Annabel Sutherland and Tammy Beaumont’s spectacular century stole the show on day two of England and Australia’s one-off Test match in the Women’s Ashes 2023 at Trent Bridge on Friday. England concluded the day at 218-2 in the aftermath of Australia’s enormous first-innings total of 473, thanks to Beaumont’s unbeaten 100.
Beaumont’s ton was not only crucial for the match, but it was also a tremendous personal feat for her. She joined an elite club of England players, including Heather Knight, Jos Buttler, and Dawid Malan, who accomplished a century in all three formats of the game with this one.
Beaumont, fresh off an unabated double-hundred in the warm-up match last week, maintained the hosts in the hunt with her 100 not out, becoming only the second Englishwoman, after skipper Heather Knight, to hit a century in all three formats.
The fact that she got there dashing for a second run after clipping Sutherland towards square leg after a day and a half in the field simply added to the enchantment of her performance.
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On the second day of the one-off Test match of the Ashes 2023 series versus England at Trent Bridge, Annabel Sutherland’s maiden Test century placed Australia in control. Australia finished their first innings on the second day with a score of 439/8 in 115 overs, with Annabel Sutherland and Kim Garth unfazed at the crease with individual scores of 14(56)* and 116(160)*.
Annabel Sutherland and Alana King’s combination persisted, keeping Australia’s hopes of breaking the 400-run barrier alive. Both hitters kept the seventh wicket partnership going till the 98th over.
Lauren Bell made the game-changing delivery, a full outside off delivery spun back towards the right-handed King, going clear through the gap to smash the top of the off-stump. This wicket ended a 47-run partnership, with King leaving for a score of 21(46).
Sutherland and Kim Garth led the fight against the English bowlers as their innings approached their conclusion. The duties of both batters were clear; Garth held down the other end as the anchor, while Sutherland went on a scoring binge.
Sutherland went on to get her first Test century with a four. She raised her bat and helmet in the air, to rousing acclaim from the audience. Garth joined the party when Sutherland completed her century, slamming a four with a sweep stroke to send the ball past square leg.
Annabel Sutherland became the youngest woman in history to score an Ashes Test century. The 21-year-old finished unbeaten on 137, contributing significantly to Australia’s dominant total. Sutherland’s century was the quickest by an Australian in women’s Test history, as well as the first by a No.8 batter.
Garth’s desire to spin the strike grew stronger with each passing over. Both hitters held on to their wickets through the final over the preceding lunch. Australia finished with a score of 439/8. Australia’s ability to form partnerships was crucial to their innings, with Sutherland and Gardner putting on 77 runs for the seventh wicket, and Ellyse Perry, who fell on 99, sharing a 119-run partnership with Tahlia McGrath after contributing 48 with Beth Mooney.
The pair returned to the pitch and held their 75-run partnership till the 121st over. Ecclestone made a major breakthrough by dismissing Garth for an LBW. The ball then struck her in the rear leg; she reviewed the on-field judgement in the hopes of surviving, but the screen displayed three reds, forcing Kim Garth to leave with a score of 22(76).
Ecclestone clinched her maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket two overs later when Darcie Brown attempted to punch the ball but ended up straight into the bowler’s hands. Australia’s innings ended with a total score of 473.
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With their highest-ever first-innings total in women’s Test match history, Australia had set a difficult goal. However, England’s robust start and determination to back aside allowed them to remain in the competition. England sustained their onslaught even after having lost Emma Lamb for 10 runs in the tenth over.
Heather Knight produced 57 runs in a 115-run partnership with Beaumont, and Nat Sciver-Brunt cruised to a quick 41 not out. Despite possessing two more spinners than England, Australia’s bowlers struggled to keep the English batters at bay. Beaumont, who was granted a reprieve on 61 after Australia elected not to review a catch, demonstrated her tenacity and commitment.
While Brown and Garth struggled to nail their lengths early on, Beaumont sent Brown to second slip, where Phoebe Litchfield surfaced to get a fingertip to a challenging opportunity, but otherwise amassed nicely, punishing any wayward balls to the boundary.
Annabel Sutherland came on in the 10th over and struck with her sixth ball, coaxing a drive from Emma Lamb with a fuller ball on off stump that soared to Jess Jonassen, who took the catch low at second slip. Beaumont fired a full toss to the boundary over mid-on after she bowled 13 dot-balls at a stretch.
Tammy Beaumont reached her third Test fifty by drawing an Alana King delivery beyond deep midwicket, and two balls later, she swept her fine for her 11th boundary of the innings. On 61, umpire Anna Harris denied Australia’s heartfelt appeal for a catch by Litchfield at short leg, and the visitors opted to review, despite replays proving Beaumont had smacked King’s fuller ball onto her boot before it drifted directly to Litchfield. Later, on 88, she almost averted Jonassen’s dive at slip.
Knight hit a four-ball reverse sweep against Ashleigh Gardner, who had been brought on at the start of the final hour as Australia looked for a wicket, and then perforated the slips with a boundary off Garth to reach her fourth Test fifty. Gardner ultimately boosted Australia by coaxing an edge with a fuller, slower delivery, and wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy did the rest.
England’s innings will begin on day three, with Beaumont still continuing at the crease and embraced by all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who batted an entertaining 41 not out from 44 balls.
Women’s Ashes 2023 One-Off Test Day 2 Brief Scores:
Australia 473/10 (Annabel Sutherland 137*, Ellyse Perry 99; Sophie Ecclestone 5-129) lead England 218/2 (Tammy Beaumont 100*) by 255 runs.
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