After the first day of play at Trent Bridge, the one-off Test between Australia Women’s Team and the England Women’s Team was well matched thanks to England bowler Sophie Ecclestone’s three wickets. On the first day of play in the multi-format Women’s Ashes series, Australia was in command after winning the toss at 226-3 until losing three of their wickets for 12 runs in the span of 24 balls. This also meant that star batter Ellyse Perry got out on 99 and was just short of a well deserved century.
Ecclestone grabbed two wickets within three balls, dismissing Perry with a sharp delivery after Ecclestone had dismissed skipper Alyssa Healy on a duck. After Gardner was dismissed by Lauren Bell late in the day, Australia’s progress was then stabilised by a seventh-wicket stand of 77 involving Ash Gardner who was dismissed late in the day for a well crafted 40 as well as Annabel Sutherland who is still at the crease on 39*.
99 and out for Ellyse Perry!
Heartbreaking for Perry.
She dismissed for 99 in an Ashes Test. pic.twitter.com/fg3swypQNo
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 22, 2023
Phoebe Litchfield, making her Test debut, was removed for 23 by England’s Kate Cross, who also got her first international victory when she had opener Beth Mooney dismissed for 33 by Filer. Perry, who got dropped when she was at 10, made most of her drop as she along with Tahlia McGrath scored 119 runs over the third wicket during the afternoon session as England’s seamers struggled on a dry and flat surface.
Ecclestone, who got three wickets for 71 runs bowled a whopping 31 overs with an economy rate of 2.29, whereas the four seamers together went at 4.34. Ecclestone was the only bowler to give skipper Heather Knight control. Although the Lancashire slow left-armer played her part brilliantly for Knight, Ecclestone, spinning away at one end while the skipper changed her worn-out seamers at the other, England must exercise caution.
Ecclestone delivered 64 overs in the Test match at Bristol in 2021 against India before experiencing shoulder pain for the remainder of the summer. If England wants to compete against the world champions Australia in the subsequent six Ashes multi-format games, they must give a thought on her fitness and have that on point.
