ENGvsAUS: Ashleigh Gardner too hot for England to handle as Australia win Women’s Ashes

Gardner – the right-arm off-spinner – returned with impressive figures of 8 for 66 as Aussies restricted English batters to 178 in the fourth innings as the hosts chased 268 to win. It was the second-best effort from a bowler in a Test innings in women’s cricket after India’s Neetu David (8/53 vs ENG-W in 1995).

The wily Australia spinner – who was named the player of the match for scalping 12 wickets in the match – had picked up a four-for in the first innings as well as her team took a slender 10-run lead after England were bowled out for 463.

On day five, Trent Bridge threw open its gates free of charge and England resumed play on 116 for five. The hosts, however, crumbled on a surface, that was doing a lot on the last day, in the run chase and were bundled out for 178 inside 90 minutes despite a defiant 54 from Danni Wyatt.

Batting first, the Alyssa Healy-led side posted a massive 473 in 124.3 overs with Annabel Sutherland (137), Ellyse Perry (99) and Tahlia McGrath (61) top-scoring for the side. Gardner scored a crucial 40 off 76 balls. Sophie Ecclestone (5/129) was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.

In response, England’s batters put up a fantastic show and made most of the batting-friendly conditions at Trent Bridge to post 463 in the first innings, courtesy of a maiden double century from Tammy Beaumont. With her marathon knock of 208 off 331 deliveries, Beaumont, thus, became the first English woman to slam a double ton in the red-ball format.

With the first innings ending even-stevens, the game was evenly poised. Opener Beth Mooney (85) and her partner Phoebe Litchfield (45) gave the Southern stars a good start at the top. However, English bowlers came back strongly in the middle overs to pick up wickets at regular intervals.

It was then the turn of the Aussie skipper to showcase her class as Healy scored a vital 50 off 62 balls to help her team post 257 in the second innings and set a target of 268 for the hosts to chase and secure first-ever Ashes win. Ecclestone returned with another fifer in the match (5/63).

But their batters were no match against the persistent bowling attack from Australia and despite getting off to a solid start with a 55-run opening stand, Heather Knight and her teammates fell way short of the target. Wyatt was the top-scorer for the side in the second essay with her 54.

It was the seventh instance – in 145 Test matches in Women’s Cricket – when all of 40 wickets have fallen. After three consecutive Women’s Ashes Test matches resulting in a draw, this is the first after 2015 when there has been a definite result. In 2015 Australia Women defeated the English by 161 runs in Canterbury.