(Getty Images)
England are in a precarious position on the final day of the one-off Women’s Ashes test match after a wonderful performance from Australia cricket’s Ashleigh Gardner leaves them chasing a further 152 runs with just five wickets in hand.
Needing 268 to win in the fourth innings Tammy Beaumont and Emma Lamb got the hosts off to a solid start, putting on 55 for the first wicket. Gardner came into the attack and nicked off Beaumont before trapping captain Heather Knight lbw for 9 and dismissing the dangerous Nat Sciver-Brunt for a duck.
Sophia Dunkley (16) and Danni Wyatt (20*) managed a slight fightback but Dunkley feathered one behind off Kim Garth late in the day to leave England reeling at 116-5.
Earlier, the indefatigable Sophie Ecclestone claimed a 10-wicket match haul with astonishing figures of 77.1-16-192-10 this week helping to restrict Australia to 257. Either team can win this match on the final day but England need to win the morning session to have any chance of claiming a surprise victory.
Follow all the action from the Women’s Ashes, below:
England 167-7 (43), Wyatt 48, Ecclestone 6, Gardner 5-58 (17) – target 268
Oh close! Gardner gets one to shoot across the pitch and Wyatt does a brilliant job of keeping the ball out as it keeps low. Everyone was perplexed by that one.
Wyatt then works the ball away for one more.
Four runs! Sophie Ecclestone joins the party and nails a drive through cover for her first boundary. It’s a much needed four for England.
Mike Jones26 June 2023 12:01
England 162-7 (42), Wyatt 47, Ecclestone 2, McGrath 1-25 (11) – target 268
Just the one run from the over. England keep on chipping away. Danni Wyatt is closing on a half-century, Sophie Ecclestone looks solid enough at the crease.
Mike Jones26 June 2023 11:58
England 162-7 (41.3), Wyatt 47, Ecclestone 2, McGrath 1-25 (10.3)- target 268
Tahlia McGrath is re-introduced into the Australian attack as Kim Garth is given a rest. McGrath’s first ball is angled into the pads and Danni Wyatt flicks her away for one.
The hint of swing that McGrath gets will be a threat to Ecclestone. She manages to dig out a yorker before swiping at a wide one and hitting the fielder at mid-off.
Mike Jones26 June 2023 11:56
England 161-7 (41), Wyatt 46, Ecclestone 2, Gardner 5-53 (16) – target 268
Well played Sophie Ecclestone. Gardner floats one up outside the off stump but England’s No. 9 blocks it solidly. It was a tempter but Ecclestone didn’t fall for it.
Mike Jones26 June 2023 11:53
England 160-7 (40.3), Wyatt 45, Ecclestone 2, Gardner 5-52 (15.3) – target 268
Ash Gardner has a rye smile on her face as she traps Danni Wyatt on the pads but the ball seems to be turning past leg stump. The umpire isn’t interested.
Neither is Alyssa Healy who decides against a review.
Mike Jones26 June 2023 11:52
England 160-7 (40), Wyatt 45, Ecclestone 2, Garth 1-32 (10) – target 268
This is now Danni Wyatt’s highest score in test match cricket. She’s beaten her first innings total of 44. Three singles come from the over and England now require 108 runs to win with three wickets left.
Mike Jones26 June 2023 11:50
England 158-7 (39.3), Wyatt 44, Ecclestone 1, Garth 1-30 (9.3) – target 268
Nice from Danni Wyatt. The occasion and pressure isn’t getting to her as she dinks Garth into the covers for one more run.
Mike Jones26 June 2023 11:48
England 157-7 (39), Wyatt 43, Ecclestone 1, Gardner 5-52 (15) – target 268
The only thing England can do here is to collect the runs on offer and hope to keep wickets in hand. The closer they get to Australia’s total, the more nervous the visitors will get.
Wyatt collects another single off Gardner.
Mike Jones26 June 2023 11:47
England 156-7 (38.3), Wyatt 42, Ecclestone 1, Gardner 5-51 (14.3) – target 268
Ecclestone is handy with the bat. So much so that Wyatt takes a single of Gardner’s first delivery.
Ecclestone then prods the ball intothe legside but the Aussies got excited as the ball kept low. They’ll be happy to see this variable bounce.
A thick edge brings England’s left-arm spinner a single to get her off the mark.
Mike Jones26 June 2023 11:46
England 154-7 (38), Wyatt 41, Ecclestone 0, Garth 1-29 (9) – target 268
Sophie Ecclestone is left with two deliveries to see out from Kim Garth’s ninth over which she does without too much trouble. Three runs from the over, England need to keep chipping away at this total.
Mike Jones26 June 2023 11:43
