Key events
Australia had the better of the first session with three wickets for only 64 runs as Kim Garth threatened by moving the ball both ways and finished with 2 for 13 from 10 overs. Heather Knight (25) made a start but was again unable to turn it into a big score that her side desperately needs, as the captain was trapped in front to leave Nat Sciver-Brunt (20 not out) as the key to the tourists’ hopes of amassing a competitive first innings total at the MCG.
Top up a beverage, grab yourself a snack, take a peek at the over-by-over action coming out of Galle, and we’ll be back shortly for the second session.
26th over: England 64-3 (Sciver-Brunt 20, Dunkley 6) Alyssa Healy calls on spin for the first time in what is surely the last over before lunch. The Australia skipper turns to Ash Gardner’s off-spin as the all-rounder returns from a calf injury that sidelined her for the T20 leg. Gardner gets a bit out of the pitch as Dunkley defends off the back foot to see out the over and head off for a feed unbeaten alongside Sciver-Brunt.
25th over: England 64-3 (Sciver-Brunt 20, Dunkley 6) A ripper from Brown is too good for Sciver-Brunt as the England batter gets forward but misjudges the movement. Sciver-Brunt is more comfortable with the ball pitched back of a length but can’t find the gaps. Maiden over.
24th over: England 64-3 (Sciver-Brunt 20, Dunkley 6) Garth has 2 for 13 from her 10 overs after Voll dives to limit a well-timed drive from Sciver-Brunt to a single, then the Australia quick has Dunkley defending with lunch very much now in sight.
23rd over: England 63-3 (Sciver-Brunt 19, Dunkley 6) Darcie Brown returns as Healy sticks with pace on the brink of lunch. Sciver-Brunt has been patient so far but can’t resist a shorter ball that she whacks back past the bowler to the rope, then plays a much more traditional drive for three to the same area. Dunkley almost hands Brown a gift as she lofts a drive that falls short of mid-off.
22nd over: England 56-3 (Sciver-Brunt 12, Dunkley 6) A half-hearted appeal for lbw as Garth jags the ball back into Dunkley, beats the inside edge and finds the back pad. But a smart call from the umpire as height was the only issue.
21st over: England 55-3 (Sciver-Brunt 11, Dunkley 6) Dunkley isn’t one to hang around as the right-hander crunches a straight drive to the rope. A classy stroke from the England batter gets the score ticking over again. Sutherland responds with a tidy over and almost lures Dunkley into a loose drive far away from her body but the England batter is fortunate to play and miss.
20th over: England 51-3 (Sciver-Brunt 11, Dunkley 2) Garth to Sciver-Brunt for another maiden. The Australia quick has the ball talkin’ – and moving both ways – as she pitches it up and keeps the batter guessing. Garth really has been at the top of her game across this series and it would be no shame for England if they are hoping to see her off.
19th over: England 51-3 (Sciver-Brunt 11, Dunkley 2) Sutherland loses her line and almost picks out the skipper standing at first slip until Mooney dives in front her. Dunkley leaves anything she isn’t forced to play at from there then gets off the mark with a clip off her pads for two.
18th over: England 48-3 (Sciver-Brunt 11, Dunkley 0) After a relatively loose opening over, Kim Garth has been right on point just as she was in the white-ball matches across this series. A maiden to Sciver-Brunt is Garth’s third from seven overs.
17th over: England 48-3 (Sciver-Brunt 11, Dunkley 0) Sophia Dunkley has earned her spot in the England XI after missing out on the three ODIs but then impressing at the top of the order in the first two T20s in particular. The powerful right-hander comes in at No 5 this time as England are in an all-too familiar position in this series as they need to rebuild their innings. Sciver-Brunt works a single off her pads, Dunkley then sees off Sutherland’s four deliveries in a cautious start.
WICKET! Knight lbw b Garth 25 (England 47-3)
Garth ends a superb over by getting the ball moving into the England skipper and beating the inside edge to crash into Knight’s front pad. Knight barely considers a review after she is stuck on her crease and Australia have the big breakthrough.
