Australia's reliance on their young and inexperienced bowlers during the thrilling final stages of the Canberra Test pleases skipper Meg Lanning
Great Sutherland: Lanning lauds young allrounder
Australia's thrilling Ashes draw could be the making of Annabel Sutherland after Meg Lanning showed her faith in the young quick in the thrilling final stages.
Sutherland claimed figures of 3-69 in the fourth innings, sparking an England collapse that saw Australia go within a wicket of winning the Test.
More impressive was the fact that each of Sutherland's wickets came after Sophia Dunkley took her for 16 in the first over of her spell, as England motored towards the target of 257 from 48 overs.
Thrown the ball with 12 overs to go, Sutherland recovered and bowled around the wicket to go for just one off the next over.
The pressure built in her following over as she got the key wicket of Nat Sciver before dismissing Amy Jones and Katherine Brunt to give Australia hope of victory.
The effort came in just the 20-year-old's second Test, after she also claimed 2-62 in the first innings, including her first Test wicket.
It marked her best match in Australian colours after playing her first T20 international just before the 2020 World Cup.
"She can take a lot out of today's performance," Lanning said of the 20-year-old.
"She has shown glimpses throughout her opportunities playing for Australia and she's had a few along the way.
"But it's been difficult for her to get some continuity. In Test matches, it allows you to have that longer-form bowling and be able to get into a rhythm."
Telling too was Lanning's faith in her younger players late in the match, with Megan Schutt not playing and Perry not used in the last hour.
Darcie Brown got the key wicket of Heather Knight late in the final session to swing the momentum, while leg-spinner Alana King was handed the final over on debut.
"I thought Annabel Sutherland and Alana's efforts were amazing, really," Lanning said.
"Especially Annabel just running in. She didn't bowl badly in that over and Sophia was going really hard at her.
"But throughout the whole Test match, she has been someone who I feel like I can rely on.
"To do that under so much pressure, it's pretty impressive."