Australia v England: Women's Ashes Test match day two – as it happened

That’s all from us, here! Adam Collins’ report to follow. See you all tomorrow!

Pez: Shrubsole dispenser

84th over: Australia 176-5 (Perry 70, Healy 0)

Perry latches onto a short, wide delivery from Perry, who cuts with a straight bat, beyond Fran Wilson at backward point. Four more. Even better when the penultimate ball gets her forward as Perry drops to one knee and drives like Rahul Dravid through cover.

83rd over: Australia 168-5 (Perry 62, Healy 0)

Much better from Brunt in terms of the start of this over compared to her previous one. Full, arching away from Healy, asking her to get forward and pay attention as night closes in around the North Sydney Oval. There’s a whiff of a chance when Healy plays across the line, but it’s a whip that lands bat on ball towards midwicket. Honours even...

82nd over: Australia 168-5 (Perry 62, Healy 0)

Anya Shrubsole wide and or short that over. A maiden, but Perry was under little threat.

81st over: Australia 168-5 (Perry 62)

Shape with the new ball, straight away. Katherine Brunt has first go, but puts the first one down the leg side with the left-hander Rachel Haynes on strike. And the second. No carry, though. Oh my, a chance! Haynes pushes out in front and edges behind. Was it Knight’s catch? Was it Winfield’s? Who knows... but it went right between both of them. Brunt is fuming. So she decides to do it herself next ball.

80th over: Australia 164-4 (Perry 62, Haynes 29)

So, new ball reached with Australia on the charge. Knight looks to have bowled a decent ball, but it’s wide enough for Perry to wait, rock back and cut through point for another boundary. Continuing her good form from last night’s presser:

New ball taken...

79th over: Australia 159-4 (Perry 58, Haynes 28)

Loose ball from Marsh – short, dying down the leg side – and Perry crouches and swivels to help it on the way down to fine leg for four.

78th over: Australia 154-4 (Perry 54, Haynes 27)

A couple for Perry, as she times Knight well through midwicket. England just trying to fastforward to the new ball at this point.

77th over: Australia 152-4 (Perry 52, Haynes 27)

Ecclestone over the wicket to Haynes, who goes down to sweep a ball that’s far too full. An LBW appeal falls on deaf ears (just outside the line, for my money). What makes things worse for Ecclestone is the two fours that follow: one under-edged around the corner (again a sweep), the other slapped through midwicket when a long hop is served. Those deliveries did for the Australian openers – but not the skipper.

76th over: Australia 143-4 (Perry 52, Haynes 19)

Spoke far too soon. Elwiss shifted out of the attack and Heather Knight brings herself on for a Lee Trundle. Good flight from around the wicket but not quite the magic that ol’ Lee had in spades...

74th over: Australia 137-4 (Perry 47, Haynes 17)

Elwiss with another maiden. Tidy stuff from her, so far. Looks like she’ll stay put til 80 overs are up.

73rd over: Australia 137-4 (Perry 47, Haynes 17)

Knight brings Ecclestone back out of the pack, 2-38 under her belt, as Perry looks for that half-century. She’ll wait a little longer as she dots out all sent her way from that left arm around the wicket.

72nd over: Australia 137-4 (Perry 47, Haynes 17)

Stunning shot from Haynes. Elwiss was looking far too comfortable for a part-timer, so Haynes does what she does best – drives like a dream through extra cover for four bits. A similar shot is cut off well by one of the three fielders she beat with that previous boundary.

71st over: Australia 132-4 (Perry 46, Haynes 13) Perry starting to use her feet to Marsh, but with long on in place, she’s happy to do it for a single – each one getting her closer to a second Test fifty of her career.

70th over: Australia 129-4 (Perry 44, Haynes 12)

Perry, usually unflappable, loses her composure as she dabs a ball from Elwiss into the ground and straight to third man. However, Haynes is halfway down calling Perry through, who has momentarily lost her bearings. In the end, she gets a single out of the ordreal.

69th over: Australia 128-4 (Perry 43, Haynes 12)

Back underway after a brief interlude for drinks. Laura Marsh continues, pushing mid on back and giving Perry the single. Silly point comes in to accompany first slip as March begins to work out Rachel Haynes. Haynes up to the task so far.

