58th over: England 153-5 (Sciver 32, Brunt 7) Ok Adam and I are having computer malfunctions. Hopefully this is me now....
57th over: England 153-5 (Sciver 28, Brunt 6) Gardner through another maiden, played watchfully by Brunt. She is 6 from 34 balls - not an equation you would normally associate with the power hitter.
57th over: Australia 153-5 (Sciver 28, Brunt 6) Gardner again, reeling in. Brunt is looking a bit static and nervous but she’s crowded by fielders. She mistimes a few. A maiden.
56th over: England 153-5 (Sciver 28, Brunt 6) Sciver does have a pop at Molineux this time around but doesn’t make contact from the standing sweep position. There’s a polite enquiry, turned down. She does make good contact down the ground for a couple. I wonder if they will try Vlaeminck again for another burst at Brunt?
Updated
56th over: Australia 153-5 (Sciver 28, Brunt 6) Sorry all computer malfunction.
55th over: England 151-5 (Sciver 26, Brunt 6) Gardner in again from the River End, Sciver off strike first ball with a single to square leg, Brunt doing her best to keep the rest out. This is a good spell.
53rd over: England 148-5 (Sciver 25, Brunt 6) Thank you Adam. I’m all for getting funky but I think England are in a bit of a funk here. An attack/defend kerfuffle - what price a win? An inside edge by Brunt off Molineux skiddaddles away for a couple.
54th over: England 150-5 (Sciver 25, Brunt 6) With two to Brunt to finish the otherwise probing Molineux set, also through her legs (!), England have raised their 150.
53rd over: England 147-5 (Sciver 24, Brunt 4) Shot, Nat. Sciver gets down the track to turn a Gardner off break into a full toss, giving it the treatment. That’s the aggression we enjoy from this fine all-rounder. She gets in behind the rest, smothering the spin from around the wicket. And with that, friends, I’m out of here. Thanks for your company this afternoon. Back to Tanya to take us through to the close. Let’s hope England do reach 271 and get FUNKY!
52nd over: England 142-5 (Sciver 19, Brunt 4) Brunt gets off strike from the first of Molineux’s new over out to cover, Sciver doing likewise. Brunt has ample air to work with but doesn’t swing. Yet.
WICKET!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2019
A third scalp for Sophie Molineux, who is quickly becoming England's nemisis, as she traps Sarah Taylor on the pad.
England in trouble on 137-5. Watch live on Sky Sports Cricket now and follow our live blog: https://t.co/50MS6246KY pic.twitter.com/ujFXkryll6
51st over: England 140-5 (Sciver 18, Brunt 3) Gardner fires down a 75-second maiden at Sciver to keep the pressure on. The final offering is a clever one, going on with the arm and past the outside edge.
50th over: England 140-5 (Sciver 18, Brunt 3) Molineux really has been brilliant today, giving nothing at any stage. Ha, Sciver NATMEGS her behind square leg for one. I’m here for all the 2017 World Cup nostalgia you’ve got.
49th over: England 138-5 (Sciver 17, Brunt 2) I like this change, Gardner on to replace Perry to try in an effort to go through the gate with her off breaks. Just the one from from her first over back, Brunt keeping the strike. Do they encourage the Barnsley Express to have a big crack? Or Sciver, even? Both can make bulk runs in a hurry.
WICKET!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2019
Amy Jones chips Sophie Molineux straight to Rachael Haynes, who finds a way to hang on, to bring an end to a fine debut Test innings.
England 119-4 in reply to Australia's 420-8. Watch live on Sky Sports Cricket now and follow our live blog: https://t.co/50MS6246KY pic.twitter.com/7n8ooQQkRA
48th over: England 137-5 (Sciver 17, Brunt 1) Sciver whips away the final ball of the successful Molineux over through midwicket. England’s longish tail will be exposed at some stage; the all-rounder needs to do the bulk of the heavy lifting.
Updated
WICKET! Taylor lbw b Molineux 5 (England 132-5)
Hard to tell from one replay if that was pad/bat or bat/pad but without DRS it’s academic - Taylor is out. Molineux gets her third with an excellent straighter one.
Updated
47th over: England 132-4 (Sciver 13, Taylor 5) A deep point for Perry now, reinforcing that she has been more than a fraction short in this second spell. She’s straighter and fuller to both players, each clipping singles to midwicket. I wonder whether we might see the Bendigo Bullet for a little burst here before Taylor is set?
