And here’s Geoff Lemon’s take on the day:
Raf Nicholson’s match report has landed which is my cue to say farewell. Thanks for joining us, we’ll be back to bring you the second Ashes ODI from Melbourne on Tuesday morning Aus/Monday evening UK. Until then, goodbye!
Ash Gardner bags the player of the match prize. She took 3-19 and saw her side over the line with 42* avec the bat:
I just tried to keep the stumps in play with my variations (with the ball) whether that was turn and bounce or lack of turn, just trying to play into that natural variation.
With the bat it was trying to counteract that. We know Sophie Ecclestone plays a huge role for them and just being able to counteract that and play good shots off good balls. It was an unusual pitch for North Sydney, a lot more turn than what we’re used to. There was a little bit of tennis-ball bounce. We probably thought it would flatten out which it didn’t do but it played into our hands.”
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We’ll get some reaction from the players in a tic. Australia weren’t at their best today but they didn’t need to be, England failed to bat out their overs and didn’t capitalise on some decent starts in their top order to go on and post a challenging total. Defending 204 runs against the gun Aussie batting card was always going to be tricky and so it proved. The home side lost a few more wickets than they would have liked but Alyssa Healy anchored the innings with aplomb and Ash Gardner and Beth Mooney added solid support.
It could have been a lot tighter had England held their catches and been thriftier with the ball, too many four balls and a return of the butterfingers that blighted their recent T20 World campaign were a worrying sight in Sydney today. Heather Knight will take some solace in the fact that they stayed in the match despite being under par, they’ll need to up their game in all departments if they are to take this Ashes deep and still be in with a shot at the urn by the time of the Test match denouement.
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Australia win by 4 wickets (with 67 balls remaining)
That’s it! King clubs Sciver-Brunt down the ground to get the win for Australia. They’ve bossed an under par England and take the points to go 2-0 up in the 2025 Ashes.
Dream start! 🤩
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) January 12, 2025
Scorecard: https://t.co/QRCRi0NZXx #Ashes pic.twitter.com/VsPbB3xj2v
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38th over: Australia 202-6 (Gardner 42, King 7) Gardner drives back past Filer for four. Alana King is a dangerous lower order batter and she wastes no time in getting to work in the middle, an expansive drive is flayed away for a second boundary. Australia need just three more now…
37th over: Australia 192-6 (Gardner 38, King 2) Alana King joins Gardner with Australia needing 22 runs. England need 4 very quick wickets. DROP! Another absolute goober from England, Sophie Ecclestone the culprit this time. Gardner plinked a full toss from Bell to mid off and Ecclestone had it for an age before tumbling to the floor and losing control. She can’t believe what she’s done. If that is taken then suddenly England need just three wickets and can make Australia sweat a little.
As it is, Gardner pulls for four a couple of balls later and England are suckerpunched, largely by themselves.
England’s catching has veered from the sublime to the ridiculous, Wyatt-Hodge and Bouchier can hold their heads high but simple dropped catches from Ecclestone and Capsey will stick in the craw, if not in the hands.
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WICKET! McGrath c Bouchier b Ecclestone 2 (Australia 182-5)
Ecclestone into her final over, she’s not been able to bend this match to her will and the Aussie batters have set a precedent by looking to use their feet and get after her. Ash Gardner launches down the ground for another one bounce four.
Whaddagrab! Maia Bouchier pulls off a diving catch at point to see the back of McGrath and get Ecclestone her second wicket. Too little too late for England?
35th over: Australia 176-5 (Gardner 26, McGrath 2) Bell tries a slower ball bouncer and befuddles McGrath but also beats Amy Jones who somehow lets the ball get past her and away for four. Double teapots all round for England. Jones waves a glove to say sorry, it kind of sums up England’s day, they’ve been sloppy in all three departments.
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34th over: Australia 171-5 (Gardner 25, McGrath 2) Just a Gardner single off Ecclestone as the miserly spinner tries to crank up the pressure cooker.
33rd over: Australia 170-5 (Gardner 24, McGrath 2) Lauren Bell into her seventh over, she’s been the pick of England’s bowlers today and has 1-15 so far for her efforts.
The official NSG crowd attendance is confirmed to be 6236, Sam Letcher is buying at least half of them a pint. Meet him at the bar, Sam? Sam?
