Posted by After securing a 268-run target via Tammy Beaumont’s 208 and Sophie Ecclestone’s second five wicket haul of the match, England were, if not happy, then at least steely-eyed and up for a challenge going into their second innings. Then Ashleigh Gardner took 8-66.
Moeen’s Ali’s seeping spinning finger last week was a grisly reminder that Test matches are feats of endurance even for spinners.
Gardner got through 45 overs in this match – 11-and-a-bit T20 shifts – and finished with a 10-over spell on day five.
That was slightly less than Ecclestone got through in Australia’s first innings alone. Those 46.2 overs were then followed by another 30.5 in the second innings. You have to go back to Zimbabwe’s Ray Price against South Africa in 2001 to find the last time someone did more bowling in a Test (79 overs).
Gardner didn’t mind the workload. “It just shows having five days in the Test match to actually get a result is super-important,” she told Cricinfo, having experienced only draws in her three previous Tests.
England captain Heather Knight was happy to have a fifth day too, despite the result. “I’ve been quite vocal about having five days and I think today – and the whole five days, actually – showed why that was.”
She did have some sympathy for Ecclestone though. “I did wonder whether I was over-bowling her at one point, but she came back and again and again, and hardly bowled a loose ball all Test match. She’s pretty tired but she’s done an amazing job for the team. She’s really dug deep and done a real job for us.”
The win gives Australia four points. Another 12 are still up for grabs: two for each of the three T20s and the three ODIs.
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Extraordinary result in the WI v NED WC Qualifier today. A lot of things caught the eye, but a special mention to Logan van Beek for hitting 30 runs in the super over then bowling NED’s own super over, and for dismissing Romario Shepherd for a golden duck not once but twice in the match. When it’s your day…
Is this the first time a player has batted or bowled every ball of both Super Overs? Astonishing finish to the fifty overs, astonishing final result, astonishing super over to produce it. Only problem is that it wasn’t at the actual World Cup so hardly anyone was watching!
One of the all-time ODIs, this one. Match highlights are here.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/video/3554436
Extended highlights of the Super Over are here. Ironically it was the Windies who held the Super Over scoring record – until today!
https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/3554410
Two other good matches worth watching the highlights reels for,
Zim v WI
https://www.icc-cricket.com/video/3551668
Scot v Ire
https://www.icc-cricket.com/video/3547654
Gardner certainly planted a few seeds of doubt. Really dug England into a hole. Water performance.
Some grim reading this morning: https://theicec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/HOLDING-UP-A-MIRROR-TO-CRICKET-REPORT-ICEC.pdf
A lot to take in.
I suspect that at least some of the 44 separate recommendations will be seen as part of the ‘culture wars’ or ‘inverse snobbery’, and English cricket is not notorious for its willingness to implement change (unless someone turns up with big bags of money, in a rented helicopter or otherwise).
Initial reaction in this thread. May or may not write this up and expand on it.
https://twitter.com/TheKingsTweets/status/1673610518378999810
England looking a bit fast-medium is back!
New material is all well and good. But like Elton John, it’s nice to sometimes play the hits.