da premier bet： England will take a lead of 133 runs into the third day of the Ashes Testmatch at The Gabba having bowled Australia out for just 78 runs
ECB Media Release16-Feb-2003England will take a lead of 133 runs into the third day of the Ashes Testmatch at The Gabba having bowled Australia out for just 78 runs. It wasAustralia’s third lowest innings score in an Ashes Series and not since TheOval Test in 1951 have Australia failed to register a three figure total inan innings against England.England Captain, Clare Connor said “ideally, we would have wanted a lead of220, but in the context of this match we will be happy to put another thirtyruns on the board tomorrow and bowl Australia out again”.”It’s the first time in my career, and in the career of all the Englandplayers that we have blown Australia away. I suppose it is overshadowed byour performance with the bat this afternoon, but we would not have expectedto be back in by the middle during the second session today”.For the second day in succession, England dominated the opening session ofplay, but today managed to follow it up with another exemplary hour in thefield to take a lead of 46 runs into their second innings.Australia survived just 40 overs as wickets falling continuously. LucyPearson maximised the extra bounce, and she finished with 4-31 from 15overs. “I’m really pleased with how I bowled. I felt confident throughoutthat wickets would come to us as the ball was swinging from the outset, so Iknew that if I was accurate then the ball would do the work for me”.Laura Newton also bowled her best Test spell with 3-10 from 6 overs.Clare Connor, England Captain, surprised Belinda Clark, her Australiancounterpart by opening the bowling with off-spinner Laura Harper and Harperpromptly had Clark caught by Newton for 4 runs in the second over. Fellowopener Lisa Sthaleaker quickly followed her Captain, trapped lbw by Pearson.The loss of Australia’s openers usually signals an onslaught from KarenRolton, the leading run-scorer and most prized wicket in women’s cricketwith a Test average of 68.Connor introduced Laura Newton to the attack, and the seamer bowled aninspired spell with pace and movement to dismiss Rolton, caught and bowledfor 8, Gosko lbw for 0 and debutant Alex Blackwell, caught Harper at secondslip for 4.When the teams met in 2001, Gosko and Rolton had shared their owncompetition as Gosko, on debut, hit 204 to take the world record for thehighest individual Test Score at Shenley. She didn’t keep it long; Roltonscored a magnificent 208 at Headingley.But today was a day for bowlers. At stumps, England were 87-8; CathrynFitzpatrick taking 3-25 and Julie Hayes 3-9. Australia struck vital blowstwice, the first when Hayes had Charlotte Edwards caught behind in the 44thover, with the last ball before tea. Unintimidated by the bowling ofCathryn Fitzpatrick, Edwards had hooked the pace bowler in successive oversand reached 27, the top score of the day, with some comfort.The second was Clare Connor’s dismissal to Fitzpatrick with the last ball ofthe day having established a useful partnership with of 21 with Laura Newtonfor the eighth wicket.Newton, on 9, and Clare Taylor will resume in the morning to add as manyruns as possible before Australia bat again.