Tammy Beaumont broke an 88-year record for the highest Test score by an England woman as her 195 not out gave Heather Knight’s side real hope of a first-innings lead against Australia.
Betty Snowball’s 189 against New Zealand in February 1935 was the previous benchmark but Beaumont made history by overtaking the record shortly before tea on day three of the lone Women’s Ashes Test.
She requires just five more for a historic double hundred – a week on from making 201 against Australia A in a warm-up – as England ended the session on 428 for six – their highest ever score against Australia – in reply to 473 all out at Trent Bridge.
Beaumont, who successfully overturned an lbw decision given against her on 152, put on 72 with Test debutant Danni Wyatt (44) on Saturday afternoon as Australia huffed and puffed in the field, rotating their eight bowlers but struggling to create consistent wicket-taking chances on a flat pitch.
There was a hint of turn on offer so it was a surprise Australia waited more than an hour to introduce their spinners, after Beaumont and Natalie Sciver-Brunt (78) had made hay, extending their stand to 137 from just 187 balls as they resumed their innings with England on 218 for two.
Sciver-Brunt might have been dismissed without adding to her overnight 41 after missing a flick and being rapped on the front pad by Darcie Brown but England’s star all-rounder reviewed the lbw decision and was vindicated as Hawk-Eye showed the ball would have gone on to drift past leg stump.
It was a nervy start from Sciver-Brunt, who also edged Kim Garth just out of the reach of the slips on 42 but Beaumont settled by driving, steering then pulling Brown for three fours in an over.
Sciver-Brunt was soon into her stride with three successive fours off Annabel Sutherland after going past 50. With Australia’s seamers struggling to exert control, it was a surprise the tourists waited 75 minutes to turn to spin – and their folly was exposed as Gardner struck with her ninth ball.
Backing away for an attempted cut, Sciver-Brunt, who showed no sign of a minor knee injury which restricted her to bowling just five overs in Australia’s innings, got a thick edge to a flatter delivery and Alyssa Healy held on.
Sophia Dunkley was bogged down by Australia’s spinners either side of lunch and was eventually put out of her misery after missing a heave across the line to Gardner and losing her off stump.
Gardner especially was challenging both edges as she and Alana King tried to stifle England. Leg-spinner King thought she had snaffled Beaumont, who was given lbw on 152 after missing a full-blooded sweep but vindicated by a review as Hawk-Eye showed the ball pitched fractionally outside leg stump.
Wyatt fulfilled her brief with an adventurous innings as both she and Beaumont used their feet expertly against Australia’s spinners. Drawing on her significant white-ball experience, Wyatt had a sparkling cameo which led to Australia belatedly taking the new ball in the 100th over.
Her favoured cut shot was fed but she then hung her bat out once too often and edged to a diving Jess Jonassen while England were six down after passing 400 when Amy Jones limply miscued to mid-on.
But Beaumont moved to within one run of Snowball by tickling Ellyse Perry off her hips for four before setting a new record with a late cut off Sutherland that bisected second slip and gully for her 26th four.