32nd over: Australia 166-5 (Gardner 21, McGrath 2) Tahlia McGrath joins Ash Gardner in the middle with Australia needing 41 more runs. Can England get their Boa Constrictor on? Two runs to McGrath with a long limbed drive into the covers.
WICKET! Healy b Dean 70 (Australia 164-5)
Healy is gone! She yorks herself by coming down the wicket to a full ball from Charlie Dean, the ball skims under her blade and rattles the timbers. Healy throws her head back in frustration, she dearly wanted to be there at the end to see her side over the line but she’s surely done enough? Surely? Shirley?
31st over: Australia 164-4 (Healy 70, Gardner 21) Lauren Bell returns after a slurp of electrolytes but Alyssa Healy greets her with a crunching cover drive for four.
30th over: Australia 159-4 (Healy 65, Gardner 21) Ash Gardner has all the shots and she dusts off a skimming over drive for four to take Australia to within 46 runs from victory and to drinks.
Speaking of which – Sam Letcher in the crowd at the North Sydney Oval is spittin’ feathers…
“Live from the NSO, James. A packed stadium but the bars ran out of beer one hour after opening… big queues at the only remaining bar with beer!”
It’s 5am here in London Sam, a bit early for me.
“England have been off the pace today. A few batting starts but no one followed through with a big score. NSB and Heather Knight both threw their wickets away within an over of each other to the same bowler with the same shot! Australia bowled excellently though - consistent throughout.
England bowling has been okay - too many wides and loose balls. They look like they need a warm up match or two! Perry being dropped off Filer could have been a turning point. England had a chance to get a foothold in the Ashes but a sloppy start has put them on the back foot for the series, but hope remains!”
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29th over: Australia 153-4 (Healy 64, Gardner 16) Sublime from Ecclestone as she stitches together a maiden in double-quick time.
28th over: Australia 153-4 (Healy 64, Gardner 16) Charlie Dean replaces Lauren Filer but the youngster is still shonking down a bad ball per over, Ash Gardner doesn’t miss out and rocks back to pull powerfully for four. Six runs off the over. Ecclestone has three overs left, can she pull a rabbit (or three) from the hat?
27th over: Australia 146-4 (Healy 62, Gardner 11) A great battle brewing between Gardner and Ecclestone. The Aussie takes the spoils in this over with a towering SIX down the ground! What a shot. The floodlights are turned on in Sydney, no sign of the wet stuff just yet but it’s looking more ominous.
Australia need 59 more runs to win.
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26th over: Australia 138-4 (Healy 61, Gardner 4) Seven off Filer’s seventh, Healy climbs into a short ball and pulls for four through midwicket. Clouds rolling in and wind whipping up at Sydney, Australia are well ahead on the DLS rate AT THE MOMENT…
25th over: Australia 131-4 (Healy 56, Gardner 2) Ecclestone nearly cleans up her fellow spinner Gardner with one that grips and fizzes past the edge. Gardner gets a single and scampers off strike. Shot! Healy dances down the wicket to make a length ball into a half-volley and drives in-to-out over cover for four.
24th over: Australia 126-4 (Healy 52, Gardner 1) Ash Gardner joins her captain in the middle. Three runs and a wicket off Filer’s sixth over, England’s only route to win the game is via Wicketsville. A flurry here would make things interesting.
WICKET! Sutherland c Wyatt b Filer 10 (Australia 124-4)
After a decent few overs of keeping the Aussie run rate in check England get their reward with a much needed wicket! Filer gets her second wicket as Sutherland attempts to pull a short ball from outside off, too much of a fetch and the top edge swirls into Wyatt-Hodge’s safe hands tumbling in from the midwicket boundary. England just about keeping themselves in this match.
23rd over: Australia 123-3 (Healy 51, Sutherland 10) Just a single off Ecclestone to Healy. Australia need 82 more runs off a whole lotta overs BUT there are apparently a few storms broiling away on the west of Sydney, just to add a bit of meteorological intrigue to this chase…
22nd over: Australia 122-3 (Healy 50, Sutherland 10) There’s fifty for Alyssa Healy! A true captain’s knock to set the stall out in this Ashes series. She gets there with a cover drive for a single and barely acknowledges the milestone at all, chewing her gum with real vigour, she very much gives off a ‘the job’s not done yet’ vibe. Gulp.
21st over: Australia 120-3 (Healy 49, Sutherland 10) Healy approaches a half century with a square drive for two and a single in the same region. Three runs off Ecclestone’s fourth over.
