Tahlia McGrath celebrates the wicket of Kate Cross during an absorbing third day of the Ashes Test. -AP
ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA, Women’s Ashes Test, Trent Bridge, Day Three on Saturday.
SCORE: Australia (473 and 0-82) lead England (463) by 92 runs with 10 wickets in hand.
SUMMARY: After resuming on an even 100, Tammy Beaumont turned her maiden Test century into a brilliant 208 at Trent Bridge. Along with Nat Sciver-Brunt, the pair looked as if they were going to bat England into a sizeable lead, but when Ashleigh Gardner had Brunt caught behind, the game changed. Australia’s quicks picked up wickets with the new ball and Tahlia McGrath took 3-24 to run through England’s tail and give the tourists a 10-run first-innings lead. Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield batted Australia through to stumps, giving them the upper hand in the Test.
PLAYER OF THE MOMENT: Tammy Beaumont. She barely looked fazed at all in her record-breaking innings, which marked the first double-century by an Englishwoman in Test cricket. Her 208 is also the fifth highest score of all-time.
KEY MOMENT: Ashleigh Gardner’s ball to bowl Nat Sciver-Brunt. Gardner speared it in and cramped the English champion for room, catching her edge as she tried to cut before the chance was neatly taken by Alyssa Healy. England were 2-288 at that point.
STAT OF THE DAY: England lost their last five wickets for 52 runs while Australia’s lost theirs for 235. That could well prove the difference in the match.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I guess I am hitting them okay at the moment.” – a smiling Tammy Beaumont, whose 208 in the Test match came after she hit 201 in a warm-up game against Australia A last week.