46th over: England 129-4 (Sciver 12, Taylor 4) They take their time again to set the field for Taylor. Once set, Molineux gives Taylor flight and when she overpitches, those rubbery wrists of the England ‘keeper get a chance to snap the ball through midwicket to score a classy boundary to get off the mark.
45th over: England 124-4 (Sciver 11, Taylor 0) Perry to Sciver - another important period of the Test Match beginning here. Taylor’s highest score in Tests is 40, which is hard to believe given what a player she has been. Sciver leaps on a short and wide offering, timing it through the gap just behind point to move into double figures, then off strike with one to long leg. With three balls left and Taylor on strike, Lanning takes a good 60 seconds to se the field in front of the England ‘keeper, with a couple of slips in place for her first delivery. Nothing comes of it.
WICKET! Jones c Haynes b Molineux 64 (England 119-4)
For the umpteenth time, Jones is out between 50 and 100. It’s not a flattering dismissal, dancing to the pitch but giving catching practice to Haynes at mid-off.
44th over: England 119-4 (Sciver 6)
Updated
43rd over: England 119-3 (Jones 64, Sciver 6) Perry continues and its an improved over compared to the two she sent down before the tea interval, Sciver careful in defence throughout. Maiden.
42nd over: England 119-3 (Jones 64, Sciver 6) RUN OUT CHANCE! Sciver took on mid-off and had to dive at the non-strikers’ end, Haynes ever so close to a second direct hit dismissal. The shot was in the air to begin with, too. A nervous start, Molineux right on the money. Another cricketer who looks built for Test cricket.
The players are back on the field. Jones (64) and Sciver (5) make their way back to the middle. Molineux has the ball in her hand from the pavilion end. PLAY!
An excellent session for England. Yes, they lost a couple of wickets. But far more importantly, they got the board moving in the right direction, adding 115. With 42 overs remaining today, the deficit is 302. More importantly, the follow-on mark 153 from being overtaken. Once they get there, Heather Knight and the England brains trust have options. By contrast, if Australia’s spinners can keep it ragging - especially Sophie Molineux, the best so far today - they could roll through them.
Updated
41st over: England 118-3 (Jones 64, Sciver 5) Perry in to Sciver, which is what she wants, but the radar is slightly off so the all-rounder can ease one to backward square. Now at Jones, she elects to redirect to around the wicket but the opener is savvy enough to avoid temptation outside the off-stump, thrice shouldering arms. Back over the wicket for the final delivery of the session, she leaves again. TEA!
40th over: England 117-3 (Jones 64, Sciver 4) Jonassen with what should be the penultimate over of the session. She is giving Jones a chance to swing with plenty of flight but the opener is content picking out cover rather than taking the field on. Jonassen gets through it quickly enough to ensure Perry can have another pop.
39th over: England 117-3 (Jones 64, Sciver 4) Perry is back, Lanning no doubt mindful of her record against Sciver. She starts on leg stump, turned by Jones to deep backward square for one, placing the all-rounder on strike with seven minutes left until tea. Perry is on her hip though, the all-rounder fetching two more to backward square. Oooh, one keeps low. Sciver is up to the task. Contest!
Two sides have declared behind and gone on to win a women's Test.
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) July 20, 2019
England, who declared 1 run behind West Indies at Canterbury in 1979: https://t.co/tn3GGnARS3
and Australia, who declared 48 behind England at Bankstown in 2011: https://t.co/aYaCaJWJ2D
This is a bit different in that, England just need time and control. Getting back out into the field as early as possible earns them both. They need a Sciver special.
38th over: England 113-3 (Jones 63, Sciver 2) Nice shot Nat Sciver to begin, on the back foot punching through cover for a couple, stopped by Schutt with a fine chase and dive on the rope. In terms of England’s required rate to keep the game moving towards 271, it isn’t the wost thing that Sciver is out there now with Taylor next.
WICKET! Elwiss [run out Bolton] 9. (England 111-3)
Brilliant by Bolton! Elwiss to the danger end was running hard but Bolton at short cover was on it in a flash and hit middle stump. Out by four inches. Ten dot balls followed by a risky quick single - how often do we see it?
Updated
37th over: England 111-2 (Jones 63, Elwiss 9) Gardner in right in her groove from around the wicket, Elwiss very happy to lean forward to smother the spin.
36th over: England 111-2 (Jones 63, Elwiss 9) Boom! Jones gets one in her arc from Jonassen to finish and makes no mistake, lofting over mid-on for her 12th boundary. I don’t want to mozz her, but... Test ton on debut has a nice ring to it.
35th over: England 105-2 (Jones 58, Elwiss 8) Gardner through another broadly accurate over, only slipping with one delivery, Jones pulling that to a sweeper.
