Key posts
Lee wants Aussies to win MCG Test today
By Roy Ward
Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee wants to see Australia’s women finish off their Ashes Test at the MCG today.
The Aussies have two days left of their four-day Test and already have a 252-run lead.
Australian fast bowler Kim Garth.Credit: Getty Images
“I would love to see them make another 100 or so runs and then have a bowl,” Lee said pregame on Fox Cricket.
“They could finish the match today.”
Lee added that he would ideally love to be bowling just before dusk so the fast bowlers had some time under the natural light before the floodlights set in and dew could potentially have an impact on how the ball behaves.
England haven’t made more than 220 in any of the limited overs matches played before this lone Test match but the home side doesn’t have to rush with two days of hot weather forecast.
It doesn’t look like Matildas fever. But the women’s Ashes Test is about to break a record
By Gemma Grant
Picture this: the year is 2020. Alyssa Healy hits yet another boundary as a packed MCG watches on. Pop star Katy Perry sings her heart out on stage. There is raucous applause when Australia finally lift the World Cup trophy.
Fast-forward to five years later. It’s a sunny Thursday afternoon – with the same team playing on the same ground. The crowds are far more sparse, but they are still eager and engaged. Australia are chasing a clean sweep, after all.
Molly Strano climbs into the crowd after the ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup Final in 2020.Credit: Getty Images
For the first time in 90 years, a women’s Test match is being played at the MCG. It’s the final leg of a multi-format Ashes series, in which Australia are undefeated.
The last time the women’s national team played here, a crowd of 86,174 watched them triumph over India in the Twenty20 World Cup final.
On the first day of the women’s Ashes Test, 11,643 were in the stands at the MCG, with the match on track to surpass the aggregate record for a women’s Test – 23,207 set at Trent Bridge in 2023.
Sutherland makes history but chasing win
By Roy Ward
Australian star Annabel Sutherland admits she still hasn’t come to grips with becoming the first female player to be added to the MCG honour board for Test centuries after making 163.
Sutherland spoke to Fox Cricket this afternoon ahead of play as vision was published showing the “A J Sutherland” which was added to the honour board overnight.
“It was pretty nice to walk into the changerooms and see my name on the honour board but we have bigger things ahead in these next two days,” Sutherland told Fox Cricket.
“We need to get as far ahead as we can and then get the win.
I definitely dreamed of playing out here but I didn’t know how realistic those dreams were.”
With Beth Mooney on 98 not out, she could follow Sutherland onto the board but the Victorian star said her team had to “start again” when play resumed as there was still life in the wicket and two days play to go.
“There is still some live in this wicket which will give our bowlers something to get excited about,” Sutherland said.
The state of play
At the MCG: Beth Mooney and Australia will be back at the batting crease resuming on 5-422 with a lead of 252 runs. Mooney is painfully close to a century 98 not out with Tahlia McGrath on nine not out. Play is set to start at 2.30pm AEDT.
In Galle: After rain ruined the conclusion of play yesterday, Sri Lanka will continue batting on 5-136 trying to get avoid the follow on after Australia made 6-654 declared in the first innings. Look for Mitchell Starc and his spinners to be trying everything to knock over the home side and give themselves the chance to win with only days four and five remaining.
Beth Mooney of Australia bats during day two.Credit: Getty Images
England gave Australia 10 chances. Annabel Sutherland made them pay as whitewash looms
By Andrew Wu
Annabel Sutherland lived out a childhood dream on Friday. She should not have been given the chance.
If fielding standards provide a snapshot of the spirit of a cricket team, then England are broken.
The visitors turned in one of the most deplorable performances in the field seen on these shores for many a year.
Annabel Sutherland walks off the MCG after making 163.Credit: Getty Images
Any hope the beleaguered visitors had of averting the seemingly inevitable 16-0 whitewash this weekend was all but dashed when they gave Australia 10 chances.
Sutherland’s 163, followed up by an unbeaten 98 to Beth Mooney, has put Australia, on 5-422 with a 252-run lead – a near unassailable position with two days left to play in the day/night Test.
India beats England in T20 clash
Harshit Rana claimed three wickets in his debatable appearance as a concussion substitute to help India to a series-clinching 15-run victory against England in the fourth Twenty20 international.
Put into bat, India overcame Saqib Mahmood’s three-wicket burst to post a competitive 9-181 following half-centuries by Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube.
India’s Harshit Rana.Credit: AP
England were 166 all out with two deliveries left in their innings as India grabbed an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
All-rounder Dube was hit on the helmet by a Jamie Overton bouncer and seamer Rana replaced him despite it not being a like-for-like replacement as concussion substitute rules mandate.
England captain Jos Buttler was not happy with India being allowed to field primarily a seamer for a batting all-rounder, who rarely bowls.
“It’s not a like-for-like replacement,” Buttler told reporters. “Either Shivam Dube has put on about 25mph with the ball, or Harshit has really improved his batting.
“It’s part of the game. I still think we should have gone on to win the match but yes, we disagree with the [substitute] decision.”
Reuters
Welcome
G’day everyone and welcome to our cricket live blog as both Australian nation teams continue their Test matches today.
It’s Roy Ward here and I’ll be opening the blogging this afternoon and then our strike blogger Vince Rugari will take over and lead us for the rest of play.
The Australian men resume against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle after rain ended play early on day three while the Australian women continue to chase victory in their Ashes Test against England at the MCG.
Play will begin at 2.30pm at the MCG and 3.15pm in Galle, both times AEDT.
