THE first day of women’s Test cricket in two years concluded with the series pendulum still firmly in favour of Australia, who clocked up 265 runs for the loss of only three wickets.

England have to win this Test if they are to stand any chance of regaining the Ashes but already, after 100 overs of attritional cricket and with rain likely to interrupt play across the second and third days, a draw looks the most likely result.

England were yet again undone by a patient effort from Ellyse Perry, who finished unbeaten on 84 after a century-partnership with Rachael Haynes for the fourth wicket, in an innings that has already sparked comparisons to her 213 not out on the last occasion of this kind, at North Sydney in 2017.

Earlier in the day, Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning had both hit maiden Test half-centuries.
It would be hard to argue that England’s bowlers did not throw everything bar the kitchen sink at their opponents, in pursuit of the early match advantage.

Katherine Brunt, returning to international duty having missed the third ODI with a swollen ankle, reached 75mph in an opening spell reminiscent of her golden years; Sophie Ecclestone bravely bowled on through considerable pain after bruising her shoulder early in the morning session while diving for a catch. Test debutant 21-year-old Kirstie Gordon, playing in her first competitive multi-day match, shouldered a load of 20 overs.

In fact, all made breakthroughs but none of the three could quite make the decisive impact which the series situation demanded.

“One hundred overs in the field is something we’re not used to, and we’ve stuck at it really well,” the England vice-captain, Anya Shrubsole, said. “It was attritional Test cricket, that’s for sure. We hung in there really well, and never let the run rate get away from us, but they batted with a lot of discipline and made it hard.”

Australia – whose captain Lanning had insisted on the eve of the Test we’re on the hunt for a win but for whom a draw will suffice to retain the Ashes trophy – were clearly in no hurry.
An aggressive declaration late in the evening session might have been on the cards had Perry and Haynes forced the pace. Instead, resuming after tea on 203 for three, they plodded along merrily, content to add only 62 runs across the evening session.

Indeed Haynes, who brought up a 145-ball half-century just before stumps, had earlier remained with her tally on 41 so long that the 2,000-strong Taunton crowd might well have suspected the electronic scoreboard had malfunctioned. (Yahoo Sport)