Updated
34th over: England 103-2 (Jones 57, Elwiss 7) Jonassen and co are up for leg before, Alex Wharf turning it down. The first replay suggests that it was perhaps hitting just outside the off-stump, but not far away at all. Tea is 20 minutes away, this session (and the next) extended by 15 minutes. Mel Jones is asked on TV whether Australia will be happy with a draw. “You are kidding, right?” her response. Agreed. Any suggestion that Australia were attempting to kill the game with their first innings batting sells England’s bowling, on this tough track, well short. It was bat then pad earlier in the over, further replays from earlier in the over confirm.
33rd over: England 102-2 (Jones 57, Elwiss 6) Oooh dear me! Gardner has drifted across Jones from around the wicket, cutting back through the gate to miss off-stump by the narrowest margin. We saw how effective Gardner was in this country during the 2017 World Cup, always a big turner of the ball. She gets away with one here, Jones unable to put away a ball down the legside. “Stay patient,” says Healy, who is giving us a nice special comments stream through the stump mic.
32nd over: England 100-2 (Jones 57, Elwiss 5) Jonassen has been spun around to replace Molineux. “Let’s go, workhorse!” says the ever-vocal Healy with the left-arm ortho now bowling from the pavilion or graveyard end. Jones adds another behind point, Elwiss driving two to cover to bring up the England 100. Nice going.
50+ scores by England women's openers on Test debut:
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) July 20, 2019
Myrtle Maclagan v AUS
Exhibition Ground, Brisbane 1934
Jacqueline Elledge v AUS
Edgbaston 1963
Enid Bakwell v AUS
Barton Oval, Adelaide 1968
Lesley Cooke v IND
Wetherby 1986
Amy Jones v AUS
Taunton today#ENGvAUS #Ashes
31st over: England 97-2 (Jones 56, Elwiss 3) Meg Lanning must be reading the OBO - here comes Ash Gardner for her first trundle in Test cricket, in from the River End on this sunny Taunton afternoon. She is operating around the wicket from the get-go, generating a nice bit of dip at Elwiss who can’t get her around the corner, taking the fourth delivery behind point for one instead. Jones retains the strike with a clipped single off the front foot, her timing getting better and better.
Amy Jones to 50!
30th over: England 91-2 (Jones 55, Elwiss 2) Molineux gives a bit of air to Jones who advances to launch her straight back over her head for four, moving to 50 with the shot at the first time of asking in Test cricket. She has reached the milestone in 96 balls, striking ten fours along the way. Has to double up now and get England to that magic 271 figure. Oh, make that 11 fours, the final ball of the over a ropey full toss, picked up over midwicket for the easiest of boundaries.
Updated
29th over: England 87-2 (Jones 47, Elwiss 2) Excellent maiden from Jonassen to Elwiss, who is being asked a question with every delivery aimed at the stumps. After copping plenty of tap early on, the Queenslander now has 7-3-20-0.
28th over: England 87-2 (Jones 47, Elwiss 2) Elwiss plays another little sweep to get off strike early in the Molineux over, Jones digging in for the rest. Might be time to get Ash Gardner on, an off-spinner who gives it such a mighty rip.
27th over: England 86-2 (Jones 47, Elwiss 1) Elwiss off the mark first ball of the new Jonassen over lapping one behind square. Jones is forward to the rest, leaving no gap between bat and pad. She’s looking very good. This has to be the day when she goes to three figures for England having so often fallen between 50 and 100.
“I know it’s the centre-piece,” writes John Nield, “which by definition goes in the middle. But it does nothing for tests if one team starts the only test just needing a draw.”
I agree. The points system also doesn’t help with all these even numbers. I would recast with T20s worth two, ODIs three and the Test five for the win, to the draw. There are plenty of other improvements along the lines you are talking about, too.
26th over: England 85-2 (Jones 47, Elwiss 0) Molineux is now over the wicket, looking for the footmarks that have been on offer for tweakers throughout this match. She finds them a couple of times, beating Jones’ bat, but overpitches to finish with the opener clipping expertly past square leg for her ninth boundary.
25th over: England 81-2 (Jones 43, Elwiss 0) This is the Jonassen we have learned to expect, operating around the wicket with plenty of flight at Jones. Jones keeps the strike with one out to cover. She’s the England player most likely so far today.