Lauren Filer is being called upon for her second spell, she was a little wayward in her first, as most of England’s bowlers have been, barring Ecclestone and Bell.
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20th over: Australia 117-3 (Healy 46, Sutherland 10) Gah! Charlie Dean hasn’t been at her best today, she cuts a frustrated and forlorn figure as a drag down is slapped to the fine leg fence by Sutherland. That’s help yourself bowling I’m afraid.
19th over: Australia 111-3 (Healy 45, Sutherland 5) Sutherland dances down to Ecclestone and lifts over the top for a one bounce four! I wonder if the Aussies have decided that attack is the best form of defence against her? Poke and prod and Ecclestone will get you soon enough, it’s not a bad tactic.
Australia’s target below three figures now, they need 94 more runs off 31 overs. England need wickets, pronto.
18th over: Australia 105-3 (Healy 44, Sutherland 0) Healy is still there for Australia, England would dearly love to prise her out. Not this over, a single clipped into the leg side as the Aussie skipper continues on her merry way.
17th over: Australia 104-3 (Healy 43, Sutherland 0) Annabel Sutherland comes in at number five. The Aussies keep on coming. Ayeeechi! Ecclestone rips one past her outside edge second ball to end the over. Can the number one bowler in the world apply some pressure here?
Go on then.
WICKET! Mooney c Wyatt b Ecclestone 28 (Australia 104-3)
Beth Mooney trots down the wicket and launches Sophie Ecclestone for SIX over midwicket. What a shot that is. Spectacular batting.
Gone gone gone now though! Mooney tries to repeat the exact same shot the next ball but loses her shape and doesn’t get the distance, Wyatt takes a good catch in the deep and England get the much needed breakthrough.
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16th over: Australia 97-2 (Healy 41, Mooney 22) England lose a review as they go upstairs for a Beth Mooney LBW appeal but the snicko shows the batter got a tickle on it. No dice. Mooney then shows off velveteen hands and Swiss clock timing by unfurling a late cut that runs away for four. Delightful.
15th over: Australia 91-2 (Healy 41, Mooney 11) Sophie Ecclestone starts off after drinks. Can she claw things back for her side? Close! Mooney attempts a sweep and is very nearly clean bowled but the ball evades both the leg stump and Amy Jones’ gloves to run away for four. Australia still rattling away at over six an over, more than double what they need.
14th over: Australia 91-2 (Healy 41, Mooney 17) The boundaries continue to be peppered in Sydney! Mooney sweeps Dean off middle stump and the young spinner’s head seems to drop, a drag down is then carted away for four more. Ten off the over and time for a drink.
England need something strong, Australia are cruising this run chase and Heather Knight’s side look shellshocked. There have been far too many boundary balls, at least one an over from all the bowlers used so far. The visitors very much missing the injured Kate Cross’ parsimony with the ball. A few more loose overs and the first Ashes points will be in the bag for Australia.
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13th over: Australia 75-2 (Healy 40, Mooney 16) NSB continues but she can’t stem the flow of runs, scrappy stuff as she spears one down the leg side that goes for five wides with Amy Jones stood up to the stumps. Healy swivels a pull away for four past square leg and Mooney holds the pose after bunting over mid off for four more! Fifteen off the over and the wheels coming off for England.
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12th over: Australia 60-2 (Healy 30, Mooney 6) Just a Healy single off Charlie Dean who settles into her spell. Sun still beating down in Sydney, England feeling the heat at the moment.
11th over: Australia 59-2 (Healy 29, Mooney 6) Nat Sciver-Brunt replaces Lauren Bell, Beth Mooney oozes class with a cover drive threaded for four.
10th over: Australia 53-2 (Healy 29, Mooney 1) Charlie Dean is summoned by Heather Knight, first use of spin for England. They’ve got the magnificent Sophie Ecclestone up their sleeve too. They’ll need her at her best. Healy takes a shine to Dean’s offerings, driving a full ball for four and then stepping off a length to find the second boundary of the over. Fifty up after ten overs, the run rate not a problem.
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9th over: Australia 45-2 (Healy 21, Mooney 1) Beth Mooney arrives in the middle to join her skipper. This Aussie batting card gives you no let up whatsoever.
WICKET! Perry lbw b Bell 14 (Australia 43-2)
Huge wicket for England! Huge sigh of relief from Alice Capsey as her drop doesn’t cost England the game. Bell pins Perry stone dead as the batter takes a step across her stumps and the ball scuds into her shin slap-bang in front of middle stump!
