Sutherland tons up as Aussies hit back in Leicester

Annabel Sutherland hit a superb century and Phoebe Litchfield likewise impressed with bat in hand as Australia’s batters made the most of the final day of their warm-up match against England A in Leicester.

Sutherland was promoted to the top of the order alongside Litchfield, as Beth Mooney slid down having already scored a hundred in the first innings, and stroked her way to 116 from 138 deliveries as the tourists ended the drawn three-day game on a positive note.

The teams shook hands with Australia 7-371 in their second dig, an improvement on their first innings total of 284 all out.

"We went out to hopefully have a really good positive day with the bat and I think you saw that with 'Belsy' (Sutherland) and me out there, and then 'Moons' (Mooney) at the end there and 'T-Mac' (Tahlia McGrath) as well," Litchfield told cricket.com.au.

"Time in the middle is valuable ... you can spend so much time in the nets, but it's never as never as good as the real thing so we'll take a lot out of it.

"(Sutherland) was class, she looked so good out there and it was a pleasure to watch from the other end for most of it, and it was really awesome for her to bring up three figures."

Litchfield took longer to settle into her innings but looked at home by the time she passed fifty for the first time in the match before finally being removed on 78 when she spooned a return catch to spinner Kirstie Gordon.

The left-hander looks likely to open alongside Mooney in Thursday’s sole Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, but Sutherland also made a case during an imperious innings that saw her reach triple figures off 123 balls before opening her shoulders, adding another 16 quick runs before being stumped off the bowling of Gordon.

After a long day in the field on Friday the Australians had a chance to dish out some of the same treatment to their English rivals on Saturday.

Starting the day still needing one England A wicket under ominous skies, Georgia Wareham understood the assignment, removing Sarah Glenn with the first ball of the morning to end their innings on 562.

But the English weather was not as agreeable, with showers delaying Australia’s second innings by an hour.

When the skies cleared Sutherland and Litchfield made themselves at home on the benign surface, putting on 177 – the largest partnership of the match – before England A finally found the breakthrough.

Ellyse Perry was not able to improve on the 32 she hit in the first innings, holing out on 23, and Ashleigh Gardner missed out for a second time when she was bowled by Gordon on 11.

McGrath hit 44 before becoming Gordon’s fifth wicket, while Mooney batted through until both teams shook hands, scoring an unbeaten 35 after arriving in the middle with Australia five wickets down.

The most significant downside for Australia was the absence of Alyssa Healy from their second innings; the skipper did not bat after being struck on the finger while keeping wicket on Friday.

It was a precautionary move with Healy expected to be fit for the Test, but it did mean the ‘keeper-bat missed out on that highly-valued time in the middle Litchfield alluded to.

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, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, 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 (7pm 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)