16th over: England 47-3 (Sciver-Brunt 10, Dunkley 0)
15th over: England 45-2 (Knight 23, Sciver-Brunt 10) Sutherland continues and works away at a fuller length to Knight. Healy has placed a fielder in close on either side of the pitch, as well as two in the slips, as Australia look to turn the screw on England. Knight gets away from the danger end with a single to cover.
14th over: England 44-2 (Knight 22, Sciver-Brunt 10) Kim Garth swaps ends as Darcie Brown finally takes a breather after the drinks break. It’s a maiden to Sciver-Brunt.
Like I expect many Australian fans are doing today, Elizabeth Clark has multiple devices turned into cricket at the moment. But she seems to have landed on a surprising clash away from the MCG.
“Just a quick note to say thanks for the OBO, which it looks like I will be relying on, because the ABC Sport Radio app has inexplicably decided to air commentary from the 1992/93 West Indies vs Australia series! I guess it still includes a Healy. (FWIW, third test has ended in a draw…)”
13th over: England 44-2 (Knight 22, Sciver-Brunt 10) Another nick from Knight as Mooney dives in front of first slip but can’t reach the ball with an outstretched glove. Then it’s Sciver-Brunt’s turn to find an edge as she comes forward with soft hands to leave the ball falling short of Litchfield at second slip. The Australian cordon, and perhaps keeper Mooney as well, might want to nudge up a step or two. Sciver-Brunt makes no mistake with a straight drive to the rope then betters the shot when hammering much the same shot off the back foot but Garth chases it down to keep the ball barely short of the boundary for three runs. That’s drinks.
12th over: England 34-2 (Knight 19, Sciver-Brunt 3) A huge appeal! Australia are confident as a faster ball from Brown crashes into Knight’s pads as the England skipper falls across her line. The umpire says “no dice” so Australia send it off for a second opinion. Replays show it was clipping leg stump but not enough to overturn the original decision. Knight responds later in the over with a stylish drive for four, then gets a top edge to a shorter ball that lands safely for a single.
11th over: England 29-2 (Knight 14, Sciver-Brunt 3) The England find some relief against Sutherland even with the young all-rounder bowling at a decent pace. Knight works a ball to the off-side for an easy single, while Sciver-Brunt drives past Sutherland for two.
10th over: England 26-2 (Knight 13, Sciver-Brunt 1) Brown has the ball angling in, jagging away, carrying throught to Mooney behind the stumps, and leaving Sciver-Brunt unsure whether to play or leave. A bouncer sails high and wide for the only addition to the score, then Brown almost finds a way through Sciver-Brunt’s defence. The 21-year-old has bowled five on the trot but has probably deserved at least one more over.
9th over: England 25-2 (Knight 13, Sciver-Brunt 1) Annabel Sutherland comes into the attack in place of Kim Garth who finishes with 1 for 9 across her opening spell. Knight has looked comfortable playing off her pads and finds another single before Sciver-Brunt steps forward and punches the ball to the off-side to get off the mark.
8th over: England 23-2 (Knight 12, Sciver-Brunt 0) Brown starts the over with Beaumont’s scalp then has Sciver-Brunt hopping around the crease, playing and missing, and finding an edge. The England batter survives but that was a superb over from the young quick.
WICKET! Beaumont lbw b Brown 8 (England 23-2)
Brown strikes just as the England pair were starting to settle. It takes one of the balls of the day to send Beaumont on her way as Brown pitches it up, it stays low and nips in. The England opener might have got further forward but was beaten in the movement. She rightly decides not to review as replays show she would have lost her middle stump.
7th over: England 23-1 (Beaumont 8, Knight 12) SHOT! Knight opens up with the pick of the day thus far, punishing a wide half volley through cover to the rope. Garth straightens up as Knight is forced to defend.
6th over: England 19-1 (Beaumont 8, Knight 8) A pair of singles through cover help to rotate the strike until Brown settles in back of a length to Beaumont. The England opener is happy to let the ball sail through to the keeper until tempting by a wider delivery that finds point.