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8th over: Australia 43-1 (Healy 20, Perry 14) The Aussies take a mighty bite out of the target with 19 runs coming off Filer’s over, the most expensive of the match so far. A loose ball is helped for four by Perry down the leg side before a rapier cut is sent through point by Healy for four more. An inside edge races past Amy Jones behind the stumps to make three boundaries in succession.
Filer looks a bit rattled as she slides a wide down the leg side and the batters scamper a single. Bosh! Healy leans on a cover drive to make it four boundaries off the over. Australia cooking on gas.
7th over: Australia 24-1 (Healy 8, Perry 12) England lick their wounds after that huge drop by Capsey. Bell keeps it tight with just a single off the over, an overthrow by Charlie Dean. You’re still thinking about that drop aren’t you?
6th over: Australia 23-1 (Healy 8, Perry 11) Filer bangs one in short and Perry has a bit of a flap at it. England think she might have got a bit of glove on it but the replay shows it was thigh pad. Short again, Perry pulls again and is DROPPED! Oh my days, that’s a stinker from Alice Capsey on the square leg boundary! The ball went to her at waist height and it plopped in and straight out of her hands. Perry survives and immediately pulls the next ball for four! Salt, meet Wound.
England cannot afford to gift chances like that to this stonking Aussie batting card, especially with a relatively meagre target on the board. Capsey looks like she wants the ground to swallow her up, there is no worse feeling on a cricket field.
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Alyssa Healy is given out LBW to Bell but sends it upstairs immediately and it is OVERTURNED! Eeeesht. Lovely delivery from Bell who darted the ball back off a length, the ball thunked into Healy’s thigh pad and ball tracking had it missing the bails by an inch or two. Healy and Australia breath a huge sigh of relief, two down in the first powerplay would not be the ideal start for the home side.
It’s a maiden from Bell, she takes her cap with a rueful smile, she would have been beaming if that ball had kept a teensie bit lower. Nip and tuck out there at the minute.
5th over: Australia 18-1 (Healy 4, Perry 7)
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4th over: Australia 18-1 (Healy 4, Perry 7) Filer bounds in with a slip and short leg in place. There’s movement off the seam but a drag down is absolutely creamed to the fence by Perry, showing every ounce of her class with a rasping cut shot.
3rd over: Australia 9-1 (Healy 2, Perry 2) Filer looked sharp in her first over and Bell is in the groove too. Just three off her second over, Healy gets an inside edge to bring Healy on strike and the slip is whipped out again by Knight. Three dots and a Healy glide down to third to end the over. Engrossing stuff in Sydney.
2nd over: Australia 9-1 (Healy 1, Perry 1) Ellyse Perry comes out to join Healy, she’s got her battered green helmet on and a whole heap of experience. Even she is feeling the nerves though, an edgy single sees her get off the mark after a bit of to and fro between batters.
WICKET! Litchfield c Jones b Filer 4 (Australia 8-1)
Gone! Lauren Filer picks up the dangerous Litchfield in her first over! The opener poking out in front of her pad at a ball that swung prodigiously from outside leg stump and took the edge just outside off. England off to a flier*!
*Spot the anagram!
1st over: Australia 3-0 (Healy 1, Litchfield 0) The lissom limbed bell runs in with the sun beating down on her back in Sydney. England need early wickets to make a game of this.
Bell sends down a full toss that glances off Litchfield’s pad to get Australia underway with a leg bye. Heather Knight takes out the solitary slip with Healy on strike. Not sure about that from England’s skipper. Her opposite number gets off the mark with a glance off the pads and another scampered leg bye makes it three runs off the first over.
Thanks Tanya and hello all. Straight down to brass tacks as Lauren Bell has the ball in hand! Are the Aussies going to make short shrift of this target… let’s find out!
England looked a little sleepy out there with the bat. Heather Knight the top-scorer with 39, in fact a few players getting starts, but no-one going on to anything substantial. A few dismissals that won’t make the highlights reels. Australia were smart and business like with the ball (though they did let a couple of catches slip through their fingers) with Gardner (3-19) and Alana King (2-35) the pick. England will need something special from their bowlers to pull this one away from Australia’s clutches.
I’m going to head off to bed now so you’re spared any more of my heavy-eyed typing, but the bushy-tailed Jim Wallace will take you through to stumps. Bye!