“It’s late here in Queensland,” says Phil Withall. “I suspect that Australia just have to turn up for the rest of the series to retain the Ashes but I’m not a realist, I’m an English cricket fan and a Norwich City supporter. Nobody expected Norwich to beat Bayern Munich back in 1993, nobody expected the Ashes win in 2005 and nobody sees England getting anything from this series. Yet I still have hope, I still believe! I probably should go to bed.”
Well, if they want to win the have to declare 149 behind. A famous number in English Ashes history as well, innit? On the other hand, getting to 271 would be a pretty decent effort with the turn this pitch is now taking.
24th over: England 80-2 (Jones 42, Elwiss 0) Ooh! Elwiss is nearly run out first ball by Mooney under the lid in close, the new batter dragging her back foot. The throw misses. A wicket maiden for Molineux, who has been outstanding.
WICKET! Knight lbw b Molineux 28 (England 80-2)
A first Test wicket for Sophie Molineux! Knight is sweeping and missing, the ball going on with the arm, hitting her bang in front. No doubt about that.
Updated
23rd over: England 80-1 (Jones 42, Knight 28) Jonassen has bounced back well after copping some serious tap to begin, sending down two maidens either side of drinks. Jones plays her watchfully.
22nd over: England 80-1 (Jones 42, Knight 28) “How has that missed?!” roars Healy from behind the stumps when Molineux beats Knight with another superb delivery, evading the edge and off-stump by the proverbial coat of varnish. Drinks! A fine shift for England. With 61 overs remaining today, they should be able to get up to that 271 mark that I was talking about a couple of overs ago.
21st over: England 79-1 (Jones 41, Knight 28) Much better from Jonassen, belatedly finding her range. Knight plays back a maiden with a minimum of fuss.
20th over: England 79-1 (Jones 41, Knight 28) Molineux now gives Jones something to hit, a full toss clobbered back over her head! She’s riden her luck to a certain extent but we know the sort of form she’s been in until the ODIs.
Meanwhile, what do you think of my declaration suggestion for England?
England's best hour of the Test, adding 71 without loss. Some quick maths. With the follow-on 271, and England needing to win to stay in the series, that could be when they declare to force Australia to essentially set them a chase (or not) tomorrow afternoon. DO IT. #WomensAshes
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) July 20, 2019
19th over: England 74-1 (Jones 37, Knight 27) Shot! Jones again through the field off the back foot, waiting on Jonassen’s short delivery and putting it away. The Queenslander, who was excellent in the ODIs, has already coughed up four boundaries. A wonderful hour for England, adding 71 without losing a wicket.
18th over: England 69-1 (Jones 33, Knight 26) Perfect response from Molineux, mixing up her pace but not her length, again beating Jones with a ball that grips and turns away from the right-handed opener.
17th over: England 68-1 (Jones 33, Knight 25) Jonassen replaces Vlaeminck from the river end, her first ball a no-ball half-tracker, smashed away by Jones through midwicket. Then overpitching, Jones leans into a classical cover drive into the gap along the ground for four more! Short again, Jonassen is carted through midwicket for a third boundary! “F*ck sake!” says the bowler through the stump mic. She gets out of the expensive over - worth 13 - with two well directed stock balls.
“She’s been a bit Jeff Thomson ‘72-73,” says Daniel Viles of Vlaeminck’s first spell in Test cricket. “But you have to watch her now so that you can enjoy her development into Jeff Thomson ‘74-75.” I like that comparison a lot.
16th over: England 55-1 (Jones 21, Knight 25) Good little contest emerging between Molineux and Jones, two players on debut. The former is a fraction too full, the opener timing her along the turf straight back down the ground for four. She’s back on the money by the end of the over, Jones looking to find the gaps.
15th over: England 50-1 (Jones 16, Knight 25) Something happening every ball from Vlaeminck’s end, thudding into Jones’ thigh pad with a delivery the jags back with bounce at serious pace. Earlier in the over, Knight helped a ball down leg on its way for four, Jones doing the same from a bouncer, albeit to fine leg for one.
14th over: England 44-1 (Jones 15, Knight 20) Molineux is showing her worth very quickly here, unlucky not to get a first Test wicket when Jones miscues a tossed up delivery just beyond the hand of Bolton at short cover! That’s wonderful finger spin, coming the delivery after one that was darted in straight. Super start.
13th over: England 40-1 (Jones 11, Knight 20) This is exciting to watch, Vlaeminck really bending her nimble back. It’s all over the place, down leg then right in the block hole. The shape her body makes when landing is something to behold, arms and legs in every direction. Earns a maiden for her efforts. This is going to be fun.
12th over: England 40-1 (Jones 11, Knight 20) Biiiig turn from Molineux. Ciderabad after all? “That’s you, Soph” says Healy when the spinner lands her stock delivery to finish, through two very good overs to begin her Test career with the ball.