5th over: England 17-1 (Beaumont 7, Knight 7) Kim Garth works away at the line outside off that became so familiar during the white-ball legs of the series. A bit less swing than the pacer was able to find in those matches though, as Knight sees off the first maiden of the day.
4th over: England 17-1 (Beaumont 7, Knight 7) The first boundary of the day and little surprise it comes from a thick edge – the third so far. But Beaumont plays with soft hands as she reaches away from her body outside off and nicks through the slips cordon to the rope.
3rd over: England 10-1 (Beaumont 3, Knight 4) Knight gives a chance. Almost! The England skipper takes a thick edge but the ball falls short of Tahlia McGrath at third slip. Hearts were in mouths for a moment there. Garth drifts onto Knight’s pads and is clipped away for three past square leg.
2nd over: England 7-1 (Beaumont 3, Knight 1) Darcie Brown takes the new ball and starts with a cracker, fast and full to threatening the stumps as Beaumont jags it out late. The opener finds the first runs off the bat with a crisp straight drive that almost reaches the rope but is limited to three. Knight gets off the mark when working the ball down leg for a single.
1st over: England 3-1 (Beaumont 0, Knight 0) An early breakthrough for Australia as Bouchier’s troubles across the series continue. Garth took a few deliveries to find her line outside off stump but once she did Bouchier had no answer to a shorter ball. Captain Heather Knight comes in needing to back up her pre-match comments about a stronger showing from the under-fire tourists and is straight into a forward defence that might be a sign of things to come.
WICKET! Bouchier c Mooney b Garth 2 (England 3-1)
What a start for Australia! And a horrid beginning for England as Maia Bouchier nicks behind for stand-in keeper Beth Mooney to take an early catch. Kim Garth pitches back of a good length but tight enough to force the England opener play, and there is just enough movement to find an edge.
Tammy Beaumont made a double ton the last time these two teams met in a Test at Trent Bridge 18 months ago. The opener will be hoping to carry something resembling that sort of form with her as she strides out to the middle of the MCG alongside Maia Bouchier. Needless to say a solid start will be critical for England as they look to make a stronger showing in the last match of the Women’s Ashes.
Kim Garth has the ball in hand at the top of her run up as we get under way…
While the first day-night Test at the MCG is the main event today another important cricket match is taking place in Melbourne with an Afghanistan XI playing a 20‑over match against a Cricket Without Borders Charity XI.
Raf Nicholson spoke to two of the women playing under the Afghanistan banner for the first time since the Taliban seized power of the country in 2021 and they were forced to flee for their lives.
When the game finishes, we don’t want it to end. We want to go further and have other matches in Australia. We’re glad to have Cricket Australia with us – now we hope to get some support from ICC. We will try to be the best, to tell Afghan girls that they can do it.
Peter Warrington is first to let us know his thoughts on the Australia XI with concerns around how they might take 20 England wickets across the coming four days of play.
“Australia have stacked the batting, possibly because Mooney can’t open and keep. Possibly because a number are in pretty awful form – Litchfield, Perry, Sutherland, and Voll has a couple of 20s. Ash and Brown have had one good test each and Kingy has been on fire, but it’s not clear to me we have structured an attack to win – unless the plan is to use that batting depth to get 450 super fast?”
I think with the many all-rounders, including a mix of seamers and spinners, Healy should have enough options to turn to. But it will be interesting to see how Garth and Brown handle the new ball.
England XI
England: Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight (capt), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophia Dunkley, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Amy Jones (wk), Sophie Ecclestone, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell.
Tammy Beaumont returns to open alongside Maia Bouchier after missing out on the T20s with a formidable Test record against Australia. Knight explains that England have gone with the extra seamer as 20-year-old all-rounder Ryana MacDonald-Gay is called into action for the first time in the series, while spinner Charlie Dean misses out. Kate Cross has not quite done enough to prove her fitness in time.