“You never want to be bowled out,” says Alex Hartley in peach. “It’s not ideal from England at all, being bowled out in 50 overs. “I think England will get some swing with the new ball though.”
A very happy crowd, a very happy Australia as England are bowled out with plenty of runs still out there. Bell and Filer look very perky as they stroll off though, so maybe they think they can do something special on this “two-paced” pitch. 204 does seem more than a little light.
WICKET! Bell b Gardner 1 (England 204 all out)
…But it will have to be with the ball as Lauren Bell goes back to Gardner and loses her off stump! England all out with nearly seven overs unused.
43rd over: England 204-9 (Filer 8, Bell 1) It’s down to the Laurens now.
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WICKET! Ecclestone c Gardner b Brown 16 (England 203-9)
Not her best shot. Gets a leading edge to Gardner and the ball billows obediently to Gardner at midwicket. Covers her face with her bat as she trudges off.
42nd over: England 201-8 (Ecclestone 14, Filer 8) Lauren Filer celebrates her Ashes debut by ushering her first two balls, from Sutherland for four, quite spoiling her bowling figures. A top edge and a rather more elegant nudge.
WICKET! Wyatt-Hodge c Brown b Sutherland 38 (England 192-8)
Wyatt pulls round the corner and straight to the marauding Brown at fine leg
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41st over: England 189-7 (Wyatt-Hodge 37, Ecclestone 14) Brown with her sixth over of the innings. Nothing fancy from England who are content to pick up singles.
40th over: England 192-7 (Wyatt-Hodge 38, Ecclestone 14) Today is a sell-out at the North Sydney Oval! Four singles from Schutt’s over as I prop my eyelids open and we enter the final ten overs of the innings. My dog sighs with the witching hour.
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39th over: England 185-7 (Wyatt-Hodge 34, Ecclestone 11) Ecclestone picks out King and tries to loft her up and away, gets that longed for four. On we go.
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38th over: England 176-7 (Wyatt-Hodge 31, Ecclestone 5) Ecclestone survives a thick edge to Healy, but as happens ridiculously often , gets a boundary off the next ball. An edge, but they all count.
37th over: England 170-7 (Wyatt-Hodge 30, Ecclestone 0) DWH breaks the boundary drought by paddle-sweeping King for four, but Kings strikes back with the wicket of Dean. The crowd murmur approvingly.
WICKET! Dean lbw King 1 (England 170-7)
DRS springs back into life King rips one into the pitch and traps Dean on the front pad. Dean reviews, but a glimpse at the big screen soon has her trudging off. Crushed peaches.
36th over: England 165-6 (Wyatt-Hodge 25, Dean 1 ) Schutt breathes deeply at the top of her mark. A no ball has handed DWH a free-hit. After 42 balls without a boundary, DWH swings at a full toss but can’t reach the rope. The number of extras are bemoaned on comms.
35th over: England 158-6 (Wyatt-Hodge 22, Dean 0 ) King, in shades. Huge appeal against Dean for lbw. The umpire says no, Australia look interested but it turns out DRS is currently down. Dean is lucky to escape further scrutiny. Super bowling.
34th over: England 157-6 (Wyatt-Hodge 21, Dean 0 ) England at risk of slipping away here- can Charlie Dean provide some ammunition while Wyatt-Hodge digs in?
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WICKET! Capsey c Gardner b Garth 4 (England 157-6)
Straight to backward point! Capsey can resist no longer, goes for the raffish, square drive, only with feet in clay, and delivers the ball with a first-class stamp.
33rd over: England 153-5 (Wyatt-Hodge 19, Capsey 2) Pressure tells as Capsey (after 15 balls to get off the mark) flies at King, gets a leading edge, but the ball falls safely. Wyatt-Hodge, who seems to have settled into thestay-there-till-the-end role paddle sweeps a couple.
32nd over: England 150-5 (Wyatt-Hodge 17, Capsey 1) Garth bustles in. England again struggle to put bat to ball and there is just one from the over.
31st over: England 148-5 (Wyatt-Hodge 17, Capsey 0) Capsey somewhat at sea against King.
30th over: England 147-5 (Wyatt-Hodge 15, Capsey 0) Capsey is watchful through a Garth over.
29th over: England 146-5 (Wyatt-Hodge 15, Capsey 0) King, in long sleeves, plucks at her cuffs. Jones picks up four as McGrath dives over the ball at mid-on, but is undone next ball. Capsey, as they note on the telly, is rather out of position here. A woman who likes to blast holes, is going to have to rebuild.
