Experienced seamer Katherine Brunt led the way for England on Day 1, taking 3/52 from 18 overs after sending Australia in in Canberra. Image: @ICC/Twitter
The bowling prowess of experienced duo Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt were the keys to unlocking the match for the English Women’s Cricket Team helping them to set up an intriguing test for days to come.
The experienced Brunt finished the day with figures of 3/52 of 18 overs with an economy of 2.89 but had so much more impact on day one than that of the statistics, her energy and fieriness were on full display.
Allrounder Nat Sciver says she is always that way and that makes her a fantastic teammate.
“That’s the bowler she is really, she brings the energy for everyone.” She said at Stumps on Day 1 in Canberra.
“At the start, she said I’m going to be zen and by the second spell that had gone out the window.
“She gee’d us up and got everyone going.”
After Heather Knight won the toss and elected to bowl, Brunt struck in her second over, removing the dangerous wicket-keeper batter Alyssa Healy.
Brunt ran in all day for her skipper as the tourists hunted wickets, she was back in the wickets column later in the day when she got a ball to bounce sharply off a length that brushed Australian vice-captain Rachael Haynes’ gloves. caught behind for 86 off 180 balls. A timely blow considering Sciver had removed Lanning the over before for 93, breaking the 169 run partnership.
Brunt struck again late in the day, when she had Ash Gardner adjudged LBW and out on a quick-fire 56 off 74 balls in a swash-buckling display at the end of an eventful over which involved an overturned DRS decision Australia’s way and a struck down appeal for obstruction the field.
Sciver was pretty upbeat after play on day one of the Women’s Ashes test after watching a fantastic bowling performance from Brunt helping to even out the odds after the Australian batters dug themselves out of trouble.
“It was a pretty good day I think for us, I think we won the first session, taking three wickets with the new ball.” Sciver continued.
“Then we wavered in the middle a bit, then brought it back at the end so I think we feel pretty positive about the day,”
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Nat Sciver herself was no slouch with figures of 3/41 off 16 overs to end with an economy of 2.56. Sciver also took the last wicket of the day, young all-rounder and in-form batter Tahlia McGrath to end the session on a high.
Embed from Getty Images“We were more buoyed by the wicket on the last ball of the day, so happy.” She said.
“I think the runs stacked up a bit but I think the wicket is a good one once you get in.
“We saw batters do the hard work at the start of the innings and when they got in it seemed to be easier to score so hopefully that’s what we can do when we go out to bat.
“No one means to drop chances, all bowlers create the chances and we just have to take them and the bowlers worked really hard for us.
“We were disappointed with the dropped chances and I guess the lack of energy in the middle of the sessions.
Sciver made the important breakthrough in the morning session right after the drinks break in the opening session when she got Ellyse Perry playing a short ball which she skied and was pouched comfortably by Amy Jones, one of five opening day catches for the wicketkeeper.
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