11th over: England 39-1 (Jones 11, Knight 19) Here she is, the Bendigo Bullet, Tayla Vlaeminck. The pace is good - already the quickest bowler in the Test Match - but the accuracy not quite. There is a bit going on here, overstepping first up then spraying five wides waaay down the legside at Knight. The right arm quick finds her mark later in the set but is too short to Jones, who slaps a lovely punch off the back foot through cover for another boundary. As Mel Jones notes on TV, the two bowlers in operation now - both on debut - were housemates in Melbourne.
The Bendigo Bullet’s first ball in Test cricket. #WomensAshes pic.twitter.com/kdolT6w8gr
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) July 20, 2019
10th over: England 28-1 (Jones 7, Knight 19) There is a change from the pavilion end but it is Sophie Molineux replacing Schutt with her left-arm orthodox. Her first ball in Test cricket is taken on by Jones - uppish with a catching cover in play - not far at all from joining a famous club. Jones takes a couple more from the only short delivery in the over but all told, an accurate start.
9th over: England 24-1 (Jones 3, Knight 19) Shoooooot! Perry gives Knight a full delivery on middle stump and the England skipper strokes a glorious on drive for four. They trail by 400 exactly but Knight isn’t mucking around. Nor can she. Oooh, an equally super stroke later in the over, played off the back foot with a straight blade at the top of the bounce past point for four more. Go on, Heather.
OB Jato/Abhijato Sensarma has started a petition for more women’s red-ball cricket, which he would like me to share. If that’s your thing, here ‘tis.
8th over: England 14-1 (Jones 3, Knight 9) Might be time for us to get a look at Vlaeminck for the first time shortly. Nothing wrong with the Schutt over, a couple from it, but they won’t want Knight to get into her groove or Jones to feel at ease.
7th over: England 12-1 (Jones 2, Knight 8) Much better from England, who have settled after the pre-lunch interrogation. Knight, who has a fine record at Test level, clips a couple from Perry early in the over then finishes with an even better whip in the same diection, down to the rope for England’s first boundary.
6th over: England 6-1 (Jones 2, Knight 2) Schutt bouncing away from us again, with her Rubel Hossain crouching start. Missing her mark to begin a wide is added, Jones then driving a full ball through the gap at cover for two - off the mark after 18 balls. Nice weight transfer there. Jones battled badly in the ODIs against Perry but she’s a much better player than those numbers suggest.
5th over: England 3-1 (Jones 0, Knight 2) Oooooh, an unplayable to begin Perry’s afternoon shift, her outswinger somehow missing both Knight’s outside edge and the top of off stump. It was the middle session at Canterbury in both of England’s innings four years ago where the Australian quick ran wild, taking the bulk of her nine wickets in that match. She backs up the swinger with a yorker, which Knight again does well to keep out before leaving and defending the rest. Super bowling.
There was some criticism of Australia before play this morning but it didn’t make a lot of sense given the visitors were pretty clear about wanting to bat once - entirely sensible after losing two sessions. With Perry and co, they have plenty of time.
4th over: England 3-1 (Jones 0, Knight 2) Lovely start, the South Australian beating the edge of the England captain with the opening ball of the session. Schutt generates so much inswing, it makes it tough to leave anything she sends down. Knight gets bat on ball thereafter, tucking a single to fine leg when a straighter one arrives. Jones leaves alone the ball she has to deal with. Excellent first over back.
The players are back on the field. England are resuming at 2/1, some 418 runs behind Australia. Megan Schutt has the ball in her hand, continuing her spell from the pavilion end. The captain Heather Knight (1) is on strike. PLAY!
Thank you, Tanya. Ellyse Perry is utterly unstoppable. Soon as I posted this picture of her beating Beaumont all ends up, she knocked her over with an outswinger to die for. Granted, the England opener played down the wrong line but she can be forgiven on the basis of the movement generated. Just brilliant.
Perry *this* far away from castling Beaumont first ball. #WomensAshes pic.twitter.com/9cUitNd72I
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) July 20, 2019
Here’s the thing, though: how many more Tests will Perry play? I asked her about this at Canterbury after her 7/22 and then yesterday following her 116. Maybe one more, probably two, at most three? What a waste. She’s built for this. Of course, she’s too classy to complain but it doesn’t make it any less disappointing.
Take a look at Megan Schutt’s proposal for more domestic red-ball cricket for women in Australia, which might help. I hope administrators are listening to the players, who are speaking as one through this protracted debate. Make it happen.
