Australia retain Women’s Ashes after taking unassailable 8-2 lead post drawn Test
Australia played out a high scoring draw against England in the one off test to secure the Ashes trophy for themselves for the third year running. Having resumed the final day with a huge second innings lead, a gritty innings by Ellyse Perry led to both captains agreeing to call the match a draw.
After Australia whitewashed the hosts by winning all three games in the ODI series, the two teams failed to reach a result in the solitary test at the County Ground in Taunton. This means that the Australian team now has an unassailable six point lead in the points table and will hold on to the Ashes regardless of how the T20 series ends.
Australia ran the English bowlers ragged in the first innings as they put up 420 runs on the board courtesy a brilliant century by all-rounder Ellyse Perry and Rachael Haynes’ 87 as the two put up 162 runs for the fourth wicket. They finally declared at 420 with two wickets in hand. England responded well with the bat but couldn’t match Australia’s prowess, being restricted to 275/9 as Sophie Miloneux picked up four scalps. They decided to declare their innings too in search of a result if they could manage to bowl out Australia for a low total.
However, Australia managed to hold out with the bat and ended day four on 199/6. Ellyse Perry again starred with the bat and was unbeaten on 76 when the two captains decided to declare the match a draw with the possibility of getting a result next to none. Having also taken a wicket in the previous innings, 28-year-old Perry was rightfully declared the player of the match.
A team is awarded two points for a win in a white ball match while a test win is worth four points. Since the test was drawn, each team received two points. Hence, Australia currently has eight points compared to England’s two. With only three T20Is to be played, England can at best level the Kangaroos and thus Australia will retain the Ashes trophy. England last laid claim to the title in 2013-14 but since then, Australia has won one series and drew the last one before again keeping the trophy for another year this time around.
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