WICKET! Jones c and b King 31 (England 146-5)
King gets her woman, the ball after being driven for four. Jones tries again but sends the ball towards the bowler who falls backwards in the impact but holds on tight. Gives her a spirited roar of goodbye.
28th over: England 140-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 14, Jones 26) Garth’s over starts with five wides, then Jones, who is looking the most fluent batter out there, gets going. Four down the pitch, four more pulled, with a cheroot between her teeth, over midwicket. When Wyatt-Hodge gets a thick edge for four off the final delivery, there have been , 18 from the over.
27th over: England 122-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 10, Jones 17) A neat way to finish the over as Wyatt-Hodge picks up Sutherland and flicks her, quite without effort, for four. Off the pitch, Heather Knight has been persuaded out of her slough of despond and says the pitch isn’t that easy to bat on – a little two-paced.
26th over: England 116-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 5, Jones 16) At just over the half way stage, England are knocking along at 4.46 an over. If you’re at the ground, do drop me a line and tell me just how delightful it is.
25th over: England 114-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 4, Jones 15) Sutherland replaces Brown. A smart smack for six by Jones is caught by a man in a black shirt with a beer in one hand. He tumbles backwards in the process but doesn’t spill a drop. The kids line up to high five him.
24th over: England 106-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 3, Jones 8) And another chance for Jones who leans back and steers the ball between Healy and Mooney at first slip. I think Mooney must have got a finger on it as the physio runs on with some plasters. Gardner continues, giving it lots of air. Some smart fielding on the rope by King cuts off a boundary.
23rd over: England 100-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 3, Jones 2) Ooof – could have been four but Perry can’t hold on in the deep as she dives and tumbles – tricky chance. Jones had swatted at a bouncer from Brown.
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22nd over: England 97-4 (Wyatt-Hodge 2, Jones 1) Feels like England could be in trouble now with NSB and Knight back to chew the fat in the dugout. Shrewd bowling by Gardner, uncharacteristically rash shot by NSB.
WICKET! Sciver-Brunt c Perry b Gardner 19 (England 95-4)
A 200th wicket for Gardner and there won’t be many better scalps! Sciver-Brunt too perishes by the sweep. Another top edge and Perry repeats her trick at deep midwicket.
20th over: England 94-3 (Sciver-Brunt 18, Wyatt-Hodge 1) A big blow that for England, Knight had looked busy and on form. In the dugout, Amy Jones fiddles, and fiddles, with her gloves.
WICKET! Knight c Perry b Gardner 39 (England 92-3)
Knight, head bowed, mutters something as she strides off. Slightly off balance she sweeps at Gardner, and Perry just has to lean and catch at deep midwicket.
19th over: England 92-2 (Knight 39, Sciver-Brunt 17) “The trouble with North Sydney,” says one of the commentators, “is it is so fast, short boundaries” And with that, England break the shackles and NSB picks up a boundary with a delicate glance.
18th over: England 86-2 (Knight 38, Sciver-Brunt 12) Gardner whirls through another over.
17th over: England 82-2 (Knight 36, Sciver-Brunt 10) Brown again. NSB kept caged for a few balls until the last hits her on the back pad. The umpire says no, but Healy marches over to her bowler to chat things over – and indeed calls for the review. It looks pretty tasty on replay, and the impact was in line but it is umpire’s call! Australia shake their heads.
16th over: England 78-2 (Knight 33, Sciver-Brunt 9) Just an over for King as it turns out, at this end at least, as Gardner is unleashed. England are watchful as a breeze picks up and blows at shirts and stray hairs.
15th over: England 78-2 (Knight 33, Sciver-Brunt 9) The kids bounce around the picket fence showing off their autographs, on the grass suncream is being rubbed in and hampers unpacked. A double change as Darcie Brown joins the attack, and she starts with a wide. A handful of singles keeps the score ticking along.
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14th over: England 74-2 (Knight 31, Sciver-Brunt 8) The first over of spin, as Alana King is thrown the ball. She whistles through her over, without too much incident, until NSB decides to throw kitchen sink and various pots and pans at the last ball, slog-sweeping for SIX. And with that, they take DRINKS.
13th over: England 66-2 (Knight 30, Sciver-Brunt 1) Beaumont looked slightly nervy today, as if she was itching for boundaries. Her wicket brings in Sciver-Brunt, who has been rather deified in the Australian press in the build up to this series. As she should be, obviously. A four for Knight, off her ankles.
