Ellyse Perry Keeps Aussies in Charge

The single women’s Test match at Sydney may have ended as a draw but there were positives for both sides. After the first day, when England laboured to 235-7, home skipper Rachael Haynes must have fancied Australia’s chances of repeating their 2015 Ashes triumph in the four-day format.

Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight put on a century stand for the second wicket but thereafter nobody else could amass more than 29 runs. Once the floodlights came on, Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry made life more difficult, and when Perry induced a caught-and-bowled from Sarah Taylor, they must have scented blood. The following morning, Shrubsole and Marsh did their best to advance the score past the psychologically important mark of 300 but their side could muster only 280.

In reply, England’s attack began well. Laura Marsh and teenage debutante spinner Sophia Ecclestone claimed the top three batters, before Shrubsole had Villiani brilliantly caught by Taylor. 95-4, after 56 overs, and things were looking up. However, Ellyse Perry was watchful at the other end. When joined by Haynes, the runs began to flow more easily. Alyssa Healy upped the scoring rate even more and put on 102 for the sixth wicket with Perry who was playing beautifully.

The third day saw the all-rounder reach three figures. Amazingly it was her first international century in any format after more than 170 attempts. But she didn’t stop there. By stumps, she had progressed to a superb 213 not out, the third highest individual Test score in history. More importantly, the Aussies declared on an unbeatable 448-9. Facing 17 awkward overs in the lights, Winfield and Beaumont successfully held on intact. However they faced a mountain on the final day to avoid a defeat which would cost them the Ashes before the Twenty20 games had even started.

So full credit to England for digging in throughout the day. It can’t have been much of a spectacle for the North Sydney Oval crowd but the top four displayed diligence that the men’s team would do well to repeat when the situation demands it. Newbies McGrath and Wellington nabbed an opener apiece, but Heather Knight, passing 70 for the second time in the match, led from the front. On 206-2, she shook hands with her opposite number and it was honours even.

With a four-point margin, the Ashes are still up for grabs. However, England must win all three of the T20 fixtures to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Anything’s possible in the biff-bang stuff but I can’t help feeling that Australia will manage at least one win and hold the women’s trophy for another two years. With Ellyse Perry in this form, who would bet against?

Women’s 2017 Ashes Off and Running

Well, the Ashes are well under way at last. I don’t mean that over-hyped ‘war’ which seems to be more about whether or not a drunken thug is selected to play. That's still a few weeks away. No, I'm referring to the women’s Ashes, which comprises a multi-format tournament and is decided by a points system.

Two years ago, I saw first-hand the Aussies lift the trophy in Cardiff, despite losing the final Twenty20 fixture. Unlike the blokes, the women’s tour is concentrated along the East coast, working their way down from Brisbane to Sydney and Canberra. If nothing else, it has introduced the name Coffs Harbour to my vocabulary, as the venue for the second and third ODIs. The New South Wales city will have mixed memories for the tourists, but the second match there did see England registering their first win of the series, keeping the overall result alive for another week at least.

Australia will surely miss injured captain and ace batter Meg Lanning.  Stand-in skipper Rachael Haynes was expected to be a bit of a weak link but went into the competition in great form. Since 2015, England’s leadership has also seen a change. Charlotte Edwards may have gone but her successor Heather Knight will love the chance to add the Ashes to the World Cup her team won this summer. 

The home side nicked the Brisbane opener thanks to veteran all-rounder Alex Blackwell’s 67 not out. Four days later, Australia made it two on the trot, but the margin was far more decisive. Top three, Nicole Bolton, Alyssa Healey and Ellyse Perry each earned half-centuries but it was Haynes’ unbeaten 89 which boosted England’s target to 285 off 46 overs. It was never going to be enough. Megan Schutt trapped both openers inside five overs and, until Kathy Brunt lashed out near the end, the batting never really got going.

Positions were reversed three days later, when Sarah Taylor and Taylor produced excellent performances, each scoring at more than a run a ball. With Tammy Beaumont also contributing 74, the foundation for a formidable total was laid. Healy and Beaumont started in determined fashion, notching a century partnership in 21 overs. However, from 159-1, wickets fell regularly and by the time Jenny Gunn polished off Blackwell and Wellington, the game was already won.

Now for the single Test match. Sadly, these are very rare in the women’s game. In fact, next week’s game at Sydney will be the first five-dayer since….the two nations last met two years ago. Then, at Canterbury, Australia rolled England over by 161 runs with almost two days to spare. Debutant Jess Jonassen was cruelly denied a maiden century by an LBW on 99, then also top-scored in the second innings. Her resulting Test average of 76.50 is rather impressive but her subsequent career has panned out more as a bowler than batter, especially in T20. She may well have more of a say in these Ashes in the concluding fixtures. Perry took nine cheap wickets last time around and, with new-ball partner Schutt will undoubtedly be in the mix again on home soil.

Win, and they can’t be overhauled. Lose, and the series is wide open. For that reason alone, I’d love to see England upset the odds at the SCG and keep things interesting. Somehow, though, I can’t see it happening.

Women’s Cricket Deserves Centre Stage

There were many reasons why August Bank Holiday in Cardiff was so enjoyable. Firstly, it actually refrained from raining between 10am and 6pm. Secondly, the T20 double-header provided twice the entertainment value that I expected.

I rarely glean much satisfaction from watching a Twenty20 match. Too much biff-bang, little finesse and despite the paucity of balls bowled, there’s no guarantee of an exciting finish. However, if there’s an opportunity of watching two matches in succession, I can be persuaded!

