Reuters
[Source: Reuters Sports]
England were reeling at 116-5 at stumps on day four of the women’s Ashes test chasing a target of 268, giving Australia the upper hand going into the final day of the one-off match at Trent Bridge.
After Australia’s middle order collapsed in their second innings, England’s opening pair began the chase with a solid 55-run partnership.
The start gave the home fans hope of victory until spinner Ashleigh Gardner took three wickets.
Tammy Beaumont, who had smashed 208 in the first innings, was the first to fall, dismissed off the first ball of Gardner’s spell when she nicked to first slip.
Medium pacer Tahlia McGrath got in on the act to dismiss opener Emma Lamb while Nat Sciver-Brunt was caught off Gardner as England’s top three fell within a span of 11 runs.
Skipper Heather Knight became the second English batter after Lamb to be dismissed lbw, with both failing to get the Decision Review System (DRS) to overturn the umpire’s decision.
Danni Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley then steadied the ship with a patient 37-run partnership. But Kim Garth picked up her first test wicket when she dismissed Dunkley, caught behind off an outswinger.
Wyatt and Kate Cross were at the crease at stumps with England needing 152 more runs to win.
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