England Women lead by 133 runs at stumps on day two
England will take a lead of 133 runs into the third day of the Ashes Test match at The Gabba having bowled Australia out for just 78 runs
ECB Media Release
16-Feb-2003
England will take a lead of 133 runs into the third day of the Ashes Test
match at The Gabba having bowled Australia out for just 78 runs. It was
Australia's third lowest innings score in an Ashes Series and not since The
Oval Test in 1951 have Australia failed to register a three figure total in
an innings against England.
England Captain, Clare Connor said "ideally, we would have wanted a lead of
220, but in the context of this match we will be happy to put another thirty
runs on the board tomorrow and bowl Australia out again".
"It's the first time in my career, and in the career of all the England
players that we have blown Australia away. I suppose it is overshadowed by
our performance with the bat this afternoon, but we would not have expected
to be back in by the middle during the second session today".
For the second day in succession, England dominated the opening session of
play, but today managed to follow it up with another exemplary hour in the
field to take a lead of 46 runs into their second innings.
Australia survived just 40 overs as wickets falling continuously. Lucy
Pearson maximised the extra bounce, and she finished with 4-31 from 15
overs. "I'm really pleased with how I bowled. I felt confident throughout
that wickets would come to us as the ball was swinging from the outset, so I
knew that if I was accurate then the ball would do the work for me".
Laura Newton also bowled her best Test spell with 3-10 from 6 overs.
Clare Connor, England Captain, surprised Belinda Clark, her Australian
counterpart by opening the bowling with off-spinner Laura Harper and Harper
promptly had Clark caught by Newton for 4 runs in the second over. Fellow
opener Lisa Sthaleaker quickly followed her Captain, trapped lbw by Pearson.
The loss of Australia's openers usually signals an onslaught from Karen
Rolton, the leading run-scorer and most prized wicket in women's cricket
with a Test average of 68.
Connor introduced Laura Newton to the attack, and the seamer bowled an
inspired spell with pace and movement to dismiss Rolton, caught and bowled
for 8, Gosko lbw for 0 and debutant Alex Blackwell, caught Harper at second
slip for 4.
When the teams met in 2001, Gosko and Rolton had shared their own
competition as Gosko, on debut, hit 204 to take the world record for the
highest individual Test Score at Shenley. She didn't keep it long; Rolton
scored a magnificent 208 at Headingley.
But today was a day for bowlers. At stumps, England were 87-8; Cathryn
Fitzpatrick taking 3-25 and Julie Hayes 3-9. Australia struck vital blows
twice, the first when Hayes had Charlotte Edwards caught behind in the 44th
over, with the last ball before tea. Unintimidated by the bowling of
Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Edwards had hooked the pace bowler in successive overs
and reached 27, the top score of the day, with some comfort.
The second was Clare Connor's dismissal to Fitzpatrick with the last ball of
the day having established a useful partnership with of 21 with Laura Newton
for the eighth wicket.
Newton, on 9, and Clare Taylor will resume in the morning to add as many
runs as possible before Australia bat again.