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England face struggle to avoid innings loss to Australia in Women's Ashes Test - as it happened

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 Updated 
Sat 20 Jul 2019 14.07 EDTFirst published on Sat 20 Jul 2019 05.12 EDT
 Sophie Molineux of Australia celebrates taking the wicket of Heather Knight of England.
Sophie Molineux of Australia celebrates taking the wicket of Heather Knight of England. Photograph: Alex Davidson/Getty Images
Sophie Molineux of Australia celebrates taking the wicket of Heather Knight of England. Photograph: Alex Davidson/Getty Images

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That’s all from us for today. The match report will be up here soon. Thanks for all the messages, it was an intriguing day. Have a lovely evening everyone. Good night!

Stumps

Well that was a curate’s egg of an innings by England. A super partnership between Jones and Knight, but after Jones fell the momentum slowed. Sciver played very well for her unbeaten 62 - but it had become a rearguard action with Brunt and Shrubsole defending doughtily. Debut Test fifties for Jones and Sciver. I guess England decided that the humiliation of losing the Test as well as the ODIs, and the state of the pitch, meant it wasn’t worth sending everyone in to have an old heave-ho.

What a day for Sophie Molineux, three wickets on debut!

Sophie Molineux: three wickets on Test debut. Photograph: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
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83rd over: England 199-6 (Sciver 62, Shrubsole 1) Last over of the day and the ball is thrown to Gardner. Sciver dashes a single. The last ball is to Shrubsole, Gardner pauses, fielders move from x to y, a seagull flies across the ground, Australia call for a helmet and shin pads and the crowd start slow hand clapping. Now then.... Shrubsole places glove on hip and ... the ball is legside ...and she pads it away. At stumps, England trail by 221 with just a day to go. To win back the Ashes, England needed to win the game.

82nd over: England 198-6 (Sciver 61, Shrubsole 1) Sciver whips Molineux to mid-wicket and they run two. Then a half-hearted chop. This has end-of-day written all over it.

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81st over: England 195-6 (Sciver 58, Shrubsole 1) Australia choose not to take the new ball. Gardener continues as the shadows start to creep across the pitch. Just a single as the overs tick away.

England’s Anya Shrubsole bats as the day draws to a close. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images via Reuters
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80th over: England 194-6 (Sciver 56, Shrubsole 1). Shrubsole soaks up five balls of the over. Just a single to Sciver.

Avitaj Mitra has the germ of an idea.

“Hello Tanya!
Clearly, this test is plodding away to an inevitable draw (as things stand currently).


“Suggestion:England bat for 20 overs tomorrow.. score 271 (thus avoiding the follow on) and de
clare. The Aussies bat another 15-20 overs, score say 90 runs and declare.

“England would need 240 odd in 50 overs on a pitch taking prodigious spin.
Of course, *very* unlikely to occur, nevertheless.. considering the paucity of Women’s test matches.. this would set up a potentially thrilling finish.
Opinions welcome.”

I love it! But it won’t happen.

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78th over: England 192-6 (Sciver 56, Shrubsole 1). It is maiden city at Taunton. Another from Molineux.

Ah, there’s Enid Bakewell giving a cheery wave. . One of Wisden’s Five Greats and incredibly young at heart with a candy-crush obsession. Heres’s a super piece by Joe Wilson.

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77th over: England 192-6 (Sciver 56, Shrubsole 1) Gardner has a spring in her step, understandably, spinning on her right foot, arm diagonally across Shrubsole’s toes. Sciver and Shrubsole have a mid-wicket chat. Are there instructions?Will they tarry a little less? And while we’re at it women’s cricket experts - I’m ashamed to ask this but why only four days?

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76th over: England 190-6 (Sciver 54, Shrubsole 0) Shrubsole is watchful, pretty keen to get down the other end as Molineux flights the ball with some style.

75th over: England 189-6 (Sciver 54, Shrubsole 0) A wicket maiden for Ash Gardner! A great little innings there by Brunt - 75 balls and blood sweat and tears in that there 15.

WICKET! Brunt b Gardner 15

Brunt edges onto the stumps via her pads . The end of a super vigil - but I fear doom’s door is now open. Gardener’s first wicket in Test cricket!

Alyssa Healy of Australia (left) celebrates as Katherine Brunt of England is bowled. Photograph: Harry Trump/Getty Images
Gardner is congratulated by her teammates. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images via Reuters
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74th over: England 189-5 (Sciver 54, Brunt 15) Molineux spins one past Shiver’s bat. Tasty. Then paddle-sweeps for two. The new ball will be available in six overs.

73rd over: England 186-5 (Sciver 52, Brunt 14) Schutt bowls another maiden. The acceleration waits for another over.

Abhijato has an answer to Geoff’s question:

“I’m inclined to go with Alyssa Healy, the next best all-rounder in the side. She pulls off excellent feats of athleticism behind the stumps to back up a consistent pair of gloves, while also being a highly successful aggressive opener in the mould of Gilchrist. Her outstanding run of form won Australia the last T20 World Cup and she could very well do it again. If I can’t have Ellyse Perry in my team, I’ll shout and stamp the ground like Tanya; if I can’t have Alyssa Healy in my team, I’ll cause a riot.”