Lunch
It was the sort of morning that England might have dreaded while breakfasting in the early hours. Watching Australia bat on and on, to 400 and beyond, then having a nasty, brutish and short period to see off the marauding Australian bowlers. To lose Tammy Beaumont is a horrible blow. What an astonishing player Perry is though. An absolute champion with bat and ball. That’s all from me for now - Adam Collins takes over post lunch and I’ll be back later.
3rd over: England 2-1 ( Jones 0, Knight 1) Beaumont was squared up by that brutish ball from Perry - not exactly the start that England were hoping for. Knight smiles at Amy Jones as she walks in. What does that smile say? Help!!! No, no, let’s be positive. It says: We can do it! Knight gets off the strike straight away with a brisk push to backward square leg and Jones sees out the rest of the over. And that, my friends, is lunch.
WICKET! Beaumont b Perry 0
A full ball, a straight ball and Beaumont props down the wrong line. She has to trudge off for a duck.
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2nd over: England 1-0 ( Jones 0, Beaumont 0) Schutt, whose run-up is considerably shorter than Perry’s and with her characteristic knee-bend at the top of her mark, shapes the ball . Jones flashes at a wide one off the last ball of the over - eeek.
ENGLAND START THEIR INNINGS
1st over: England 1-0 ( Amy Jones 0, Tammy Beaumont 0 ) It’s Perry - who else? The first ball swings a little and fades to be taken just above the ankles by Healy. England scuttle through for a leg bye then Beaumont gets a scorcher that just passes the edge of her thrust forward bat.
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Ok England, girder loins. The Aussies have their baggy greens on, and out come the umpires.
STAT PACK: That was Australia’s fourth highest Test score against England. And only the second time five batters in the top six have made fifty or more in women’s cricket.
Australia 420-8 declare!
That’s it, Meg Lanning sticks her arm through the gap in the dressing-room glass and beckons her batters in. England will have ten minutes or so to bat before lunch.
Wicket! Mooney c Jones b Sciver 51
A sensational running catch by Amy Jones off a miscue from Mooney.
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Mooney reaches fifty!
154th over: Australia 418-7 (Mooney 50, Gardner 4) Mooney drives Ecclestone and scampers a quick single, landing on her tummy as she charges towards the stumps - that’s her debut Test fifty, off 87 balls. Well played!
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153rd over: Australia 415-7 (Mooney 49, Gardner 2) Sciver drifts legside, too wide for Gardner, but too wide for Taylor too and ball drifts away for four byes. Sciver scuffs the grass in frustration. Then an lbw roar, but down legside. Lanning is running out of time here to send England’s openers in for quick stint before lunch. So .... sandwiches before the storm?
152nd over: Australia 409-7 (Mooney 48, Gardner 1) Reward there for Ecclestone, who has fallen the unlucky side of a few umpiring decisions. Will Gardner throw the bat?
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WICKET! Molineux b Ecclestone 21
A classy little Test debut innings from Molineux comes to an end when Ecclestone makes her way through her defences, a bit of skid, a bit of turn, and off fly the bails.
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151st over: Australia 407-6 (Mooney 47, Molineux 21) Heather Knight throws her plans in the air, and the piece of paper with SCIVER on lands face up. A quick two brings up the fifty partnership off 78 balls.
OB Jato knows one thing:
“All I know is that in both Netball (second semi-final) and Cricket, England will be facing New Zealand in a World Cup knockout. Preservation of nails much?”
All too much! And I’m afraid I don’t know enough about netball to know if the New Zealand team play with the same admirable spirit and humility as Kane Williamson’s group of men.
150th over: Australia 403-6 (Mooney 46, Molineux 18) Marsh appeals loudly for an lbw against Mooney. Mooney squares up and the ball hits her high on the legs. Probably too high. The replay says umpires call. Duly unperturbed, she then thrashes two fours in a row, the second a lofted whallop over midwicket. That’s the four hundred. And on we got.
149th over: Australia 393-6 (Mooney 37, Molineux 17) Molineux looks utterly relaxed at the crease. Nurdling three runs, even when her timing is a bit off.
Amazing news! Throw, chuck, vomit money at it ECB - please. With two World Cup winning sides as your poster boys and girls - what better chance will you have? An interesting email on Thursday from a father concerned that the ECB hadn’t made the most of England Women’s win. Let’s hope they won’t waste this opportunity.
