Ellyse Perry cuts towards the boundary on Day 1 (Twitter)
Australia earned the opening day honours of the 2023 Women's Ashes Test at Trent Bridge. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, the visitors charted runs in a heap, session by session, and had 328 of them to boast off by stumps.
Australia's all-round veteran Ellyse Perry led her side's batting charge for most of the day before a full delivery from English debutant Lauren Filer denied her of a well-deserved century.
Perry, McGrath set early rhythm for Australia
Phoebe Litchfield, on her Test debut, hassled her way to a mere 23 in a 35-run opening stand with senior partner Beth Mooney. While Litchfield was trapped in front by Kate Cross, Mooney became Lauren Filer's first victim of the day.
At 83-2, Ellyse Perry formed forces with Tahlia McGrath, and the two shared a 119-run partnership together, thus taking Australia past the 200-run mark. Seasoned English campaigner Sophie Ecclestone gave her team the much-needed breakthrough by cleaning up McGrath. The wicket triggered a semi-batting collapse as England fought back to take four wickets in the space of 14 overs, reducing the Australians to 238-6.
Perry belligerently punched out a solid 99 and looked well-settled for her third Test ton, but her ambitious pursuit was halted by an over-jubilant Filer, who basked herself amidst a spirited English hour post Tea.
Captain Alyssa Healy was dismissed for a two-ball duck by Ecclestone before Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland rescued the visitors with a counter-attacking batting charge. The latter of the two, batting at 39, remains unbeaten and will resume Australia's innings at 328-7 on Day 2.
Scoring runs at 3.85 per over; the visitors belted every English bowler on display sans Ecclestone. While others conceded 257 runs off their combined 54 overs, the 24-year-old industrious spinner sent down 31 overs which yielded three wickets and just 71 runs for her side.
Brief scores
Australia Women 1st innings: 328-7 (85)
Ellyse Perry 99 (153), Tahlia McGrath 61 (83)
Sophie Ecclestone 3-71 (31), Lauren Filer 2-65 (14)
 "Aakash Saini")
