Southern Stars passing big Test

The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars are in command of the Women’s Ashes Test thanks to a four-wicket haul from seamer Megan Schutt on an atrittional day two in Canterbury.

England were bowled out for 168 in the final over of the day to concede a 106-run first innings lead, with Schutt (4-26) and Ellyse Perry (3-38) starring for Australia.

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Ellyse Perry starred with the ball for the Stars // Getty Images

The Southern Stars are now in the box seat to win the Test and extend their Ashes series lead, but with rain forecast for day three, the visitors will be hoping to push home their advantage tomorrow.

"We applied pressure really well throughout the entire day. We bowled good lines and kept restricting the score and that paid off with wickets," said Schutt, whose 4-26 came off 18 overs with 11 maidens.

"We bowled good areas. It’s paid off in the last few games (ODIs), bowling straight at the stumps and that’s made it hard to score. 

"A combination of our bowling and tight lines really restricted them. At times they did play - not negative cricket, but a slow Test match game. 

"We’ve seen that in the past, like at Wormsley the last time we were here (for the Ashes in 2013). 

"We knew they were capable of playing that sort of game so we just needed to keep going with our plans."

Replay: Watch Megan Schutt's four wickets (restrictions apply)

Southern Stars skipper Meg Lanning declared Australia’s innings on 9-274 after overnight champion Jess Jonassen fell agonisingly close to a debut century, out lbw for 99 in a rain-affected morning session.

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Jess Jonassen just missed out on a century // Getty Images

Perry then removed Lauren Winfield and Sarah Taylor in consecutive deliveries off her first two balls of the afternoon session to reduce England to 2-7 inside three overs.

The allrounder got a ball to spit like a cobra and take Winfield’s edge through to Alyssa Healy, before curling one around Taylor’s bat and into her exposed left pad to be trapped stone cold in front for a golden globe.

Perry had a chance for a hat-trick (restrictions apply)

England captain Charlotte Edwards survived the hat-trick delivery, but watched on as Heather Knight edged a wobbling Sarah Coyte half-volley to Meg Lanning at first slip to fall for 14 and leave the hosts 3-34.

A smooth cover-drive for four early in Edwards’ innings raised her 1,000th run against Australia as the visitors remained frugal with their lines, lengths and in the field.

Edwards also became the leading run-scorer for England against their Ashes rival in Tests when she reached 30, but she would not add to the that tally, undone by a sneaky inswinger from Schutt that tip-toed around the outside edge before kissing the top of off-stump to unseat the off-bail.

Confusion reigned when umpire Alex Wharf gave Edwards out caught behind as the ball carried through to Healy, but the keeper was sure to let both batter and umpire know of the fallen bail.

The wicket brought Lydia Greenway and Nat Sciver together, the pair that thwarted Australia in the first one-day international in Taunton with a match-winning 122-run stand.

But where the pair were rampant at Somerset they were reined in at Kent, at one stage scoring 19 runs from only 15 overs – Greenway the biggest culprit for the lapse in run rate, going 34 balls between scores.

England’s go-slow mentality carried them to tea without further damage to the batting order, but a suspect lbw decision after the break gave Perry her third and sent Greenway packing for 22 from 86 balls.

Australia toiled hard on a placid pitch against the stubborn hosts who seemingly refused to play with any kind of intent or aggression as the innings run-rate dipped below two runs an over.

As the day looked destined to end in a stalemate, Schutt delivered a vital blow for the tourists, trapping Sciver lbw for a marathon 125-ball 35 that ended in similar fashion as her former partner Greenway.

Jonassen then contributed with the ball in spectacular fashion, drifting a fizzing ball outside Georgia Elwiss’s leg-stump which spun and bounced and cannoned into the top of the exposed woodwork.

And when Schutt claimed her second of the day – Laura Marsh caught behind without troubling the scorers – a hefty lead was on the cards along with time to bat late in the evening.

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Katherine Brunt showed some fight // Getty Images

But Katherine Brunt showed the impetus that was lacking, scoring a relatively quick-fire 39 before Coyte and Schutt wrapped up the tail to earn Australia a first innings lead.