Australia won the one-off Women’s Ashes Test by 89 runs to bag four points in this multi-format series. The result probably wasn’t surprising if you follow women’s cricket. The margin of victory might make one think that Australia dominated the Test match, but that’s far from the truth. In fact, England were the favourites when Australians started to crumble in their second innings. Let’s take a look at what separated the two teams in this Test.
Lower-Order Batting
The Australian No. 8, 9, 10 and 11 batters scored a total of 244 runs across both innings, which included a century and a half-century (Annabel Sutherland’s 137* came batting at No. 8 in the first innings, and Alyssa Healy’s 50 also came from No. 8 in the second innings). England’s lower order scored 43 runs across both innings.
Chances missed
England missed three of the chances that Beth Mooney offered in the first innings, and six more in Australia’s second innings. They didn’t go upstairs for the first ball Healy faced from Kate Cross in the second innings. Later on, Ultra-edge showed that Healy had edged it. She went on to add 50 runs to her tally, and England had a stiffer target to chase.
Ashleigh Gardner’s all-round performance
Gardner came in to bat at No. 7 in the first innings at the fall of Healy’s wicket. Sophie Ecclestone was on fire, having dismissed Jess Jonassen and Healy in the same over. Gardner had a shaky start and before she could settle in, Ellyse Perry got out to a poor shot. Australia were reeling at 238-6 on a flat pitch on Day 1. Gardner then played a fine knock of 40 and stitched together a 77-run partnership with Sutherland. Then Gardner the bowler took charge. Every time an England batter looked settled, Gardner weaved her magic and got rid of them. She got rid of a set Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt. Sophie Dunkley was giving able support to Tammy Beaumont, but yet again Gardner removed her and then she wrapped up the first innings by removing Beaumont, the double-centurion. England started their second innings on a high note and raced to 55-0 in 10 overs. Healy gave the ball to Gardner in the hope of a breakthrough, and Gardner repaid her faith by getting Beaumont with her first ball of the second innings. Three overs later, she removed Sciver-Brunt for a duck and then removed Knight 1.5 overs later. That was on Day 4. On Day 5, England had sort of steadied their ship and were 141-5, needing a further 127 runs when the Gardner destruction hit them. She got the remaining five wickets quite easily and ensured that Australia started the Ashes series on a high. Gardner’s match figures of 12-167 in 45.2 overs were the best ever for Australia. Only Pakistan’s Shaiza Khan has taken more wickets in a women’s Test (13-226 in 2004).
This was only the seventh instance in Women’s Test matches of all 40 wickets being taken. The last three Ashes Tests had ended in draws, and Australia finally broke that streak by winning this one. This game would also help promote five-day Test matches in Women’s cricket, and fans cab now shift their focus to the Ashes T20I series starting on July 1.