England vs Australia, Women's Ashes Test: Day 5 - Talking Points

Australia have wrapped up a brilliant victory by 89 runs and have won the only test match and registered 4 points in this multi-format Ashes series with Ashleigh Gardner picking 12 wickets to destroy the England batting order in both innings. A quick recap to the Test match, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first putting up a mammoth 473 on a flat track with Annabel Sutherland scoring 137 not out alongside Ellyse Perry’s 99 and Tahlia McGrath’s 61.

Sophie Ecclestone picked up 5 wickets in the first innings which was followed by a mighty double century from Tammy Beaumont (208) and brisk half centuries from Nat Sciver-Brunt (78) and Heather Knight (57) as England fell 10 runs short of the first innings Australian total. Gardner was the hero for Australia cleaning up the England order with 4 wickets in the innings Tahlia McGrath picked up 3. Batting in the second innings, Sophie Ecclestone created history taking another five-wicket haul despite half centuries from opener Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy to put up a 268-run target.

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England openers started well adding 55 for the first wicket but a collapse on day 4 saw them losing half of their side with 152 more runs to win. It was easy work for Ashleigh Gardner from there on to clean up the rest order finishing the innings with 8/66. Gardner had 4 wickets in 3 Test matches before this game and now has 16 in 4 matches taking her record to the next level being the best spinner for the team since the last couple of years. Australia wrap up the game by 89 runs and take a 4-0 lead in the points table with they requiring to win just 2 limited overs games to retain the Ashes. England at the other hand, have a more uphill task in front of them come the limited overs leg of the tour.