71st over: England 186-5 (Sciver 52, Brunt 14) Sciver is tempted to have a go at a wide one from Schutt. Don’t do it Nat! Oush, the next one nearly goes through her, a desperate last minute jam down with the bat. So we’ve got 12 overs to go, and England still trail by 234. They must risk defeat to have a go at victory, no? They must hit, hit and hit again.

Abhijato has done algebra This crude formula is something I just whipped up for chases in T20s: [Number of Wickets left - {(Required Run Rate) - (Current Run Rate)}]*100. If result is above 55, batting side usually wins; if not, bowling side does ... Now, can anyone confirm or reject this?

Scratching my head. Anyone?

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70th over: England 185-5 (Sciver 52, Brunt 14) Lanning turns to Schutt with her idiosyncratic two-step-bend at the top of her mark. A word here for Brunt who is having to play an atypical knock, curbing her natural instincts. Actually I read a super piece (that will appear in the next Nightwatchman magazine) about the mental strain needed to do that.

Geoff Wignall is setting OBO readers quizzes: “I was wondering: if you could steal one of the Aussies to play for England but you couldn’t have Perry, whom would you choose (and why)?”

I can’t have Perry? Why not? Shout and stamps.

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68th over: England 185-5 (Sciver 52, Brunt 14) Nicole Bolton hurts her right hand diving to stop a drive at extra cover. The physios runs on with their bag of tricks and they bandage up her wrist and thumb with flesh coloured tape. Sciver watches Molineux’s next three deliveries with great care and shows a beautifully straight back

John Box too wants a scorecard. Fingers crossed! If it doesn’t get sorted tonight - not sure if I’ve emailed the right person - we’ll get it done for tomorrow morning. Thanks for the reminder.

And someone’s enjoying himself!

pic.twitter.com/dYgQVPJVwT

— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) July 20, 2019
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67th over: England 182-5 (Sciver 51, Brunt 11) . I’m enjoying Vlaeminck’s effort and enthusiasm. All long limbs and youth. Brunt pulls down to long leg off the last ball, they go through for a single and that’s the fifty partnership.

Ah, the camera pans back. How gorgeous Taunton looks, those spires and hills. The warmth of the evening sun. No jumpers on the fielders yet.

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66th over: England 180-5 (Sciver 51, Brunt 10) I don’t want to jinx anyone here but Sciver and Brunt are looking - dare I say it - untroubled out there. They nurdle a couple from Molineux, order a pinna colada and enjoy the evening sun.

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Sciver moves on to fifty!

65th over: England 178-5 (Sciver 50, Brunt 9) Sciver cuts Vlaeminck confidently and that’s her maiden Test fifty in her fifth Test. She’s played very well. She smiles broadly but there is still a lot to do. England trail by 243.

England’s Natalie Sciver celebrates reaching her half century. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images via Reuters
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64th over: England 171-5 (Sciver 49, Brunt 7) Jonassen again. Sciver pulls a shortish ball, it floats towards the boundary and she moves on to 49.

This is the saddest thing about the lack of long-form women’s cricket.

There will be an entire post Mithali Raj generation of Indian women cricketers who will not have a Test record. :(

— neeru bhatia (@neerubhatia3) July 20, 2019
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63rd over: England 171-5 (Sciver 45, Brunt 7) Vlaeminck runs in accompanied by a chorus of seagulls. Hold on to your ice-creams. Just one off the over, a single down to fine leg.

Geoff Wignall writes: Good afternoon Tanya,

Hi Geoff!

These Australians seem an impressive and unrelenting bunch.Re the treatment of women’s cricket: I’m sure if this was a men’s test I wouldn’t have to scroll down to 5 hours ago to discover the Aussie 1st innings total - might even get a scorecard link. A matter for your corporate overlords?

Er....I’ve gone blank as to what we normally do. Let me try for a link.

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62nd over: England 170-5 (Sciver 44, Brunt 7) Jonassen raises her hands and her voice for hearty lbw shout - but it was bat before boot. Not out.

Just discovered that Nat Sciver nudged Vlaeminck for the 100,000th run in women’s Test cricket in the last over. Rosette someone!

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61st over: England 169-5 (Sciver 43, Brunt 7) Tayla Vlaeminck runs in - 70mph isn’t bad for a loosener. She was a bit all over the place in her first spell, perhaps a little longer out at pasture will have settled the nerves. She mixes it up - a bouncer, full length and a widish delivery on the offside. Just one from the over.

Another cracking piece on Perry. Loving the fact the best writers WANT to write about women’s cricket. What a sea change.

Piece on the inherent sadness of Ellyse Perry.

A player who has reached the ceiling of her game before that of her ability

https://t.co/UaIZhTUnW4 via @cricbuzz #WomensAshes pic.twitter.com/RXgweTK8OB

— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) July 19, 2019

60th over: England 168-5 (Sciver 42, Brunt 7) A Nat Sciver dive saves her skin as she and Brunt scamper two from Jonassen. A little later on in the over Sciver is tempted forwards to prod and the ball, I think, falls just short of Meg Lanning at slip. Australia’s spinners revelling in Ciderabad. And that’s drinks! Crucial session coming up now, this summer’s evening in Somerset.

