Women's Ashes: Ellyse Perry's 99 puts Australia in driver's seat against England
Jun 23, 2023
Nottingham [UK], June 23 : Ellyse Perry led Australia's dominance for swathes of the game after Lauren Filer made her dream debut as she and Sophie Ecclestone combined to redress the balance on the first day of a One-off Test against England here at the Trent Bridge.
At the time of stumps, Australia's score read 328/7 with Annabel Sutherland (39) and Alana King (7) unbeaten at the crease.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first Australia got off to a shaky start as they were reduced to 83 for 2 due to the loss of openers Beth Mooney and Test debutant Phoebe Litchfield.
Perry did what she does best for Australia by putting together another great Test performance. But when Filer caught her at gully on 99, she painfully missed out on a third Test century. Following Ecclestone's two wickets in three balls, which included Alyssa Healy for a second-ball duck, Australia was reduced to 238 for 6.
In a 119-run partnership with Tahlia McGrath, who displayed some exquisite strokeplay through the covers to reach a well-paced fifty from 67 balls, Perry reached her fifty by threading a four off Kate Cross between second slip and gully, followed immediately by another whipped off the pads through midwicket. McGrath was removed by Ecclestone, a left-arm spinner, with a ball that angled in and spun through the batter's advanced defence before clattering into the top of the middle stump.
After making an unbeaten 173 against England for Australia A in their three-day warm-up match in Derby last week, left-handed batsman Jess Jonassen moved up the order to No. 5. But when she gloved a catch to Tammy Beaumont at short leg and was ruled out after England's review, she gave Ecclestone her second wicket.
After three overs, Perry attempted to cut Filer's short ball as it rose towards her and narrowly missed Nat Sciver-Brunt in the gully. When Perry attempted to drive the next ball, which Filer had bowled, she instead sent it to Sciver-Brunt, much to Filer's great satisfaction.
Brief Scores: Australia 328/7 (Elleyse Perry 99, Annabel Sutherland 39*, Sophie Ecclestone 3-71) vs England.
