Perry primed for Test return, young quick pushes case

An Ellyse Perry century and Tayla Vlaeminck’s feisty display with the ball have Australia well poised in their women’s Ashes red-ball tour game against the England Academy in Marlborough.

Perry was unbeaten on 101 at stumps on day two against a virtual England A side at Marlborough College, having helped Australia to 6-205 in their second innings, giving them a 400-run lead over the hosts heading into the tour game’s final day.

Her knock - yet another reminder of her all-round talents, after her Australian women's ODI record 7-22 in the third ODI against England last Sunday - came after right-arm speedster Vlaeminck bagged 4-31 as England Academy were bowled out for 165 shortly after lunch on Friday, putting the 20-year-old firmly in the frame for a Test debut in Taunton next Thursday.

The four-day match in Taunton is the sole Test of the seven-match, multi-format women's Ashes, a series decided using a points system. Australia hold a 6-0 lead after sweeping the ODI leg earlier this month and only need to draw the Test to ensure they retain the trophy. 

SCORECARD: England v Australia A

As England’s top-order batted the day away in their own practice match against Australia A in Somerset – scoring a mammoth 343 declared in a day where the tourists failed to make a single breakthrough – Australia lost early wickets in their second dig at Marlborough.

Holding a handy first-innings lead of 195, Australia’s likely Test opening pair Alyssa Healy and Nicole Bolton were given another chance to forge their new red-ball partnership but they only managed to put on 11 for the first wicket before Healy was caught off the bowling of medium pacer Beth Langston for six.

Image Id: 3B52DE8E3AC7464BBFB278F8A748DA77 Image Caption: Australia bowled England Academy out for 165 // Getty

Bolton (6) followed soon after, out lbw as Langston picked up a second.

Australia skipper Meg Lanning then fell cheaply for the second time this match, caught behind off left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon, out for 16 after being dismissed for 14 in the first innings.

Given a second chance in the middle after falling for eight on day one, Ashleigh Gardner scored just 17 before also falling to Gordon – and England selectors may well take a close look at the Scottish-born tweaker, who finished the day with four second innings wickets, having also dismissed Healy and Bolton in the first innings.

From 4-66, Australia then steadied as the experienced Jess Jonassen joined Perry in the middle.

Image Id: DA5EAF71D8684530BAEAAA1BD8921E1B Image Caption: Jess Jonassen continued to thrive in English conditions // Getty

Perry – who scored 30 in Australia’s first innings – brought up her half-century from 86 deliveries and looked at total ease in the middle, an ominous display from a player who scored a double century last time she donned the whites.

Jonassen found the boundary four times and cleared it once in her 44, before their 120-run stand was broken as Gordon picked up her third, Jonassen caught by Mady Villiers chasing quick runs late in the day, before Perry reached triple figures from 145 balls shortly before stumps, helping Australia to 6-205 at the close.

With a 400-run lead in hand and all their batters handed opportunities in the middle, Australia may declare overnight and give their bowlers a full 100 overs to dismiss England Academy on Saturday.

Earlier, Australia hunted early wickets as England Academy resumed on 3-49 in reply to the tourists’ 5-360(dec) and it didn’t take long as Ellyse Perry struck in the fourth over of the day to remove Danni Wyatt, the England limited-overs star caught behind on 12.

Brought on for her first over of the day inside the first hour, Vlaeminck took just three balls to add to her overnight tally of two wickets, trapping Sophia Dunkley (5) lbw, and before long she added a fourth, allrounder Alice Davidson-Richards edging behind without scoring.

Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux, out to push her case for selection after scoring a rapid-fire 65 on day one, took a smart return catch in just her second over, removing Emma Lamb (10).

With England Academy in deep trouble at 7-74, a fighting half-century from Mady Villiers (50no) held off the Australians’ charge but it didn’t take long to wrap up their innings after the lunch break with a double strike from leg-spinner Georgia Wareham ending the Academy’s innings on 165.

Vlaeminck (4-31) led the wicket takers – and significantly boosted her chances of a Test debut – while Wareham’s 2-31 was reward after the leg-spinner consistently beat the bat. Perry (2-32) was the other multiple wicket taker.

Molineux and Ashleigh Gardner – potentially playing off for the same spin-bowling allrounder position in the XI – finished with one wicket apiece.

Australia will look to seal a warm-up win on Saturday’s third and final day.

Image Id: 5F82B9F004884EA095392F7EDC535D7D Image Caption: England opener Amy Jones hit a warm-up ton against Australia A // Getty

Meanwhile in Tauntonvale, England’s batters showed no signs of trouble against the red ball in a dominant first day’s play against Australia A.

Batting first at Millfield School, openers Tammy Beaumont (100) and Amy Jones (115) both struck centuries before retiring, while Heather Knight (65no) and Georgia Elwiss (44no) also spent valuable time in the middle before the hosts declared on 343.

Kate Cross then picked up two Australia A wickets before stumps, removing both Tahlia McGrath and Heather Graham without scoring, the tourists 2-45 at the end of play.

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia lead England 6-0

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

England ODI squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Jenny Gunn, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt 

July 2: Australia won by two wickets

July 4: Australia won by four wickets

July 7:  Australia won by 194 runs

July 11-13: England Academy v Australia, Marlborough College, Swindon

July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol

A Test victory is worth four points (two each for a draw), two points are awarded for ODI and T20 wins