The story at stumps: Women's Ashes Test day one

A late flurry of wickets tipped the balance of day one towards the hosts as England finished up on 235/7 at the North Sydney Oval.

At 214/4 honours were going the way of the visitors but, under the lights, two wickets from Ellyse Perry and one from Tahlia McGrath changed the narrative.

It was nip and tuck throughout the day, with a partnership of 104 between Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight England’s highlight, but Australia took wickets regularly enough to keep England in check.

After winning the toss England’s openers started steadily – safety first their apparent mantra, with the first boundary not until the 16th over.

They put on 25 and did well to see off Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry before Lauren Winfield attempted an offensive shot through the off-side off Tahlia McGrath and was superbly caught by Nicole Bolton at short cover.

It was then that Beaumont and Knight came together and the former played beautifully for her 71 – her highest Test score and England’s highest individual innings since Knight’s memorable Ashes ton at Wormsley in 2013.

The ICC Women’s World Cup Player of the Tournament is accustomed to getting England off to fliers but she was watchful when required in the Sydney sun, soaking up pressure before putting the bowlers on the back foot as her innings progressed.

There was no sign of nerves for a player with only two Tests to her name prior to today – and an unrepresentative average of only seven – and even when the tempo of her innings may have appeared conservative she seemed confident she could go through the gears.

And go through the gears she did, finding gaps in the off-side with regularity before an equally good piece of cricket, this time from young leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington, saw her caught at slip and on her way for 70.

She would have left the field frustrated at not going on to three figures but the platform she had laid was perfect, and the manner in which the partnership with Knight flourished looked to be the blueprint of England plans.

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TammyBeaumont

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Her partner in crime, Knight, was more fluent from the off – benefitting from the patient groundwork of Beaumont and Winfield.

She lapped and swept the spinners to distraction and played one of the shots of the day, clipping the ever-dangerous Schutt through straight mid-wicket for four.

It was one of seven boundaries in her 50 but just as she and England were beginning to look well set she was undone, trapped in front attempting to sweep Jess Jonassen.

Knight had done so well to add momentum to England’s innings and while she too would have been eyeing three figures, it was a vital innings for her side.

Her dismissal left an awkward period for new batters Georgia Elwiss – back in the team for the first time in just under a year – and Nat Sciver but they got their side through to dinner at 157/3 and then progressed the score to 177 under the lights before Jonassen skidded one on to Sciver’s pads and she was adjudged LBW.

Sarah Taylor then attacked the new ball and along with Elwiss looked once again to be getting England into a position of dominance at 214/4.

It was then that the twilight zone did its thing, not so much in wild movement of the pink ball but in a late fall of wickets.

Elwiss, Taylor and Brunt fell to leave England on 235/7 at the close, with the hosts rejuvenated and the game in the balance.

A full scorecard is available throughout the match.

Follow all of the team news and results during the Women's Ashes in our dedicated England Women section. 

England Ashes 2017 squad