WICKET! Beaumont c Garth b Sutherland 13 (England 61-2)
Beaumont goes up, up and into the hands of Garth at mid-on, who plucks for the ball as if reaching for the juiciest peach on the branch.
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12th over: England 60-1 (Beaumont 13, Knight 25) Beaumont looks slightly at sea against Garth here.
“Hey Tanya,” Hello there Cressida Evans!
“Just checking in from a sweaty night in Bahia, summer rain all day yesterday and today, so staying in with a beer and following the match.
“Whatever anyone says these Ozzies look a bit sharp and so many of them look like scary prefects, yikes!”
Yes. If not quite on the Belinda Clark terrifying scale.
11th over: England 51-1 (Beaumont 12, Knight 23) You heard it here first, as predicted by Raf, Mitchell Starc has arrived in the Australian commentary box, suited and smiling to commentate on his wife’s work. There’s a lot of marriages where this wouldn’t be a wise choice. Dib and dab, and six runs off Sutherland’s over.
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10th over: England 45-1 (Beaumont 12, Knight 19) A beauty of an over from Garth who has Beaumont poking and prodding all over the place. Picks up a four from the final ball but it has a sense of desperation about it.
9th over: England 41-1 (Beaumont 8 Knight 19) The first change of bowling – as Annabel Sutherland replaces Schutt. She livens things up a full toss exoceted towards Beaumont’s head. Knight picks up another boundary with a square drive.
8th over: England 33-1 (Beaumont 78 Knight 13) Just a single and a wide off Garth’s over, though Knight was lucky not to pick up a boundary from the final ball, beautifully fielded by Garth off her own bowling.
And many thanks to Carmen Lockwood in sunny Hobart for pointing out that I might have got my fixtures in a twist earlier on. “Hi Tanya, I think you have got some of your times mixed up.Eg you say that the Tasmanian ODI (in Hobart) is on 15th January at 11:05pm GMT. Seeing as the match is on 17th January here in Tasmania it will be the 16th January in the UK not the15th.I think you might have quite a few of the other matches on the wrong day too.”
I haven’t got time to double check right now but this might be more reliable source – from the ECB website.
11 Jan - 1st ODI - 11.30pm UK - Sydney
13 Jan - 2nd ODI - 11.05pm - Melbourne
16 Jan - 3rd ODI - 11.05pm - Hobart
20 Jan - 1st IT20 - 8.40am - Sydney
23 Jan - 2nd IT20 - 8.40am - Canberra
25 Jan - 3rd IT20 - 8.10am - Adelaide
30 Jan - 3 Feb - Test Match - 3.30am - Melbourne
7th over: England 31-1 (Beaumont 7, Knight 13) Schutt misses here length and Beaumont whisks her wrists and posts her through the covers for four. And another as Knight takes on an over-pitched delivery, only to be beaten next ball. There’s a lovely buzz and chatter from the crowd who are spread out on their rugs on the grass.
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6th over: England 22-1 (Beaumont 2, Knight 9) Garth runs towards the giant fig tree, spreading its arms behind Healy. She starts with a wide and finishes a ball that Knight plays and misses at. In between, Knight picks up four with a thick edge that flies through where third slip might have hovered.
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5th over: England 17-1 (Beaumont 2, Knight 5) Knight eyes up a loose delivery from Schutt and says thanks very much, off the mark with a boundary cut with precision. An inside edge to finish the over has slightly less conviction.
4th over: England 11-1 (Beaumont 1) Time for Bouchier to hit another striking boundary, before Garth got her reward for keeping the pressure on.
WICKET! Bouchier c Healy b Garth 9 (England 11-1)
That reprieve didn’t last long. Bouchier’s feet remain stuck to the crease as she gives a simple catch to Healy behind the stumps.
3rd over: England 7-0 (Beaumont 1, Bouchier 5) A maiden from Schutt as well – both Beaumont and Bouchier look very eager to get going but can’t quite lay bat on ball.
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2nd aover: England 7-0 (Beaumont 1, Bouchier 5): Kim Garth flies in, pony tail following. Bouchier plays and misses at her fourth ball, flaps unconvincingly at her fifth, is beaten by her late-swinging sixth. An on-song maiden
“A dramatic version of God save the Queen”? asks Mark Bendall. “I think the Queen died a couple of years ago.” Arghg – apologies Mark, Charles if you’re reading. After 50 years of GSTQ, I’ve got a bit of a mental block on that one.