WOW!!! https://t.co/4SAavwuwIy
— tanya aldred (@tjaldred) July 20, 2019
148th over: Australia 388-6 (Mooney 35, Molineux 14) Heather Knight swaps Sophie Ecclestone for Anya Shrubsole. It’s a maiden. And the drinks are being brought out... and still no declaration. Is it 400 they’re looking for - or will they wait till lunch?
147th over: Australia 388-6 (Mooney 35, Molineux 14) Marsh again. Molineux tries to sweep her but Sarah Taylor collects neatly behind the stumps.
Going back to Sarah Bacon’s message - wondering how much the netball has cut through the public consciousness. As much as the CWC (pre-final)?
Abhijato Sensarma thinks aloud:
‘I’ll make the statement everyone runs around: on an aggregate, women aren’t as fast as men at the professional level i.e. at the peak of their abilities. Hence, there is a general perception that LOIs are still alright in quality while Test matches featuring them aren’t, ahem, ‘broadcastable’.
But cricket at its heart is more about skills than speed, especially on a level playing field. At least India, England and Australia have bridged the gap in terms of skills with the men - I just can’t see why they shouldn’t be able to play four-day matches more often. Two to three years of non-broadcasted but regular matches between the other top nations would improve their skills too, and soon we will surely see high-quality cricket amongst enough teams. The televised matches will attract viewers with the general advancement of the game, the market will open up, and Tests will become commonplace for women cricketers again. If only the ICC/national boards somehow become philanthropic in the short term, it would all go so well for everyone in the long term!
146th over: Australia 386-6 (Mooney 34, Molineux 13) England’s throwing is having a funny five minutes, infected with randomness and a slight mad urgency. Oh that is lovely from Molineux, a late, late, cut that whizzes square for four past point. Shrubsole is not so impressed.
Updated
145th over: Australia 379-6 (Mooney 32, Molineux 8) Will Laura Marsh get a break before Australia declare? Oh dear, that’s five overthrows as no-one backs up a Shrubsole shy at the stumps. Marsh waves both arms in the air in frustration, as does Shrubsole.
Palfreyman tries to put a good spin on England’s position.
@tjaldred Oh my word! That Babar Azam welcome song. I am still laughing. Which is a good thing, because this Test is one to cry about, if like me you are an England fan. Ah well, still time for Perry and Schutt to destroy us. Twice. That's entertainment!
— 🌈Ravi Nair #FBPE #PerfectPorkPie (@palfreyman1414) July 20, 2019
144th over: Australia 372-6 (Mooney 25, Molineux 8) Molineux’s debut innings hovers in the balance with a mis-timed pull, but it falls clear of a scampering Marsh. Two from Shrubsole’s over.
143rd over: Australia 370-6 (Mooney 25, Molineux 6) Marsh, bowling her 31st over of the match, is as on the money as she was yesterday. Mooney has her instructions, we assume they aren’t ATTACK! ATTACK! More ACCUMULATE! ACCUMULATE!
An email from Sarah Bacon
“Thanks, Tanya, for doing OBO today!”
A pleasure!
“With apologies, I’m watching the Aussie Diamonds taking on South Africa in the semi-finals of the netball this morning (while keeping a close eye on the cricket on my PC!). Intriguing (laudable?) to see so many English Rose fans in the stands today, lustily supporting ... Australia? Wow. Methinks they’re hoping for England to beat NZ’s Silver Ferns this afternoon, in order to meet Australia in the finals tomorrow. Good luck with that.”
Hmmm - a case of be careful what you wish for ?!?!
142nd over: Australia 370-6 (Mooney 25, Molineux 6) Anya Shrubsole gets her first over of the day. Mooney steps forward and smears the ball through mid-on for four. There’s a bit of a wind fluttering the players’ trousers, but good cricket-watching weather.
141st over: Australia 365-6 (Mooney 20, Molineux 6) A superb ball from Laura Marsh spins just past Molineux’s bat and then somehow just over the top of off stump. Then a misfield as the ball passes Georgia Elwiss at point.
If you want to watch Raf rant, try this
If you watch any of our videos, watch this one.
— Raf Nicholson (@RafNicholson) July 20, 2019
In which I get cross about the way Australia have approached this match, and get equally cross about the possibility of England hunkering down for a draw 😡 https://t.co/Mr7liDhhrs
140th over: Australia 362-6 (Mooney 19, Molineux 4) Australia seem jumpy considering the position they’re in. Mooney calls through a quick single that would have been out had Marsh’s throw connected. Lots of hand clapping and exhortation from England’s fielders. And Molineux is off the mark with a four with soft hands past backward point. Lovely shot.
