Women's Ashes: Tammy's marathon century, Sciver-Brunt's fifty keeps England alive (Day 3, Lunch)

Nottingham [UK], June 24 : Tammy Beaumont's unbeaten hundred and a half-century from Nat Sciver-Brunt kept England's hopes alive at the end of the first session during the third day of the one-off Ashes Test against Australia in Nottingham on Saturday.
At the end of the first session, England stood at 308-3, with Beaumont (144) and Sophia Dunkley (7) unbeaten.
England started the third day at 218/2, with Beaumont 100 and Sciver-Brunt 41 unbeaten.
The English duo kept attacking the Australian bowlers, with Darcie Brown
being smashed for three fours by Beaumont in the 58th over.
Sciver-Brunt brought up her half-century in 70 balls.
England reached the 250-run mark in 62 overs.
Sciver-Brunt and Beaumont also brought up their hundred-run stand and kept England alive.
In the 64th over, Sciver-Brunt smashed Annabel Sutherland for three consecutive fours.
The 137-run stand between the duo ended after Sciver-Brunt fell for 78 off 111 runs, with 12 boundaries. England was 288/3, with Ashleigh Gardner getting the wicket with the assistance of the safe hands of wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy.
England reached the 300-run mark in 79.1 overs.
Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver-Brunt's counterattack against Australian bowlers brought the game back to parity on the second day of the one-off Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.
England ended the day with a score of 218/2 with Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver-Brunt unbeaten at scores of 100(154)* and 41(44)*.
The hosts received an early blow in the form of Emma Lamb as she was sent back to the pavilion by Annabel Sutherland.
England managed to regroup with Beaumont and skipper Heather Knight at the crease. The duo took charge and controlled the flow of the game.
Australia needed a breakthrough desperately and Ashleigh Gardner found an outside edge off Knight with the help of some extra bounce. Healy made no mistake taking the catch. The England skipper departed for a score of 57(91).
Australia's trouble again started to mount after the arrival of the Sciver-Brunt.
She took a few balls to settle down and once she found her first boundary, there was no stopping her.
Beaumont brought her maiden Test ton in the second last over of the second day.
In the first innings, Australia was bundled out for 473 in 124.2 overs.
Sutherland led the scoreboard with her maiden hundred, a knock of 137* in 184 balls, which consisted of 16 fours and a six.
Earlier, a 119-run stand for the third wicket between Ellyse Perry (99 in 153 balls, with 15 fours) and Tahlia McGrath (61 in 83 balls, with eight fours) had put Aussies in a dominant position.
Sophie Ecclestone (5/129) was the pick of the bowlers for England. Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer took two scalps each while Kate Cross took one wicket.
Brief Scores: England: 308/3 (Tammy Beaumont 144*, Nat Sciver Brunt 78, Ashleigh Gardner 2/61) vs Australia (Annabel Sutherland 137*, Ellyse Perry 99, Sophie Ecclestone 5/129).