Monday was just such an occasion. The headlines focussed on the men’s game. They enjoyed the full house, the patriotic, vociferous support (maybe not from the few Welsh locals, of whom I am an honourable member!) and the enthralling climax. There were Eoin Morgan’s seven sixes, a beautiful innings from Moeen Ali, Steve Smith’s excellently paced 90 and the thrilling catch by Ben Stokes which turned the game England’s way. There was also the unfortunate dismissal of Shane Watson which not only stirred the derision of the crowd but also hilarity of his own bench upon the repeat showing on the big screen later on. I know because I was sitting close to the Aussies. Even Darren Lehmann was laughing heartily!

However, to concentrate on the men’s one-off fixture would do the women’s game a gross injustice. I hadn’t bought my ticket just to see Hales, Watson, Buttler, Starc and co. I was intrigued by the prospect of watching first-hand the newly-professionalised Women’s teams doing battle for their version of the Ashes. While a batting collapse at Hove a few days earlier had rendered the Cardiff tie redundant as an Ashes decider, there was still much to play for.

I’d familiarised myself with the leading players with a few snippets of gams in the past year or two so I was keenly awaiting the chance to see global stars such as England’s skipper Charlotte Edwards, her Aussie counterpart Meg Lanning, star all-rounder Ellyse Perry and our own wicketkeeper-batsman Sarah Taylor, my new favourite cricketer!

It was interesting to compare the two games. Of course the men’s game provided more power, pace and sixes. However, the opener featured no less skill and was played in great spirit. One reason I like watching Sarah Taylor is her enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment of playing. Something the men should remember from time to time.

Two performances stood out. Anya Shrubsole ripped out the first four Aussie wickets, including the ever-dangerous Lanning and newcomer Jess Jonassen. Perry stuck around for 16 before becoming one of Natalie Scriver’s four victims. Grace Harris struck a few sixes but 111 didn’t look a formidable total. Nevertheless, England had failed to reach even 90 in the previous T20, so anything was possible, especially when Edwards, Wyatt and Taylor were all gone by the fourth over.

Enter Scriver once more. She steadied the ship, put on 55 with Katherine Brunt and was run out with only six needed. Lydia Greenway did the rest and victory came in the nineteenth over. A wonderful all-round display from Sciver but I was mightily impressed by all the bowlers and in particular the fielding, every bit as smart as the men’s.

The awards and celebrations were a bit muted. Maybe it was because the Aussies had done most of their champagne cork-popping at Hove. However, most of the players on both sides were happy to sign autographs and pose for selfies afterwards. These weren’t the big strapping selfish sports stars we have become familiar with. They were young ‘normal’ athletes keen to build a rapport with the fans, and they seemed genuinely pleased to do so.

I sincerely hope that women’s cricket continues to grow and attract not only TV audiences but also youngsters willing to pick up a ball and bat. From what I experienced at Cardiff on and off the field, they are going about it in the right way. Those who couldn’t be bothered to turn up in the morning at the SSE Swalec missed a real treat.

Aussie Women and SA Men rule the world

Congratulations to the Australian Women for re-gaining the World title they ceded to England four years ago. While their West Indian opponents had played some exciting cricket during the tournament, it was a very one-sided final in Mumbai. Jess Cameron top-scored with 75 then Ellyse Perry blew away the top three as the Windies reply stuttered and stumbled to 145 all out and a defeat by 114 runs. Fast bowler Perry returned only half-fit and was limping in between overs so it was testament to the Aussies' all-round strength that they could secure their sixth title withiut her for three games. As for England, they did wrap up third place with a second century of the competition from Charlotte Edwards.

Over in Hamilton, her male counterparts were second best to New Zealand in the first ODI but in Cape Town, the undisputed kings of Test Cricket, South Africa, completed an entertaining victory over Pakistan. A few years ago, they may have failed to convert strength on paper into dominance on the pitch but these days they can't stop winning. In the last two years, they have claimed series victories against all the major Test nations apart from the West Indies. Three at home, three overseas.

The Second Test at Newlands had been finely balanced at the close of play on day 3, but three wickets in three balls (one from Peterson, two from the prolific Philander) hastened the collapse of Pakistan's resistance. However, the Proteas' star batting line-up still had to face Saeed Ajmal, whose six wickets had helped his side to a slight first innnigs lead. Whilst Umar Gul had despatched Alviro Petersen for just on run, Smith, Amla, Kallis, De Villiers and Du Plessis all provided enjoyable cameos in the chase to 182. Ajmal did manage to complete a well-deserved 'ten-for' with defeat just a few runs away, but another Edgar slog-sweep brought up the inevitable win several balls later.

Pakistan did at least compete all the way to the end, and the enormous cricketing experience of their line-up showed a reassuring determination to attack even in the face of near-certain defeat. On the down side, that experience comes with age, and of their bowling attack, Umar Gul was the 'youngster' at a fairly mature 28. Mohammad Irfan made his debut at the grand old age of 30 and looked lively with his left armers across right-handed batsmen. At an incredible 7 feet 1 tall, Irfan certainly cuts an imposing figure but his running to retrieve balls in the outfield resembled a basketball player in wellington boots. Monty Panesar would have outsprinted him comfortably!

Until this week, Pakistan had enjoyed a solid couple of years, winning four out of five Test series, although two came against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and two were achieved in the UAE. A consolation win at Centurion would do wonders for their confidence ahead of a summer tour of the Caribbean and the return series against South Africa. Meanwhile, Graeme Smith's men have a busy year ahead, including host series against India and Australia. I can't see them being displaced from the top of the tree for quite a while.