Alana King’s brilliant leg-spin bowling put Australia in the driver’s seat as day one of the historic pink-ball Test in the ongoing Women’s Ashes came to an end at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). After bundling out England for just 170, the hosts finished the day at 56/1, trailing by 114 runs.
King continued her rich vein of form in this multi-format series. After delivering strong performances in both the T20Is and ODIs, she shone once again, picking up four wickets for 45 runs at an economy rate of 1.95. Her spell was instrumental in England’s batting collapse.
A great moment for the home crowd came when regular skipper Alyssa Healy walked out for the toss despite concerns over her availability due to a recent injury. She won the toss and opted to bowl first, also confirming that Georgia Voll was making her Test debut. The decision paid off immediately, as pacers Kim Garth and Darcie Brown set the tone early. England’s openers, Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier, fell cheaply.
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After that, their middle order fought hard, with skipper Heather Knight (25 off 50), Sophia Dunkley (21 off 71), and Dani Wyatt-Hodge (22 off 46) all getting starts but failing to convert them into big scores. The only standout performer was Nat Sciver-Brunt, who battled her way to 51 off 129 before being bowled by King. Throughout her spell, King flighted the ball beautifully and extracted sharp turns to trouble the English batters. Youngster Ryana MacDonald-Gay impressed with her unbeaten 66-ball 15. She looked positive, actively searching for runs with her shots, and unlike others, she was not overly defensive.
When Australia batted, Voll could not make her debut memorable, falling for 12 off 16. Attempting a drive, she edged one to Amy Jones off Lauren Bell. Meanwhile, Ellyse Perry, Australia’s most experienced player, did not come out at No. 3 after injuring her hip while diving to save a boundary. She was assessed for the rest of the day and did not take the field.
Annabel Sutherland (24* off 51) and Phoebe Litchfield (20* off 65) guided Australia to stumps at 56/1. With nine wickets in hand and trailing by 114, this pair will aim to extend the score on day two. For England’s bowlers, the first session tomorrow will be crucial if they are to make a comeback in a series where almost nothing has gone right for them.
Brief score: England-W 170/10 in 71.4 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 51, Alana King 4/45) vs Australia-W 56/1 in 22 overs (Annabel Sutherland 24*, Lauren Bell 1/21)
Also Read: Women’s Ashes 2025, Pink-ball Test: Can Australia make 16-0 over England?