68th over: Australia 127-4 (Perry 42, Haynes 12)

Yep, I was right – it was the first boundary Marsh has conceded, in her 20th over! Elwiss continuing the frugal theme with five dots to Rachel Haynes, as she comes around the wicket. Former Australian international Lisa Sthalekar reckons Knight should get Brunt on here for a quick burst, before saving her for the new ball. I’m inclined to agree.

67th over: Australia 126-4 (Perry 41, Haynes 12)

Laura Marsh concedes what must be her first boundary – I’ll check in a bit – as Haynes gets to the pitch of the ball and punches crisply through cover.

66th over: Australia 122-4 (Perry 41, Haynes 8)

Here we go. A first bowl of the test for Georgia Elwiss. She’s generally bowled sprightly medium pace in her career – make no mistake, it’s second fiddle to her batting – but a back niggle has robbed her of a few clicks. Full, straight and nothing to get after or under. Maiden.

65th over: Australia 122-4 (Perry 41, Haynes 8)

Haynes with the bulk of this over from Marsh, who is around the wicket to the left-hander and tempting a drive from the Australian captain. There is turn out there and a couple have Haynes checking shots in case she spoons one to those lurking on the off side.

64th over: Australia 122-4 (Perry 41, Haynes 8)

Sciver doing too much with the ball and Perry can ease into a leg glance for four. Just to compound Nat’s misery, she tries to go straighter and ends up going fuller, too. Perry makes no mistake, threading one through extra cover for the fifth boundary of her innings.

63rd over: Australia 110-4 (Perry 32, Haynes 5)

She’s done it again! Perry putting to bed all those viscious rumours that she can’t count to six.

A lot of tweets coming in on this topic. But Guy touches on an important point: she’s kinda always been brilliant. Just imagine the sheer amount of work she’d have to put in to maintain her high standards...

62nd over: Australia 109-4 (Perry 31, Haynes 5)

At the end of every over, Perry is talking Haynes through each bowler she’s due to face, along with a bit of show-and-tell on the shots to play. That’s all the action Haynes is getting at the moment, as Perry drops the sixth ball from Sciver beyond midwicket for a single.

61st over: Australia 108-4 (Perry 30, Haynes 5)

Slip and a bat-pad for Laura Marsh, who starts the over against Perry. The Australian allrounder gets one close enough to her to push out and scamper a single to pinch the strike.

60th over: Australia 107-4 (Perry 29, Haynes 5)

A double change – Nat Sciver coming in for Shrubsole. She’s over the wicket to Rachel Haynes, moving the ball across the left-hander. However, one goes big straight from the hand and Haynes has a bit of a freebie, guiding it to third man for her first four.

59th over: Australia 103-4 (Perry 29, Haynes 1)

Laura Marsh it is to replace Ecclestone. It’s Marsh’s 16th over (1-13 from 15 so far). Make that 1-13 from 16 and, now, seven maidens.

58th over: Australia 103-4 (Perry 29, Haynes 1)

Rachel Haynes off the mark with her 11th ball. Seems a touch more settled now, even driving against the swing from Shrusbole.

Comfortably.

57th over: Australia 101-4 (Perry 28, Haynes 0)

Might be Ecclestone’s last over. Not that she’s bowling badly – at all – but looks like she needs a bit of a refresh. Two from the over as Perry finds a couple to leg.

56th over: Australia 99-4 (Perry 26, Haynes 0)

Shrubsole around the wicket to Haynes, who doesn’t like much angling into her, if this maiden is anything to go by. One holds its line and Taylor thinks, for a moment, it’s another edge her way.

55th over: Australia 99-4 (Perry 26, Haynes 0)

The captain to the crease but Perry’s the woman on strike. Again, she finds a boundary off Ecclestone with a bit of class. Her or nothing from here on in.

54th over: Australia 95-4 (Sarah Taylor Sarah Taylor Sarah Taylor Sarah Taylor)

I mean. Sarah. Taylor.

53rd over: Australia 95-3 (Perry 22, Villani 14)

Class from Perry. Misses out on a cut by nailing it straight to cover. Dusts herself off and follows it up with a lovely checked-drive to the left of the same fielder – Heather Knight – and gets four.