59th over: England 164-5 (Sciver 39, Brunt 7) Sciver gets busy, cracking Gardner for a boundary through mid-wicket and scampering a few more.

58th over: England 153-5 (Sciver 32, Brunt 7) Ok Adam and I are having computer malfunctions. Hopefully this is me now....

57th over: England 153-5 (Sciver 28, Brunt 6) Gardner through another maiden, played watchfully by Brunt. She is 6 from 34 balls - not an equation you would normally associate with the power hitter.

57th over: Australia 153-5 (Sciver 28, Brunt 6) Gardner again, reeling in. Brunt is looking a bit static and nervous but she’s crowded by fielders. She mistimes a few. A maiden.

56th over: England 153-5 (Sciver 28, Brunt 6) Sciver does have a pop at Molineux this time around but doesn’t make contact from the standing sweep position. There’s a polite enquiry, turned down. She does make good contact down the ground for a couple. I wonder if they will try Vlaeminck again for another burst at Brunt?

55th over: England 151-5 (Sciver 26, Brunt 6) Gardner in again from the River End, Sciver off strike first ball with a single to square leg, Brunt doing her best to keep the rest out. This is a good spell.

53rd over: England 148-5 (Sciver 25, Brunt 6) Thank you Adam. I’m all for getting funky but I think England are in a bit of a funk here. An attack/defend kerfuffle - what price a win? An inside edge by Brunt off Molineux skiddaddles away for a couple.

54th over: England 150-5 (Sciver 25, Brunt 6) With two to Brunt to finish the otherwise probing Molineux set, also through her legs (!), England have raised their 150.

Adam Collins
Adam Collins

53rd over: England 147-5 (Sciver 24, Brunt 4) Shot, Nat. Sciver gets down the track to turn a Gardner off break into a full toss, giving it the treatment. That’s the aggression we enjoy from this fine all-rounder. She gets in behind the rest, smothering the spin from around the wicket. And with that, friends, I’m out of here. Thanks for your company this afternoon. Back to Tanya to take us through to the close. Let’s hope England do reach 271 and get FUNKY!

52nd over: England 142-5 (Sciver 19, Brunt 4) Brunt gets off strike from the first of Molineux’s new over out to cover, Sciver doing likewise. Brunt has ample air to work with but doesn’t swing. Yet.

WICKET!

A third scalp for Sophie Molineux, who is quickly becoming England's nemisis, as she traps Sarah Taylor on the pad.

England in trouble on 137-5. Watch live on Sky Sports Cricket now and follow our live blog: https://t.co/50MS6246KY pic.twitter.com/ujFXkryll6

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2019


51st over: England 140-5 (Sciver 18, Brunt 3) Gardner fires down a 75-second maiden at Sciver to keep the pressure on. The final offering is a clever one, going on with the arm and past the outside edge.

50th over: England 140-5 (Sciver 18, Brunt 3) Molineux really has been brilliant today, giving nothing at any stage. Ha, Sciver NATMEGS her behind square leg for one. I’m here for all the 2017 World Cup nostalgia you’ve got.

49th over: England 138-5 (Sciver 17, Brunt 2) I like this change, Gardner on to replace Perry to try in an effort to go through the gate with her off breaks. Just the one from from her first over back, Brunt keeping the strike. Do they encourage the Barnsley Express to have a big crack? Or Sciver, even? Both can make bulk runs in a hurry.

WICKET!

Amy Jones chips Sophie Molineux straight to Rachael Haynes, who finds a way to hang on, to bring an end to a fine debut Test innings.

England 119-4 in reply to Australia's 420-8. Watch live on Sky Sports Cricket now and follow our live blog: https://t.co/50MS6246KY pic.twitter.com/7n8ooQQkRA

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2019



48th over: England 137-5 (Sciver 17, Brunt 1) Sciver whips away the final ball of the successful Molineux over through midwicket. England’s longish tail will be exposed at some stage; the all-rounder needs to do the bulk of the heavy lifting.

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WICKET! Taylor lbw b Molineux 5 (England 132-5)

Hard to tell from one replay if that was pad/bat or bat/pad but without DRS it’s academic - Taylor is out. Molineux gets her third with an excellent straighter one.

Sophie Molineux of Australia (right) celebrates with Nicole Bolton of Australia after taking the wicket of England’s Sarah Taylor. Photograph: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
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47th over: England 132-4 (Sciver 13, Taylor 5) A deep point for Perry now, reinforcing that she has been more than a fraction short in this second spell. She’s straighter and fuller to both players, each clipping singles to midwicket. I wonder whether we might see the Bendigo Bullet for a little burst here before Taylor is set?

46th over: England 129-4 (Sciver 12, Taylor 4) They take their time again to set the field for Taylor. Once set, Molineux gives Taylor flight and when she overpitches, those rubbery wrists of the England ‘keeper get a chance to snap the ball through midwicket to score a classy boundary to get off the mark.

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