Australia XI
Australia: Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy (capt), Annabel Sutherland, Beth Mooney (wk), Ash Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Alana King, Kim Garth, Darcie Brown.
Australia welcome back gun all-rounder Ash Gardner as well as their captain Alyssa Healy, while it’s confirmed that Georgia Voll will make her Test debut. Healy says that Voll will bat at the top of the order, likely opening with her great mate Phoebe Litchfield, with Healy to bat at 4 and Beth Mooney to come in at 6 while also taking the keeping gloves. The in-form Alana King gets the nod as the specialist spinner.
Australia win the toss and elect to bowl
Alyssa Healy wins the toss as Heather Knight calls incorrectly for the tourists. The Australia skipper is dressed in cricket pioneer Betty Wilson’s blazer as she explains the decision to field first. “Little bit of grass coverage, does a bit early here, so we’ll have first crack with the ball and see if we can get a bit out of the surface,” Healy said.
It seems the England skipper might have also taken the unusual step to bowl first, though that’s one we will never know. “I’m not too displeased to be batting but we do expect it to do a bit early,” Knight said. “We’re just really excited, we want to play hard and give a good account of ourselves.”
Georgia Voll’s summer to remember continues as the emerging batter is awarded her first baggy green in the Test against England at the MCG. The 21-year-old made an immediate impact in three ODIs against India late last year and showed that she can play with plenty of intent after making her T20 debut in the three clashes with England. Voll now gets an opportunity to show what she can do against the pink ball.
Alyssa Healy has been included in the Australia XI as selectors back her fitness after the skipper missed the T20 leg of the series due to a stress reaction in her foot. Australia’s usual wicketkeeper will play as a batter only with Beth Mooney to take the gloves for the first time in a Test and shift down the batting order.
Raf Nicholson has been following England across the series as the tourists try to turn around their poor form as much as results. Despite most matches being much less competitive than expected, especially after the tied series 18 months ago, a sizeable crowd has made their way into the MCG for the historic occasion.
Beth Mooney was the standout player of the T20 leg of the Ashes as she amassed 213 runs across three innings in the shortest format. The opener-sometimes-keeper has also been making her mark as a regular Guardian columnist across the series and has explained what playing a Test on the MCG will mean to her and the rest of the group, as well as revealing how determined Australia are to complete a clean sweep.
There has been a lot of chat around the 2023 Ashes and that we let England back into the contest to tie that series. We wanted to make sure we didn’t give them a sniff this time.
The conditions in Melbourne are nothing short of perfect for both players and the fans packing the stands – sunny and a high of 21C forecast throughout the day, dropping to around 17C at stumps. It should be warmer over the next three days but still with few clouds on the horizon let alone any hint of rain.
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the historic Women’s Ashes Test at the MCG. Australia and England will play the first day-night, pink-ball Test at the grand arena, while also meeting in this format at the venue for the first time since 1949.
Australia won that Test convincingly 76 years ago and are firm favourites to pull off a similar result this time after an all-conquering Ashes series so far. The hosts have taken all 12 points with three victories in each of the ODI and T20s legs, and have been quite open about wanting to complete the first clean sweep since the multi-format series was introduced.
That should be reason enough for England to turn up for a fight over the next four days in Melbourne and the tourists can at least turn to brushing aside history in their most recent Test outing. England thumped South Africa by 286 runs last December for their first Test victory in a decade as Maia Bouchier and Nat Sciver-Brunt hit first-innings hundreds, captain Heather Knight top-scored with 90 in the second innings, then pacer Lauren Bell ripped through the hosts as they were skittled for just 64 in the chase.
England’s hopes might be more measured this time, especially if Australia captain Alyssa Healy overcomes injury concerns to don the baggy green this afternoon. More on that shortly with the toss and team news coming up in about half an hour.
First ball will be at 2.30pm local time / AEDT or 3.30am for those watching from the chillier climes in England.
Meanwhile, let us know your thoughts and predictions – shoot me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Let’s get into it!