52nd over: Australia 90-3 (Perry 18, Villani 13)

Maiden for Shrusbole. She’s found that movement that took her to the top of the world that day at Lord’s. Perry plays it all inside-out. There’s a catching cover in play, FYI.

51st over: Australia 90-3 (Perry 18, Villani 13)

Two wickets in the last hour of play in the second session, Ecclestone starts the third with a grim full toss that is slapped powerfully through the leg side for four by Elyse Villani. The rest pitch, including one that, somehow, misses the stumps, as Villani duffs a sweep and nearly loses leg.

50th over: Australia 86-3 (Villani 9, Perry 18)

Back underway in the final session. Anya Shrubsole kicks us off against Ellyse Perry, who picks up runs through backward point. Just the two fter Fran Wilson cuts the ball off before he runs over the boundary rope (not for the first time today).

Hopping over the fence brieftly for some news from the men’s Ashes

48th over: Australia 84-3 (Perry 16, Villani 9)

Love this. Heather Knight not only going for the obligatory “over of spin before the break” but taking it herself, too. What’s the point of captaining if you forgo the perks. Good on her. Around the wicket she begins to Ellyse Perry, sliding a few across her. In fact, she’s got through her over so quickly that we’re going to get another into this second session...

47th over: Australia 84-3 (Perry 16, Villani 9)

Sciver starts too straight and is picked off for one around the corner. Much better as the over comes to an end: starting it from outside off and finishing at the batsman on about off stump. Too risk to go through the off side – even riskier to continue picking off singles to leg.

46th over: Australia 83-3 (Perry 15, Villani 9)

What runs these two are now getting are coming mainly on the leg side. If they can get a few to hold their line, even move away, then they’re in the game. But the one that stays straight is too wide from Brunt and Perry can carve through gully for a couple.

45th over: Australia 79-3 (Villani 8, Perry 12)

Here goes. Knight fancies that conditions right now are perfect for the quicker bowlers: so Nat Sciver gets the ball from this end. Sarah Taylor stands up to the stumps as Sciver sets her sights on off stump. Couple of singles to Villani and Perry as they use the swing to find a couple into the leg side, but nowt more than that.

44th over: Australia 77-3 (Perry 11, Villani 7)

We’re about 20-minutes away from the Dinner break (40-minutes) and Heather Knight has brought back Katherine Brunt, who has 0-13 from seven overs so far. The floodlights are on and are in the process of taking over from the natural light. There’s some shape out there, too, and Brunt’s trying to use it to rap Elyse Villani on the pads. Brunt jumps wider for the final delivery but that means the right-hander can work with the movement and time brilliantly through backward square leg for four!

43rd over: Australia 73-3 (Perry 11, Villani 3)

Cover out at deep square leg means that when Villani drops down to one knee and flays Marsh across the line, she only gets one for it. High risk, all things considered. But Villani’s not one to get bogged down weighing up risk-and-reward. If it’s there to be swept, she’ll sweep it.

42nd over: Australia 72-3 (Perry 11, Villani 2)

Shot of my stint so far, and it only goes for two! Ecclestone turns one away from Perry, who tracks it to the top of the bounce and pats it on the head down behind point. It’s only two because Fran Wilson does superbly well to chase it down, slide and collect the ball a few feet from the boundary.

41st over: Australia 70-3 (Perry 9, Villani 2)

Villani pinches a single through cover point and then Perry plays a picture-perfect drive past Heather Knight at wide mid off for another. By the way, you can watch all this for free on YouTube by following the link below 👇🏿

40th over: Australia 68-2 (Perry 8, Villani 1)

A sweep gets Villani off the mark and another – this time from Perry – swats her away for four. These two can and will move the score along, now...

39th over: Australia 63-3 (Perry 4, Villani 0)

Perry’s strike rate is under 17 per 100 balls but, to be fair, she’s offered more attacking shots than defensive ones. She just happens to have found fielders. None behind square on the leg side, though, as she tickles one off her pads for a couple.

