History-maker Sutherland again seizes an opportunity

When Annabel Sutherland realised Ellyse Perry's hip injury would require a change in thinking around who would walk out at No.3 to face England's quicks under lights on day one of the day-night MCG Test, she did not think twice.

She did not even have to be asked.

Never mind Sutherland had never batted higher than No.6 in a Test previously, and had never batted in a day-nighter against the pink ball.

What followed was a 258-ball masterclass, as Sutherland ensured that on Saturday morning, the Melbourne Cricket Club calligrapher will etch a woman’s name onto the Test century honour board for the first time.

Her innings of 163 will not be forgotten by any of the 11,918 who witness the allrounder achieve the stuff of childhood dreams at her favourite ground, in her hometown, in front of her friends and family.

"It definitely hasn't sunk in," Sutherland said at the end of day two when asked how it felt to be the first woman to score a Test century at the MCG.

"It's pretty cool and I'm sure I'll reflect on it over the next few days.

"The occasion, the venue, the amount of time I've spent at the 'G as a young kid, watching a lot of cricket, a lot of Boxing Day tests, and then watching the Cats play too at the 'G in the winter.

"I just love the venue and what it means, as a Victorian, so this definitely will sit pretty high up there (in terms of achievements), I'd say."

In just her sixth Test, Sutherland has already equalled the Australian record for most centuries in the format, with three, and she is just one of three women to have hit two scores above 150 alongside Karen Rolton and Heather Knight – and the first to do so in consecutive innings.

At 23, she already has more international centuries than Ellyse Perry.

"I said yes pretty quickly, before Shelley (Nitschke) could even ask the question," Sutherland said of her willingness to move up the order from No.5 to first drop.

"It was just a good opportunity to get up there and work with 'Pheebs' (opener Phoebe Litchfield) last night and then this morning again.

"I thought England bowled pretty well in that first session, so it was nice to get through that."

After a stunning end to the year in ODIs, where Sutherland scored back-to-back hundreds against India and New Zealand, she was the player many were tipping to dominate with the bat across the multi-format Ashes.

And though the six white-ball games yielded a high score of just 18, Sutherland felt confident a switch to the whites would bring a change in fortune – which came when England put down chances on 29 and 31.

"I think I've been hitting the ball really well, I've felt really good," she said. "Just picked out a couple of fielders, which happens.

"You know it's going to turn at some point, that luck is going to be on your side at some point, which it was today and once you get that, you can really cash in and grind it out which is the beauty of Test cricket.

"Just the time that you've got to build an innings … I absolutely love batting, and I think you've got time to work through those waves of ebbs and flows of the game and I think recognising those moments is something I do pretty well, and trying to grind out those tougher periods, and then cashing in when you can."

Sutherland's innings piled on the pain for England who endured a long, tiring day in the field as Australia's first-innings lead stretched to 252 at stumps.

On a tour where the tourists' fielding has been in focus, Friday was their most dire showing to date, with eight catches put down amid an array of misfields and fumbles.

To reflect on the state of affairs in the England dressing room after stumps, 20-year-old second-gamer Ryana MacDonald-Gay, who eventually dismissed Sutherland for 163, was sent to face the media.

"(Bowling to Sutherland was) very difficult," MacDonald-Gay said. "She batted very well today, but she was hard to sort of try and figure out where to bowl, because you just felt that you were never going to get her out. It was hard."

Sutherland said England's fielding standards had been below the standard they expected of their Ashes rivals – while conceding Australia had their own difficulties with chances missed on day one – but said it gave the bowling group hope heading into day three.

"I think it's probably more promising for us as bowlers to know that England created chances all throughout today," Sutherland said.

"Good signs for us to be able to take 10 wickets."

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

Australia lead the multi-format series 12-0

First ODI: Australia won by four wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by 21 runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 86 runs

First T20I: Australia won by 57 runs

Second T20I: Australia won by six runs (DLS Method)

Third T20I: Australia won by 72 runs

Australia squad (ODI/T20Is): Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris+, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

England squad (ODI/T20Is): Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross*, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson+, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath+, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp+, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith+, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

* ODIs only; + T20Is only

Day-night Test: January 30 - February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT

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

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia until Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub