Annabel Sutherland of Australia broke a number of records after scoring an impressive double-century on day two as merciless Australia drew in on a sweeping Test victory against South Africa at the WACA. Sutherland’s 210 outscored Australia’s 575 for 9 – the greatest total in women’s Test cricket – until skipper Alyssa Healy pronounced early in the final session.
Seamers Kim Garth and Darcie Brown bowled brilliantly with the new ball, ripping through South Africa, who fell to 13 for 3. The home team was in grave difficulty after limiting visitors South Africa to their lowest score (76) in the red-ball format, validating skipper Alyssa Healy’s decision to bowl first at the WACA in Perth.
Skipper Alyssa Healy partnered with Beth Mooney to give Australia a first-inning advantage. Nadine de Klerk dismissed Beth Mooney, while Delmi Tucker claimed the huge scalp of opposing captain Alyssa Healy, depriving her maiden Test century by one run, to put South Africa back into the game. Annabel Sutherland reached her well-deserved half-century mark before the end of the first day of play.
Annabel Sutherland resumed play on the second day, with her overnight partner Ashleigh Gardner at the opposite end. She maintained her upbeat attitude while Gardner gave the right support from the other end, resulting in a mammoth 144-run stand for the sixth wicket to push the lead past 300 runs. Nadine de Klerk returned and took Ashleigh Gardner’s wicket, giving South Africa a much-needed breakthrough.
Sophie Molineux embraced Annabel Sutherland at the crease, and the two put on another pivotal 86-run partnership for the seventh wicket until Chloe Tryon clean-bowled Sophie Molineux to provide South Africa’s breakthrough. On her return to international cricket, the 26-year-old all-rounder appeared to be at ease with the bat.
Kim Garth joined Annabel Sutherland at the crease, and Annabel Sutherland recorded her maiden double century in the red-ball format alongside a 62-run partnership for the eighth wicket, before Chloe Tryon took Annabel Sutherland’s big wicket to provide some relief for the South Africans.
She became the ninth player and fifth Australian to achieve a double century in the red-ball format, as well as the second youngest player at 22 years and 126 days, behind former Indian legend Mithali Raj, who accomplished the incredible feat at the age of 19 years and 254 days. Australia ultimately declared the innings at 575/9 in the 126th over.
Test 200! What a moment for Annabel Sutherland 🤩#AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/euEECseD3Q
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) February 16, 2024
It is the biggest team total in Test match history, and their 499-run first-innings lead is the largest ever in a women’s Test match. She also struck Australia’s fastest century in the red ball format in a one-off Test match in the Ashes in June last year, when she attained her milestone in just 148 balls.
With a big first-innings lead, the visitors from South Africa were under immense pressure to rescue this historic Test match with a gutsy effort with the bat in their second innings following an exhausting day on the field. The South African top order, on the other hand, failed to put up a fight and were easily dismissed by Australia’s new ball bowlers, Kim Garth and Darcie Brown. Sune Luus and their captain, Laura Wolvaaardt, were both dismissed, dealing a significant blow to the Proteas.
At 13/3 in the eighth over of the innings, Delmi Tucker went with Tazmin Brits at the bat, and the pair weathered the storm with an undefeated 54-run stand for the fourth wicket. Going into the third day of play, the duo would hope to make it through the morning session without splitting up and then reassess the situation from there for the South Africans to flesh out their fightback tale at the WACA in this historic Test match against Australia.
Brief Scores: Australia vs South Africa One-off Test Day 2
South Africa 76 (Darcie Brown 5-25, Annabel Sutherland 3-19) & 67/3 (Kim Garth 2-8) trail Australia 575/9 decl. (Annabel Sutherland 210, Alyssa Healy 99, Beth Mooney 78; Chloe Tyron 3-81, Masabata Klaas 3-85) by 432 runs.
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