38th over: Australia 61-3 (Perry 2, Villani 0)

A full toss allows Blackwell to free her arms with a sweep fine for four. But that’s all she’ll get as, moments later, she’s trapped in front. Elyse Villani middles her first ball straight to cover. Game on.

37th over: Australia 57-2 (Blackwell 2, Perry 2)

Now a run for Blackwell, too. Marsh just misses her length and gives the experienced New South Welshwoman enough room to manoeuvre the ball behind square on the leg side for a single. A couple of uppish drives elicit “ooohs” and the odd “aaaah” from the fielders as Perry momentarily takes the silencer off her bottom hand.

36th over: Australia 56-2 (Blackwell 1, Perry 2)

Runs, ladies and gents. Perry gets a half-volley on leg stump from Ecclestone that she puts away, all along the carpet, through midwicket for a couple of runs. Heather Knight’s given Ecclestone a good field, with decent, attacking cover on the off side.

35th over: Australia 54-2 (Blackwell 1, Perry 0)

Third maiden in-a-row. By the unwritten laws of cricket, we’ve got a wicket coming. Think Shane Warne came up with that one. Three maidens then a wicket.

34th over: Australia 54-2 (Blackwell 1, Perry 0)

Unlike Blackwell, Perry’s going to use her feet to the spinners. However, sharp work in the field ensures there’s not a single through straight midwicket. Nor are there byes down the leg side when Ecclestone drifts one a bit too far into the right-handers.

33rd over: Australia 54-2 (Blackwell 1, Perry 0)

A maiden makes it 10-dots in a row that Laura Marsh has bowled to Alex Blackwell. Marsh current has figures of 1-7 from her 10 overs!

32nd over: Australia 54-2 (Blackwell 1, Perry 0) Always great seeing a young bowler take their maiden wicket. Usually there’s a bit of OTT celebrating – again, great to see – but Ecclestone was subdued, knowing it was a bit of a gift from Beth Mooney. Her England teammates had other ideas:

31st over: Australia 54-1 (Mooney 27, Blackwell 1)

Getting some shin-pads on with another close catcher. Wilson is under the lid at very short cover. Helmet as well. So, two catchers in front of the wicket, plus Winfield at slip and Taylor behind the wicket. Plenty of pressure on Blackwell against Marsh. England know how badly they need to get rid of Australia’s calmest and most versatile player with the bat. A few yells, a couple of appeals. Enthused stuff. But, “Don’t you... forget Abood me,” sings umpire Gerard. He won’t give anything out in this over.

Don’t forget about me, either. But I’m gone. It’s now time for drinks, which means it’s also time for Vithushan Ehantharajah. And tomorrow, the Australian half of the OBO will be taken by Adam Collins. By Gawd, it’s been a pleasure bringing this Test to you. Let’s do it again reeeeeal soon.

30th over: Australia 53-1 (Mooney 26, Blackwell 1)

Mooney takes one. Ecclestone turning the ball away from Blackwell from outside off, and Blackwell thrusts the pad forward to knock it away. Dangerous, if she gets a straight one coming on with the arm. Really nice flight from Sophie, and respectful defensive strokes are earned from Blackwell. Happy to use her feet while defending as well, always positive to see versus a spinner. Getting oneself in a position to score, even if one doesn’t choose to follow through with it.

29th over: Australia 52-1 (Mooney 25, Blackwell 1)

Marsh lobs up a full toss, and Mooney doesn’t try to do too much with it. Sweeps away off the top edge, and it bounds down to deep backward square with a few bounces for a single. There’s cover in the deep out there. For Blackwell, a slip and a short leg against the offie. Backward point, cover, mid-off, mid-on, short midwicket, backward square, deep backward square.

28th over: Australia 51-1 (Mooney 24, Blackwell 1)

Ecclestone to Mooney, who works a run square, then Blackwell gets off the mark to midwicket. She’s a great manipulator of the field, Alex Blackwell. Well suited to this form of the game, though she’s never made a Test hundred. The team 50 comes up. Mooney finishes the over with another single.

