Annabel Sutherland reaches an unbeaten century to put Australia in charge of the Women’s Ashes at Trent Bridge… after impressive spinner Sophie Ecclestone took five wickets for England
- Annabel Sutherland hit a chic century to put Australia in control of the test
- She had been without fifty in her previous 33 international appearances
- England’s Sophie Ecclestone finished with a career-best 5-129 in Test matches
England’s attempt to wrap up Australia’s innings quickly on the second morning of the Ashes’ only women’s Test was thwarted by Annabel Sutherland’s unbeaten century at Trent Bridge.
Sutherland was without fifty in 33 previous international appearances in all formats, but showed the enviable depth of Australia’s batting line-up with an innings consisting of the number eight to propel the tourists past 400.
The 21-year-old rose to a first Test ton, and the fastest by an Australian woman, with 148 balls with a hit to her pads for her 12th four. She was 116 steps out at lunch as her team finished the session on 439 for eight.
It was honors even after the opening day of the multi-format series as Australia closed on 328 for seven, with Sutherland on 39, but England were unable to complete the lower order Friday morning.
Lauren Bell made the only breakthrough midway through the session when her delivery came through the door of Alana King, played for 21 after providing competent support for Sutherland.
Annabel Sutherland (pictured) hit a chic century to put Australia in control of the test
Sutherland was without fifty in 33 previous international appearances in all formats before his tremendous performance at Trent Bridge
England’s Sophie Ecclestone (pictured) finished with a career-best 5-129 in Test matches
King previously survived a DRS check in Sophie Ecclestone’s first run of the day after the slow left arm threw a delivery into the Australian’s pads.
While Hawk-Eye showed the ball would have grazed the stump of the leg, the original decision not to go out remained with the referee on the pitch.
England then burned a criticism on Irish-born Australian debutant Kim Garth (14 not out) as Bell’s delivery allegedly went past the leg stump in a largely frustrating first session for the hosts.
Their seams were mostly harmless, while even Ecclestone, who netted 11 overs after dispatching a mammoth 31 on Thursday, couldn’t make much of an impact as Sutherland put Australia ahead.
Sutherland, who netted a hundred in a warm-up against England A last week, began to pull away after hitting triple figures here on just his third Test, taking a trio of fours in an over off Lauren Filer, although the last of them was via an outside edge.