139th over: Australia 357-6 (Mooney 18, Molineux 0) Just a leg bye off another tight over from Marsh. Molineux opens her eyes wide between the bars of her helmet.
138th over: Australia 356-6 (Mooney 17, Molineux 0) Brunt deserved that wicket after throwing her all into her bowling The wicket brings in Sophie Molineux - who was given her baggy green by the great Belinda Clark two days ago and is the Southern Vipers new KSL signing
Updated
WICKET! Jonassen c Sciver b Brunt 8
Jonassen flashes at a wide one and is well caught by Nat Sciver at gully.
Updated
137th over: Australia 355-5 (Mooney 17, Jonassen 8) Just two off Marsh’s over.
136th over: Australia 353-5 (Mooney 16, Jonassen 7) Brunt over pitches and Mooney drives just to the left of Jonassen’s toes. Four. Yummy!
Romeo writes: “I’m not sure Katherine Brunt really wants to be described as a stallion. Maybe she does, but it does look a bit odd. And ‘mare’ would also look a bit strange and she’s hardly a ‘filly’.”
I hesitated myself. But female terms for animals often have unpleasant connotations. I think we should battle to reclaim them but, but, but... as you say.... In these gender-flexible times, I’m hoping you can imagine a glossy haired female stallion. Or maybe I should just stay away from animals...
135th over: Australia 348-5 (Mooney 12, Jonassen 6) Marsh again keeps it tight, just one off it, and the cameras pan onto Lanning and she looks straight ahead, and the camera pans away. Hmm. Will they just pass 350 or bat on till lunch and then try to bowl England out twice?
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134th over: Australia 347-5 (Mooney 12, Jonassen 5) Katherine Brunt takes the ball. The commentators mention that her speeds have been up this Test match, consistently in the mid-70s. She just looks incredibly fit, a prime stallion, sleek and shiny, but there we go, she strays a little wide and Mooney drives her through the covers and across the boundary for four.
133rd over: Australia 343-5 (Mooney 8, Jonassen 5) Laura Marsh flies it high and just two come from the over. You’d expect the Aussies to get a bit more of a shift on today.
Do drop me a line if you can - love to know what is happening round the world this Saturday morning. Anyway, here we go: the players are out and Australia bat on...
Nat Sciver thinks England’s bowlers have got better and better since the first day. They’ll be hoping that Australia’s bowlers take a while to get going too. Looking forward to seeing this young talent running in - she’s come back from a series of horrendous injuries to play her Test debut, she’s fast, she swings it and she’s full of vigour.
Reckon we’ll be seeing Tayla Vlaeminck with ball in hand today 🙌🙌 pic.twitter.com/HUq9DoXr05
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@SouthernStars) July 20, 2019
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I just want to flag up this extraordinary, er, number welcoming Somerset men’s newest recruit:
I have absolutely no words for this.... 😂😂😂#WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/WP1OrseHwB
— Ben Warren 🏏 (@BenWarrenSCCC) July 19, 2019
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There are 108 overs scheduled and the forecast is for a lovely day, all day. Charlotte Edwards hopes Australia declare now and England score quickly and then somehow bowl Australia out again. Ebony Rainford-Brent thinks Australia will want to rub England’s nose in the dirt.
WOW - the sky is blue!
An interesting thread here too on the legacy from the World Cup. Now let’s see what the weather is doing at Taunton...
Thread 👇 https://t.co/NOdAhTVQw3
— Raf Nicholson (@RafNicholson) July 20, 2019
A nice read from Adam Collins, who will be taking over later, on Perry.
This was Perry yesterday on the beauty of Test cricket:
“I just really enjoy the challenge,” she says. “It’s a bit of a novelty too that we don’t play a lot of them so you really want to make the most of it, having that time to just get into your innings and absorb pressure at times then capitalise on periods that flow your way.”
Her century makes her the second woman after the wonderful Betty Wilson to hit two Test hundreds in a row.
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Preamble
Good morning everyone! The rain is torrenting heavily outside my front door but fingers crossed for better weather in Taunton - where rain has already poked her unwelcome fingers, curtailing things early yesterday. The attrition continued for much of Friday, with the peerless Ellyse Perry reaching her century and Rachel Haynes falling just short. England looked deflated as they walked off for lunch at 341 for five. They have two days (if the weather is kind) to somehow conjure a win from here. I’m afraid it isn’t going to happen - The Ashes will remain with Australia, who are simply a better resourced and prepared side, with a stronger structure behind them. Perhaps just a better side too - and there is no shame in that.
Raf Nicholson explains in more detail in her match report from yesterday.
