Beaumont brilliance: Numbers behind Tammy's record knock

Tammy Beaumont has batted herself into the record books at Trent Bridge, becoming just the eighth woman and first Englishwoman to hit a Test double century.

Beaumont was the last batter out for 208 on Saturday in England's 463 all out as the hosts gave up a slender 10-run first-innings lead in reply to Australia's 473.

The 32-year-old's 331-ball epic broke an 88-year-old record for England, eclipsing Betty Snowball's 189 scored against New Zealand in 1935 as the highest international score by an Englishwoman.

The knock was also the fifth highest of all-time in women's Test cricket, and the third best in Ashes cricket behind Ellyse Perry's 213 and Karen Rolton's 209.

Even more remarkable is that it was Beaumont's second consecutive double-century after posting 201 in a warm-up match against Australia A in Derby last week.

"I have absolutely no idea how I've done it twice in two weeks," Beaumont said.

"All those people messaging me last night saying, 'Double up, double up', I was like, 'shut up, you're jinxing me here'.

"But we've talked about rehearsing the big moments and rehearsing our mindset for five-day cricket, and I guess I've just found a little purple patch of controlling my mind, controlling my emotions, staying calm and really clear."

Beaumont spent 498 minutes at the crease across days two and three, the 10th longest innings recorded in women's Test cricket and second longest for England behind Rachael Heyhoe-Flint's 521-minute stay against Australia at The Oval in 1976.

The right-hander made Australia pay for several sloppy efforts in the field, offering several chances on Friday, including a tough low chance to debutant Phoebe Litchfield at second slip on just four off the bowling of Darcie Brown.

Australia missed another chance to remove the opener on 61 when she edged a delivery from Alana King onto her own foot which lobbed up to Litchfield at short leg, but when the appeal was turned down skipper Alyssa Healy opted not to review.

She was given out lbw on 152 to Alana King on Saturday before ball-tracking showed a little over half the ball had pitched outside leg stump on review.

After resuming on an even 100 on Saturday morning, Beaumont scored freely from the outset of day three, bringing up her 150 from 229 balls.

Her next 50 runs came from 88 deliveries as the wickets fell around her, moving into uncharted territory for an Englishwoman when she brought up her double century from her 317th ball faced.

She hit 27 boundaries in her knock, flicking the quicks off her pads while also willing to be patient against the spin.

Through the cover point region was her most productive area, yielding 55 runs, while she was also strong through midwicket with 34 runs.

With her maiden Test century from 152 deliveries, Beaumont – who already has nine ODI hundreds and one T20I ton to her name – joins captain Heather Knight as the only women to have hit a century in all international formats.

Of Knight and the two England men – Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan – to have reached three figures in all three formats, Beaumont's 208 in Tests, 168no in ODIs and 116 in T20Is is the highest of those players in each of the formats.

Beaumont looked to be leading England to a first-innings advantage until she was the final English wicket to fall, with Tahlia McGrath taking three quick wickets as the hosts lost 4-15 late in their innings.

Her knock will no doubt ramp up the pressure on England selectors ahead of the T20 leg of the multi-format Ashes series that begins on July 1 at Edgbaston, with Beaumont missing last year's Commonwealth Games and the T20 World Cup earlier this year having fallen out of favour in the shortest format over the past 14 months.

Reflecting on her form on Saturday, she acknowledged that disappointment may have inadvertently sparked her current form.

"It's certainly not been on my mind the last three or four days, Test match cricket is very different to T20 cricket," Beaumont said.

"But I think how I've worked this winter on my game ... that that probably has played an impact in me trying to find that motivation to get better and to improve.

"I've worked on trying to not get hit on the front pads so much and get out lbw ... and that came about from trying to be more aggressive in the T20 game and access midwicket, and because of that I'm defending the ball better, so I guess in an indirect way, it's definitely played a part.

"But it's also reminded me that I've got a lot of cricket left that I want to play for England.

"Whether that's in T20 cricket or not, who knows at the moment, but I certainly want to keep getting better and keep representing our team." 

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)