Anya Shrubsole’s skilled swing bowling tested Australia on a well-paced day of Test cricket at Canterbury, where she took four of the eight wickets that fell as the tourists finished the day on 268.
Australia will take heart from their debutant Jess Jonassen’s remarkable, unbeaten 95. Jonassen, who received her Baggy Green alongside the opener Nicole Bolton and leg-spinner Kristen Beams, looked a class above her fellow batsmen.
From the start, when England grooved along to the national anthem, to them leaving arm-in-arm, the squad looked to be genuinely enjoying their cricket.
Kent has a rich history of women’s cricket. The first Australian touring team played here in 1937, and England’s first international captain, Betty Archdale, also played for the county. Continuing that legacy, the county attracted a 2,000-strong crowd who were vocal in their support for both sides.
The day belonged to Shrubsole, who reaped the rewards for an accurate line and length and her natural inswing was made for the humid conditions.
Katherine Brunt was outstanding after England lost the toss and were asked to field. No one loves Ashes cricket as much as Brunt. Softly spoken off the field, on it she is full of aggression. Every false shot, every turned down lbw appeal, drew a look of fury from her and a wry grin from the opener Elyse Villani.
Both Brunt and Shrubsole achieved swing with the new ball. The latter’s first spell was probing but it was her second where she made real inroads. Villani and Bolton were well set. Anything short had been dispatched by both batsmen and after an hour’s play with no breakthrough, England looked troubled.
Shrubsole set up Villani beautifully. She beat her with a back-of-a-length delivery before a well-directed yorker had to be hastily dug out. The third delivery held its line and shaped away at the last second. Villani, probing forward, could do little as the ball sailed off her defensive prod into the hands of Heather Knight at slip.
The prize wicket of Meg Lanning was taken in almost identical fashion, right down to the position of Knight’s hands as she held the catch. With the captain gone cheaply, Australia were struggling. After Shrubsole’s post-lunch spell, they were in even deeper trouble.
Bolton lasted five balls after the interval before she aimed an airy drive at Shrubsole and was bowled through the gate. Ellyse Perry struggled for rhythm, before becoming Shrubsole’s fourth victim. She inside-edged on to her pad, with Sarah Taylor scampering round to take a catch to round off a spell of four wickets in 27 balls.
When Alex Blackwell was trapped lbw by Brunt, Australia had slid to 99 for five. Their admirable work in seeing off the new ball was in danger of being undone, before the partnership between Alyssa Healy and Jonassen rescued them.
Jonassen was the only player who worked out the pace – or lack of it – in the pitch. Her shots were beautifully timed. Three cover drives to the boundary released the pressure that England had built, and a straight-driven four echoed around the ground.
England’s spinners bowled a tight line, with Laura Marsh managing four consecutive maidens. Knight was equally accurate but her bad balls were put away with more aggression. Healy slapped her over the top of midwicket as Australia looked to recover. England’s fielding was improved but there were moments of carelessness. Twice the ball slipped through fielders’ hands and raced to the boundary.
Kate Cross put down Healy on 21 – it was a difficult chance, diving to her right, but she got both hands to it and was furious with herself for not clinging on.
Marsh provided the next breakthrough, bowling admirably with an injured shoulder. Unable to throw from the outfield, she flighted the ball and tried to turn it into the batsman. She trapped Healy lbw from round the wicket, a just reward.
Quick wickets looked to have hurt Australia. Sarah Coyte was caught behind off Cross before Megan Schutt was plumb lbw to Marsh.
The partnership between Jonassen and Beams, however, was beautifully timed. Beams proved an adept support for her fellow debutant, who was going from strength to strength.
England’s naivety with regards to Test-match tactics became evident as they struggled to break the ninth-wicket partnership. Jonassen was in a fluent rhythm but seven fielders on the boundary for the No10 batsman Beams, with the new ball, seemed unnecessary.
Australia looked to be delaying a declaration for Jonassen’s century, something which the debutant, and the captain, will be keen to see completed as soon as possible on Wednesday morning.
