Australia's King spins web that beguiles England's batters in women's Ashes Test

The Guardian

30-01-2025

And so it finally arrived: the first day of women's Test cricket at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground since 1949. Long-planned by Cricket Australia, there was a crackle of history in the air, as Alyssa Healy (ruled fit to play at the 11th hour) wore the legendary Betty Wilson's green blazer out to the middle for the toss, before a procession of former Australia Test captains – from Marg Jennings to Rachael Haynes – led the way onto the field to begin the anthems.
Then, as Alana King spun her web around England - taking four for 45 as the visitors fell to 170 all out in 71.4 overs - the spirit of a legendary leg-spinner echoed around the ground. No, not Shane Warne, but Peggy Antonio, the Melburnian factory-worker who took six for 49 the first time a women's Test was played at this ground in January 1935. Her achievement is marked on the honours board in the home changing room at the ground – the only woman so honoured – and though a dropped catch off her own bowling denied King the chance to take a fifth wicket to join her, it was nonetheless a Test bowling performance for the ages, in front of a crowd of 11,643.
In reply, Australia rammed home their advantage, reaching 56-1 – debutant Georgia Voll the only wicket to fall, with some ominous signs of intent from Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland as stumps loomed. Australia's only concern will be for Ellyse Perry: Sutherland was promoted to No3 in her stead, after Perry sustained a hip injury while fielding. She will undergo a medical assessment ahead of play on Friday, to determine if she is able to play any further part in the match.
Before this Test, nobody knew how the pink ball would behave. There is little historical data - the last pink-ball women's Test was in 2021 - but a clue was perhaps to be found in the make-up of the two teams, with Australia omitting Georgia Wareham, while England preferred seamer Ryana MacDonald-Gay over Charlie Dean.
And yet even on day one, on a pitch on which the groundstaff had deliberately left an extra 2mm of grass to protect the pink ball, King found prodigious turn. Australia saved her up for the second session, when England were attempting a rebuild from 47 for three: again and again she beat the bats of Sophia Dunkley and Nat Sciver-Brunt, whose 50-run partnership was as good as it got for England with the bat. At one point some spectators accidentally threw a beachball onto the outfield at the G. If King had bowled with it, England might have had a chance of hitting the thing.
As it was, Dunkley played patiently for 70 balls but couldn't quite resist driving the 71st back into the hands of King. A terrific catch from a diving Phoebe Litchfield at silly point did for Danni Wyatt-Hodge, but Sophie Ecclestone plonked one straight into the hands of cover.
Only Sciver-Brunt provided any resistance, patiently acquiring a 121-ball half-century - though only after surviving a scare on 44, edging to first slip and starting to walk off, before third-umpire technology suggested Healy had not taken the catch cleanly. But Sciver-Brunt was undone by King's first over of the final session. First, she sent down a leg break which spun so far that it bamboozled wicketkeeper Beth Mooney and went for two byes. Three balls later, she did it again, this time smashing it into Sciver-Brunt's middle stump.
King put down Lauren Filer, and a review to DRS failed to yield the wicket of Lauren Bell: Beth Mooney eventually ended the England innings by running Bell out, denying King a third opportunity to add a fifth wicket to her haul. But five-for or no five-for, this was Australia's day.
England were on the (metaphorical) back foot within the first eight overs, after Maia Bouchier nicked the fourth ball of the day to a diving Beth Mooney behind the stumps, and Tammy Beaumont was struck low in front by Darcie Brown. Bouchier has had a miserable tour – just 41 runs in six matches so far, including two ducks – and will probably be relieved when the plane home leaves in a few days time.
But the biggest wicket to fall in the opening session was that of Heather Knight - she of two Test 150s. Producing a big innings at the G is her best hope of saving her job, and she will get another attempt before the match is through. But at the first try, Kim Garth - who had sent down a spell of dangerous both-ways movement with the pink ball - had her playing down the wrong line and trapped leg-before. Where the hell did we go wrong? sang G-Flip in the tea break. Was it in the timing? Well, that and the shot selection.