27th over: Australia 48-1 (Mooney 22, Blackwell 0)

Bolton goes second ball of the over. There’s a big appeal against Blackwell first ball, as she lunged forward. That hit pad before bat, I fancy, and she wasn’t playing a shot even though it maybe hit outside the line. Marsh was jumping up and down. That could have been given, by a more adventurous umpire. Blackwell gets tangled up next ball, but gets through the over. Marsh immediately over the wicket to the right-hander, and England suddenly chirpy and bubbly around the bat.

26th over: Australia 48-0 (Bolton 24, Mooney 22)

Sophie Ecclestone is back into action, drawing a defensive shot from Mooney. She’s bowling over the wicket, as a left-armer. Mooney drives a couple through cover, misses another that she chops down into the ground by her wicket in somewhat perilous fashion, then drives another couple through cover. She’s starting to find her feet now, on Test debut.

The late sunshine is getting very pleasant here at North Sydney Oval, as Charlotte Edwards waxes lyrical on ABC radio about what a lovely ground it is.

25th over: Australia 44-0 (Bolton 24, Mooney 18)

Mark me down for a caught-and-bowled for Marsh sometime today. A couple more shots played back to her on the bounce, and I just feel like one is going to carry at some stage.

24th over: Australia 44-0 (Bolton 24, Mooney 18)

That’s the Mooney we know from the WBBL. Poise and class in her off-side play. She backs away from Sciver a touch, finds some room given the angle over the wicket, and cuts smoothly for four! That looked good, after hitting Fran Wilson a number of times fielding in that position. This time Mooney got the placement. Sciver goes straighter, and Mooney is able to work to fine leg this time for two more runs. Must be her most prolific over so far today.

23rd over: Australia 38-0 (Bolton 24, Mooney 12)

Marsh still working beautiful shape. Lots of flight, getting some drift. There’s a litte bit of breeze ruffling the palm trees that loom behind the observation tower at the western end of the ground, and Marsh is lobbing the ball into that breeze as it blows from off side to leg for the left-handers. Mooney nearly beats cover with one drive, then plays tip-and-run to mid-off to keep the strike.

22nd over: Australia 37-0 (Bolton 20, Mooney 11)

Edged for four! Bolton has a big drive at Sciver, and flashes just past first slip! That was so nearly a chance, but the player with the bat gets the reward. Mooney started the over with a single.

21st over: Australia 32-0 (Bolton 20, Mooney 10)

Strange stuff. Bolton drops to one knee looking for a giant sweep shot, misses it completely, and it goes down leg. Marsh could have bowled her there. Got away with it. She flicks a couple of runs between the legs of short leg, racing back.

20th over: Australia 30-0 (Bolton 18, Mooney 10)

Sciver bowling. Mooney clips the ball to midwicket, and Brunt dives in crazy fashion and saves a run! Great fielding, and Bolton at the other end has to put in the big U-turn and scramble back into her ground with a lunge just in case Brunt threw the stumps down. Bolton thought that was through. Mooney cracks a cut show straight to point. Just the single from the first ball of the over, in the end.

19th over: Australia 29-0 (Bolton 17, Mooney 10)

Marsh settling into her line now, looping in around the wicket and landing the ball near Mooney’s feet. One nearly takes the leading edge back toward the bowler. This could be a good contest.

18th over: Australia 29-0 (Bolton 17, Mooney 10)

Sciver over the wicket, Mooney gliding between point and gully, and Wilson puts in a good diving stop that drags the bal back with one hand. Keeps two or four runs to a single. Shrubsole puts in a good diving stop at short cover.

17th over: Australia 28-0 (Bolton 17, Mooney 9)

Right-arm ortho Marsh will replace left-arm ortho Ecclestone from the Moreton Bay Fig end. Quite a long run-up for Marsh, 11 paces to the wicket, then whirls the arm. She’s bowling round the wicket. Bolton walks at her and drives a run to long-on, Mooney does the same and finds one into the covers. Mooney very sedate, 9 from 46 balls, not quite Lauren Winfield but not much faster. Bolton glances a couple of runs - nope, the umpire does the stork signal, and follows the leg byes by delivering a baby to some religious puritans who can’t bear to discuss procreation.

