Beaumont breaks records but Aussies gain advantage

Tammy Beaumont has re-written the record books with England's greatest Test innings, but Australia's openers ensured the tourists hold the advantage at stumps on day three of the Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

Beaumont's 208 steered the hosts to within 10 runs of Australia's 473 before the opener was the final wicket to fall, with England all out for 463 after tea on Saturday.

Australia openers Phoebe Litchfield (41no) and Beth Mooney (33no) then navigated their way safely through 19 overs to 0-82 at stumps, with a lead of 92 runs.

With Beaumont immoveable at the crease throughout the first two sessions and supported first by Natalie Sciver-Brunt (78) and then Danni Wyatt (44), England at times appeared on track to build a first-innings lead.

But key blows from Ashleigh Gardner (4-99) and three late wickets to Tahlia McGrath (3-24) saw England lose 4-15 and ensured the tourists retained a slim advantage.

This is the first women's Test in England to be staged over five days, rather than four, setting up an intriguing final two days.

For much of Saturday, Beaumont made Trent Bridge her own as she broke an 88-year-old record to post the highest score by an Englishwoman, passing Betty Snowball's 189 against New Zealand in 1935.

Having already posted 201 against Australia A in a warm-up last week, Beaumont replicated her heroics against their senior attack, notching her double century shortly after tea to rapturous applause from the Nottingham crowd.

When her epic 331-ball innings finally came to an end, the 32-year-old was granted a standing ovation and congratulated by her rivals as she walked from the ground.

Her innings was the fifth highest of all-time in women's Test cricket, and the third best in Ashes cricket behind Ellyse Perry's 213 not out and Karen Rolton's 209.

Beaumont had resumed on 100 not out alongside Sciver-Brunt on 40, and the Australians thought they had secured a huge breakthrough with the first ball of the day when Darcie Brown trapped the latter on the pads and umpire Anna Harris raised her finger.

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But Sciver-Brunt successfully overturned the decision, which ball tracking showed was missing leg, going on to bring up her half-century from 70 deliveries.

The 137-run third-wicket partnership was finally broken by Gardner who found the edge to have Sciver-Brunt – who had appeared to be marching towards a second Test ton – caught behind on 78.

Gardner was the best of Australia's bowlers throughout the morning and early afternoon, bowling tightly in a 15-over spell that also saw the off-spinner remove Sophia Dunkley.

The aggressive Dunkley never settled, crawling to nine from 51 deliveries.

Australia then thought they had Beaumont lbw on 152, but she successfully overturned umpire Sue Redfern's decision when ball tracking found Alana King's delivery had pitched just outside the line.

In her long-awaited Test debut, 32-year-old Danni Wyatt, who has played almost 250 white-ball games for England, got off the mark with a boundary and hit another six fours on her way to 44 off 49 before Brown intervened to have the aggressive right-hander caught at slip.

Perry then reprised memories of the 2019 Ashes when she had Amy Jones (13) skying a catch to Annabel Sutherland at mid-on to maintain her hold over the England wicketkeeper-batter.

That left England 6-411, still trailing Australia by 62 runs with Beaumont joined by spinner Sophie Ecclestone as she approached her double century.

Ecclestone hung around long enough to see Beaumont raise the bat and make history for England shortly after tea, but had to depart when trapped on the pads by McGrath on 17.

McGrath continued to mop up the tail with the scalps of Lauren Filer (11) and Kate Cross (0), before Beaumont was denied the chance to carry her bat when she was bowled by Gardner.

Gardner finished with 4-99 from her 25.2 overs, having previously removed England skipper Heather Knight late on Friday.

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England's innings was the highest of any nation against Australia in women's Tests, surpassing their previous mark of 414 from 1998.

CommBank Ashes Tour of the UK 2023

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Natalie Sciver-Brunt (vc), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Kate Cross, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Amy Jones, Emma Lamb, Issy Wong, Danielle Wyatt

Test: June 22-26 at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 11am local (8pm AEST)

First T20I: July 1 at Edgbaston, Birmingham, 6.35pm (3.35am July 2 AEST)

Second T20I: July 5 at The Oval, London, 6.35pm (3.35am July 6 AEST)

Third T20I: July 8 at Lord’s, London, 6.35pm (3.35am July 9 AEST)

First ODI: July 12 at The County Ground, Bristol, 1pm (10pm AEST)

Second ODI: July 16 at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, 11am (7pm AEST)

Third ODI: July 18 at The County Ground, Taunton, 1pm (10pm AEST)