Australia have extended their lead to 8-2 in the multi-format Women's Ashes series after bowling England out on the fourth and final day to win the one and only test match. The hosts were outplayed throughout the match at Canterbury and must now win all three of the remaining T20's to draw the series and retain the Ashes.
With Australia resuming on 90-4 the main question was at what point they would declare and whether they would have enough time to bowl England out for the second time. The overnight lead was 196 runs with Jess Jonassen, hero from the first innings, and Alex Blackwell playing well in good batting conditions.
Australia were ticking along well, adding the odd boundary to their already large lead, and happy to take just singles off Laura Marsh and Heather Knight as they came into the attack for the England fast bowlers. Jonassen reached her half century after a rank full toss form Knight and Australia looked to be going through the motions until they declared. But not long after, England made the breakthrough. Lydia Greenway taking great diving catch at short cover to dismiss Jonassen for 54 off the bowling of Marsh.
Alyssa Healy was the next batter with Australia sitting comfortably on 143-5 and a lead of 249 runs. But she lasted just thirteen minutes at the crease, before being bowled trying to reverse-sweep Knight on 9. And with that, Australian captain Meg Lanning waved Blackwell in and declared. Setting England a record chase of 263 runs to win, with around 89 overs left.
In reply, England didn't get off to a good start as Knight was trapped lbw by Sarah Coyte with the hosts on just 11. And the new batter, Sarah Taylor, didn't stay in the middle long, bowled by Ellyse Perry after just four balls for the second in her pair of ducks this match. England managed to survive until lunch without losing any more wickets, but the visitors were definitely on top after the first session of the final day.
And things got worse for the hosts after the break, as captain Charlotte Edwards fell to the first ball of the session, tempted to reach for a wide one from Perry and edged it to Healy behind the stumps. Greenway joined opener Lauren Winfield at the crease, but didn't seem comfortable especially when playing Perry. England were playing very defensively, seemingly playing for the draw, and both batters got bogged down ultimately leading to the next wicket. Winfield, having successfully blocked in the previous over, falling lbw to Megan Schutt leaving England on 27-4.
Natalie Sciver lasted just two balls before being given out caught behind off Schutt, although the decision seemed harsh as she may have hit the ground rather than the ball. But without the review system that the men use, the umpires couldn't overturn. The Australians were bowling well, giving up very little runs and putting lots of pressure on the incoming England batters. As Georgia Elwiss walked out, the only hope the hosts had was of trying to bat for as long as possible but the regular wickets were quickly erasing any thoughts of drawing the test match.
Greenway and Elwiss seemed to had settled in, and despite not scoring many runs were becoming more comfortable and frustrating Australia with over after over of maidens. And with tea taken slightly early, England were on 76-5, a remarkable recovery given the score earlier.
As play resumed there was a minimum of 40 overs still to be played, meaning a long time for England to survive and plenty of time for Australia to take the remaining five wickets they needed. And the picture improved for Australia when Perry dug in a bouncer which Greenway ducked under, but then hit the leg stump to dismiss her for 16 runs off a mammoth 137 balls. And Perry struck again next ball, bowling Marsh for the England batters second duck of the innings.
Australia sensed that victory was close and when Perry struck again, Katherine Brunt trying to hook a bouncer but feathers it behind into the gloves of Healy. There were questions of whether she actually hit it, or if it maybe came off the helmet. But as Anya Shrubsole walked to the middle, England were down and almost out with Australia looking for the final two wickets.
England's slim hopes of saving the match disappeared when Elwiss chipped a full-toss to mid-on. A simple catch for Schutt, to give Perry her sixth wicket of the innings (her 16th of the series). And the final wicket fell soon after, Shrubsole trapped lbw for 1 by Coyte, as England ended on 101 all out.
The day highlighted another batting collapse from England, after poor performances with the bat not just in the first innings but regularly over recent years. With the main stars out cheaply and quickly, there was too many overs remaining for the middle/lower order to even hope of seeing out and ultimately Australia were better in every department and deserved the victory.
With just the T20 matches remaining in the series, at Chelmsford, Hove and Cardiff, England must now win all three to draw the series after the test win means Australia take a 8-2 lead.
Highlights of day four of the Women's Ashes test match from the Official England Cricket YouTube Channel.