16th over: Australia 24-0 (Bolton 16, Mooney 8)

And England into the holding bowlers already. Nat Sciver is on to bowl medium pace, stump to stump. She’s over the wicket at least, instead of around. Mooney her target, and Sciver just tucks her up a couple of times, a leading edge at one stage. Sciver’s style of bowling might get some deliveries to hold up, which could lead to a return catch or a snare in front of the wicket. Starts with a maiden.

15th over: Australia 24-0 (Bolton 16, Mooney 8)

Sophie Ecclestone will start after the tea break, the tall left-arm spinner. Too straight for Bolton, who works it square for one, then too short for Mooney, who cuts a run. There’s an LBW appeal hitting very high, and even for a player of Bolton’s diminutive stature that’s going over the top.

14th over: Australia 22-0 (Bolton 15, Mooney 7)

And the traditional sole over of spin before tea. Classic. Laura Marsh will bowl her off-breaks, also around the wicket. England very determined about this today. There’s a slip, a short leg, backward square and deep square. Turning the ball away from the leftie’s bat. Getting some turn already, Marsh, but also bowling loose stuff, short and wide. Mooney doesn’t care, just wants to get through. Leaves those, defends when the ball is straighter. A maiden, the tea break, and Australia consolidating well.

13th over: Australia 22-0 (Bolton 15, Mooney 7)

“We’re in the holding pattern, as an airline pilot might say,” says Jim Maxwell on ABC radio. “Not going anywhere, not coming in to land.” Brunt bowls dot ball after dot ball. But finally Bolton can’t resist a full one. Lovely straight drive, down the ground for four. Just to the on side of straight.

12th over: Australia 18-0 (Bolton 11, Mooney 7)

Five minutes to the break, and Australia determined just to defend things out and get there no wicket down. Another maiden to Shrubsole. Worth a bowling change for England, you’d think, to try something else? I believe I mentioned Gordon Cricket Club yesterday, which is near our North Sydney locale. And here they are turning out today.

11th over: Australia 18-0 (Bolton 11, Mooney 7)

Another maiden to Brunt, attacking the stumps round the wicket. Last one of these, I promise, but this is gold. The Guardian’s Mel Jones:

10th over: Australia 18-0 (Bolton 11, Mooney 7)

Cover drives, hey? Yes please, says Mooney, opening the face and sending Shrubsole away. This one doesn’t quite make it, hauled back in a tag-team fielding scenario. Two runs.

9th over: Australia 16-0 (Bolton 11, Mooney 5)

Nicole. Hello. Brunt round the wicket, slips too wide and too full, and Bolton launches into a thumping cover drive. Four runs. Angled back in next ball, and Bolton resumes defence. This is a good tussle so far, the Australians not overreaching themeslves, just waiting for the one they want to attack.

Tammy Beaumont yesterday described Test batting for her as “knowing which scoring options you were going to commit to”, and not being flustered if you had to wait. As good a description I’ve heard as any, up there with Simon Katich saying “Surviving a hundred balls is about making a hundred good decisions.”

8th over: Australia 12-0 (Bolton 7, Mooney 5)

Now Shrubsole is back over the wicket. Ducks and drakes, musical chairs, docie-do. Misfield from Wilson at point as Bolton drives square, and the openers are able to dash a single as the rebound was collected at cover. Shrubsole goes over the wicket to Mooney now, bowls wide and full, and Mooney will be annoyed at missing out there. She lashed the drive at the ball, but squirted it too square, and Wilson at point was able to stop it this time.

7th over: Australia 11-0 (Bolton 6, Mooney 5)

Now Brunt has come around the wicket. Dagnall will be losing his mind. Left-handers, sure, but surely you’re better off using your angle. Mooney playing a patience game. Brunt spearing the ball in towards Mooney. Three in the cordon still. Another maiden. I’m told there are a lot of female Richies among the group today, which is excellent to see.

6th over: Australia 11-0 (Bolton 6, Mooney 5)

Shrubbers attacking the pads again, this time Bolton can find a gap at square leg with the flick away. Only a single, as there’s a deep backward square leg. Also two slips, a gully, point, cover, mid-off, a strongly off-side field given the bowler’s angle. Mid-on and midwicket are the other two on the leg-side. Another appeal comes through for another leg-side slider. Finally, Mooney gets just a touch of width. Not much, but she’s prolific behind point. Opens the face, finds the gap, and glides four!

