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10th over: Australia 76-1 (Mooney 44, Litchfield 7) Unlucky Capsey – as first Mooney lofts her high and just out of the reach of the running Charlie Dean at long off, and then top-edges a reverse-sweep which lands between three shall-we-shan’t we fielders. Three dot balls and nice drift. They take DRINKS with England more than competitive, but Australia with wickets in hand.
9th over: Australia 68-1 (Mooney 42, Litchfield 2) Pace returns, with Lauren Filer. Mooney threads her through backward point for that elusive boundary. And another, wow, as she calmly scoops a full ball and sends it looping behind her.
“Now that the burden of not drawing the Ashes has been lifted, we may see the Aussie girls play with a more carefree abandon,” writes Dawg.
“More carefree abandon?!”
8th over: Australia 56-1 (Mooney 32, Litchfield 0) Alex Capsey, in for Maia Bouchier, does the business! For the first time this series, that I’ve seen, Australia are straining for runs.
WICKET! Voll c Wyatt-Hodge b Capsey 23 (Australia 56-1)
Pressure tells! After 29 balls without a boundary, Voll can’t resist. Shuffles and sweeps – but to the safest pair of hands in the team, Wyatt-Hodge, at deep midwicket.
7th over: Australia 53-0 (Mooney 30, Voll 22) Time for the big gun as Sophie Ecclestone comes on to turn the screw. No boundaries yet again, but nine picked up by the enterprising Aussies.
And hello there John Starbuck! “In the preamble you write ‘if only (England) can hold their catches’. That must be one of the biggest ‘if only’s there’s ever been. Not that I wouldn’t be delighted if England can get a result this time around, but Hope is sitting very disconsolately in a corner.” Famous last words, but this has been the best start I’ve seen.
6th over: Australia 44-0 (Mooney 26, Voll 18) Australia being forced to improvise here against Dean, just five singles again. The Australian bench chew their nails in concentration.
Our woman on the ground, Raf Nicholson has been in touch. “They’ve just had the millionth fan of the international summer through the gate - which means they’ve got over 7500 fans in. Great effort! There’s also a trumpeter playing Jerusalem so it looks like we’ve got a Barmy Army showing.”
5th over: Australia 39-0 (Mooney 23, Voll 16) Smith again, continues to restrict Australia. No fuss approach, not much space to think between balls. The second over in a row with no boundaries.
4th over: Australia 34-0 (Mooney 19, Voll 15) Knight ringing the changes, as Charlie Dean joins the roll call of bowlers. Sunglasses on. She stops the boundary count, with six picked up with this and that.
3rd over: Australia 28-0 (Mooney 17, Voll 11 ) Three dots balls from Lauren Filer, bustling in, hair tied tightly in a bun, light blue nail varnish. But then she delivers a short fat one which Voll tucks into with gusto. Another four driven with pin-point accuracy and great elegance next ball.
2nd over: Australia 19-0 (Mooney 17, Voll 2 ) Three successive fours from Freya Kemp’s first over as Mooney tucks into a couple of full tosses and throws out airy drive. Not the parsimoniousness Knight is looking for.
1st over: Australia 6-0 (Mooney, 5, Voll 1 ) Left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, veteran of three summers in the Big Bash, starts things off to the accompaniment of the Barmy Army – Jerusalem blaring out for the first time this series. A leading edge from the first ball, and six ploughed from the over.
Andy Bull hits the nail on the head here with his assesment of how things have been going –
and with just a minute or two to go till play starts, the Australians are just walking out to the middle.
The stattos have been digging into why the disparity between the two teams has been so big and have picked up on batting against spin: with England averaging 13 and Australia in the twenties.
Meanwhile England coach Jon Lewis sails blithely on, despite the brickbats.
A interesting choice to blame the weather on Australia’s greater athleticism. It might hold for the general population, but not really for professional athletes.
Australia XI
Australia XI: Georgia Voll, Beth Mooney (wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath (capt), Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown
England XI
England XI: Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight (capt), Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Filer
Australia win the toss and BAT
Everything is running for Australia. “It’s a lovely wicket out there,” McGrath says “We’ve committed to a game style.” She’s playing at home, with lots of family in the crowd and is “so excited.” One change for Australia - Darcie Brown replaces Kim Garth
Heather Knight continues to put on a brave face. “We chased really well the other night so not too disappointed to chase tonight. I loved the way we fought with the bat.” Three changes for England – Linsey Smith, Alice Capsey and Lauren Filer replace Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier and Sarah Glenn.
Alex Hartley, the subject of her own media storm over the last few days after Sophie Ecclestone refused to give her an interview, is standing in the hot sun and reports short boundaries square and a bit of grass on the wicket.
Preamble
Good morning! Roll along we must in this multi-format Ashes series, the spoils already Australia’s, with England yet to get a point on the board.
Just six points remain to be collected – four in the pink-ball Test, and two from today’s game, the final T20 in Adelaide.
Tahlia McGrath’s side haven’t hidden their desire for a whitewash, but an improved performance in the second T20 should give England hope. If only they can hold their catches….
Time for a quick cup of tea, play starts at 8.15GMT, 645pm in Adelaide. Do join us on the OBO sofa.