1st over: England 7-0 (Beaumont 1, Bouchier 5): Just a wicket with the third delivery – overturned because of a no-ball. What drama! Maia Bouchier gets a life after dragging an inswinger from Schutt into the stumps on 0, Schutt’s boot the culprit (just). Bouchier immediately lofts the next ball up and into the shade for four.
The players line up for the anthems, England in royal blue tops and navy trousers, Australia in their usual custard. After the Welcome to Country, a dramatic version of God Save the Queen which provokes a stifled fit of the giggles in some of England’s players. Advance Australia Fair is much more straight down the line.
Ebony Rainford-Brent says she thinks the Aussies have lost their mojo. “The Australia of the past would hold every single trophy. They’ve lost that ruthless edge they had up Meg Lanning.” Ebony isn’t often wrong…
Australian team – unchanged
Australian XI: Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ash Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown.
England team - no Kate Cross
England XI: Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight (c), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Amy Jones (wk), Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell.
No Kate Cross, who hasn’t recovered from her back injury. England will miss her in the power play and it leaves an inexperienced pace bowling attack.
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Australia win the toss and will bowl!
Winning captain Alyssa Healy says. “I think there is always a little bit in it early, and though we’re starting a bit later than we would domestically, hopefully if we can get the job done early on and get a couple of wickets we can restrict them to something chaseable. I’m back out in the gloves today, its been a couple of months. No team changes from the last game in New Zealand.”
Fixtures
11 January: First ODI (11:30pm GMT), North Sydney Oval (2 points)
13 January: Second ODI (11:05pm GMT), CitiPower Centre, Melbourne (2 points)
15 January: Third ODI (11:05pm GMT), Ninja Stadium, Hobart (2 points)
20 January: First T20 (08:40am GMT), Sydney Cricket Ground (2 points)
23 January: Second T20 (08:40am GMT), Manuka Oval, Canberra (2 points)
25 January: Third T20 (08:10am GMT), Adelaide Oval (2 points)
30 January-2 February: One-off Test (03:30am GMT), Melbourne Cricket Ground (4 points)
And we catch a glimpse of the first shots of the gorgeous North Sydney Oval, home of rugby league team the North Sydney Bears, and famous for its huge Moreton Bay Fig tree, 22 metres tall and 45 metres across. The sky is outrageously blue.
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Raf reports that there is a huge choir warming up on the outfield and that the word on the street is that tickets have sold very well and they’re expecting a near-capacity crowd (six thousand).
The television coverage doesn’t start for 20 minutes so I’m just going to make a quick coffee. Do send me any thoughts/resolutions/nightime rumination. And bring your left-over double gloucester with cranberries, we can work through it together.
Lauren Filer, who has had pulses racing around the world, and even roughed up the phlegmatic Laura Wolvaardt in the recent Test, spoke to Raf yesterday.
“Gorgeous sunshine this morning. Forecast the best it has been all week (thundery rain hasn’t materialised) although possibility of showers later on this afternoon. That’ll be good for England who are likely to play Filer - she slipped over about four times while bowling here on Thursday during the abandoned Gov General’s XI match.
Not been confirmed yet but Kate Cross unlikely to feature for England - only joined in the warm up yesterday very minimally.”
Our star reporter Raf Nicholson is at the ground, and she has already spotted Mitchell Starc who she thinks may be sitting in the commentary box for the match. She did mention it was gloriously sunny too.
Preamble
Hello! The clock has tocked. The gates are open. The limbs are stretched and the coin is polished. Welcome, from a snowy Manchester, to a sunny Sydney, where England and Australia are maneouvering into position in the first match of the Women’s Ashes – an ODI at the North Sydney Oval.
It was eleven years ago that England last won the Ashes and, despite Australia falling before the final hurdle in the T20 World Cup earlier this year, the hosts remain the favourites. They greedily gobbled up both India and New Zealand in series earlier this summer, though England too arrive on the back of a succesful tour – theirs in South Africa before Christmas.
A strong start will be vital because the entire Ashes, consisting of six white-ball games (three 50-over, three T20) and one Test, is being crammed into three weeks. Fall behind early and the series could slip out of reach – despite the multi-point Test being the last game of the series.
Play starts at 10.30 at the ground, 11.30GMT. Do join us. The snacks are on the sidetable.
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