5th over: Australia 5-0 (Bolton 4, Mooney 1)

Brunt is bowling just back of a length, angling across, looking for bounce. If there’s any swing in that ball, she won’t be finding it, but she’s hoping for some bounce or movement off the seam. Loses her line from the fourth ball and pushes it very wide, throws her head back in frustration. Every little thing infuriates Brunt. She’s basically fury held together by a cricket uniform.

4th over: Australia 5-0 (Bolton 4, Mooney 1)

Shrubsole continuing around the wicket. Trying to get the ball tailing in towards the stumps, looking for an LBW or bowled. Bolton keeps playing to the leg-side, given the angle, but can’t get through the field. So another maiden for England. Australia starting with a touch more purpose than England did, even if the score isn’t racing along.

3rd over: Australia 5-0 (Bolton 4, Mooney 1)

Brunty. You have to pronounce this as “Broonty”. It channels her no-nonsense northern attitude. She’s a ball of muscle and aggression. Fabulous cricketer. Mooney on strike to her this time, watchfully seeing off the over. In the men’s tour match, Stoneman is on 41 and Cook on 23, a lead of 125 against a CA XI at Adelaide Oval.

2nd over: Australia 5-0 (Bolton 4, Mooney 1)

Shrubsole, right-handed swing bowler, is starting around the wicket. Charles Dagnall of the BBC is unimpressed on the radio. “You’re most vulnerable in your first three or four balls,” he says. “Make them play. Use that natural angle, swing it away, bring your slips into play.” Shrubsole instead spears one into Mooney, hits the pad, big appeal but it’s going well down leg. Mooney nearly falls over stabbing a ball into the on-side, btu gets off the mark.

1st over: Australia 4-0 (Bolton 4, Mooney 0)

Katherine Brunt starting with the ball, and Bolton with the bat. Two left-handed bats at the top of the order. Bolton gets one ball she likes, and clips it cleanly behind square leg for four.

115th over: England 276-9 (Marsh 9, Ecclestone 8)

Shots all round the wicket! Ecclestone drives Wellington to midwicket for a couple, then through cover for a couple more. Every time I see her name, I can’t help shortening it to Eccles. And then this happens.

114th over: England 272-9 (Marsh 9, Ecclestone 4)

Perry back, and a misfield lets Marsh sneak a cut through the infield for a couple of runs. Perry bowls a no-ball - she’s a bit of a culprit for that, when the umpires are paying attention. Marsh is playing with a strange shape - seeming to back away a little, then jutting that bat out to defend balls off her stumps. Seems risky, defending outside the line of your body rather than getting behind the ball. But what would cricket be without weird batting stances?

113th over: England 269-9 (Marsh 7, Ecclestone 4)

“Aeroplane Welly” is the song for Amanda Wellington, as she fields multiple times from her own bowling. A single from the over.

Constructive criticism always welcome.

112th over: England 268-9 (Marsh 6, Ecclestone 4)

Ellyse Perry the other half of a dual bowling change. She immediately decides to drop shot, and Sophie Ecclestone pulls it for four! She’s probably the tallest on the England team, is Sophie, and she used every bit of that height. Arched her back, got up on her toes, and lifted it over midwicket. Lovely shot for her first runs in Test cricket.

111th over: England 264-9 (Marsh 6, Ecclestone 0)

Amanda Wellington on to try to finish things off with turn. She has 1 for 56 so far, having knocked off top-scorer Tammy Beaumont yesterday with a ball that spun sharply and was taken at second slip. This first over she’s maybe a fraction too short, meaning there’s time to assess the turn, and Marsh is able to hang back a bit and watch the ball closely. A maiden for Wellington, who’ll be better for having turned the arm over a few times.

110th over: England 264-9 (Marsh 6, Ecclestone 0)

“I’ve been really impressed with her batting,” says former England captain Charlotte Edwards of Ecclestone, speaking on ABC Grandstand. Ecclestone gets through a McGrath maiden with a couple of false shots, but survives.

109th over: England 264-9 (Marsh 6, Ecclestone 0)

2 for 51 for Megan Schutt now, as England’s No11 comes to the crease. Shrubsole made her highest Test score, but rather threw it away. Sophie Ecclestone is 18 years old, and having her first hit in Test cricket. Nervous, or loving it?

108th over: England 262-8 (Shrubsole 20, Marsh 4)

Off the edge? Good idea, says Shrubsole, nicking McGrath for another boundary. Middle of the bat next ball, driven through covers for four more! Shrubsole made a duck off 47 balls against Australia in her last Test. She’s going nicely here. Gets a single to go to 20.

107th over: England 253-8 (Shrubsole 11, Marsh 4)

She’s not famous for fast scoring, Laura Marsh - made a Test 50 off 291 balls once. But she gets away quickly here, with a boundary off the outside edge. She did used to open in T20s at one stage. An study in constrast. Schutt finishes her successful over.

106th over: England 249-7 (Wilson 13, Shrubsole 11)

Sah-wing batter batter batter, and sah-wing bowler. Wilson gets off strike, and Shrubsole aims to clip McGrath through midwicket. Except that ball angling towards the stumps swings away sharply, and beats the outside edge. Cannons into Healy’s pad, keeping up to the stumps. No chance of a stumping though, as Shrubsole’s foot was well grounded.

105th over: England 248-7 (Wilson 12, Shrubsole 11)

Shrubbery! Anya gets some width from Schutt, opens the face of the bat, and directs the drive through backward point for four. Lovely stuff. Less elegant a couple of balls later, when she swings harder and gets a thick looping outside edge to the same region. Jonassen dives across to her right but can’t quite fingertip the ball, and it escapes for four more! It’s a no-ball, too, and Wilson started the over with a single. So, 10 from the over. Happy days.

104th over: England 238-7 (Wilson 11, Shrubsole 3)

McGrath parsimonious, as per her name. Still on that line outside off for another maiden. A trademark of England lately has been how much fun they have.

103rd over: England 238-7 (Wilson 11, Shrubsole 3)

Tell you what, Shooter McGavin is getting more movement than the old folks’ home on prune day. Starting the ball way outside off stump, then swinging it in. Using angle and movement to threaten the stumps. Shrubsole gets away from the examination by bunting one into the covers, and Wilson sees out the rest.

102nd over: England 237-7 (Wilson 11, Shrubsole 2)

The Richies are down here at North Sydney Oval, or at least a good slab of them. I’d say 60 or 80, in their traditional beige garb, out in the O’Reilly Stand. “Ooh, ahh, Tahlia McGrath!” they chant, which doesn’t really work syllabically but is made up for in enthusiasm. She bowls a steady line of nicely curving away-swingers outside off stump, and the Richies give a big “ooooh!” every time Wilson leaves one alone.

101st over: England 237-7 (Wilson 11, Shrubsole 2)

We are away! Fran Wilson is at the non-striker’s end, the dynamic and clever late-overs hitter in one-day cricket. She’ll need all that nous and adaptability today. Anya Shrubsole is at the other end, capable with the bat though not dominant, it would be fair to say. Megan Schutt zeroes in on the stumps as she ever does. Shrubbers defends a few, then works two runs through midwicket. Confident start.

It was a fun day yesterday after a slow start. Fun especially for Ellyse Perry, who was left in hysterics after taking an entirely accidental caught-and-bowled.

“I think I just slipped a little bit in some footmarks on that delivery and my head went down. I lost all sight of it. I think it was a pretty hideous delivery, I didn’t even see it. Then I looked up and the lights were a little bit in my eyes. And I think the first time I spotted the ball was pretty much just before it hit my arm. The rather embarrassingly I managed to catch it. I think I provided a lot of entertainment for everyone and I lost all composure and I’m really glad Rachael took me off after that. That’s all I’ve got for you…”

Good morning, afternoon, evening, friends and friands. Guess what? It’s another stonkingly gorgeous day here at North Sydney Oval. The players are out in the middle warming up. England will bat on, three wickets in hand and 235 on the board. If they can get to 300, they will well and truly have the upper hand here. The Aussies will need to find something, under sunlight with a ball 20 overs old.

Geoff will be here shortly. Here’s how things stand after the first day (and night) at North Sydney Oval: