England face a big task to win the one and only test match in the Women's Ashes as Australia take a large lead into the final day at Canterbury.
Day three started in similar fashion to day two, as rain delayed the start of play once again. When the teams eventually came out, it was England who came out flying lead by opening bowler Katherine Brunt. Brunt, who top scored for England yesterday with the bat, started aggressively and bowled Elyse Villani for a duck with just the fifth ball of the innings. And she didn't let up, having the new batsman Meg Lanning trapped in front lbw in the third over leaving Australia reeling on 2-2. But then the weather interrupted England's momentum, as the forecasted thunder storms arrived and forced the players off after just 30 minutes of play with the visitors on 15-2, a lead of 121 runs.
After a rain delay of almost four hours, where at one point the outfield was starting to look more like a lake due to the amount of water, the teams remerged and it was England who started the better yet again. After hitting the first ball after the restart for four, Ellyse Perry was out not long after, caught behind off a wide one from Anya Shrubsole. Alex Blackwell, playing in her 200th international match, was the next batter in and playing defensive she quickly became bogged down as the England bowlers seemed to be asking a question with every ball. There were a couple of big appeals from the hosts, including an lbw shout against Blackwell from Shrubsole, judged to be missing leg stump.
Blackwell and opener Bolton seemed to be settling down a bit, which brought on the first bowling changes of the innings as Kate Cross and Laura Marsh came into the attack. And it was the former to struck first, enticing Bolton into a loose drive which went straight to Brunt at short cover. That brought Jess Jonassen to the middle to join vice-captain Blackwell. And Jonassen, the star of the first innings before falling on 99, started where she left off by hitting a two down the ground on her second ball and dispatching Marsh for a boundary not long after. With Jonassen at the crease, the pace seemed to quicken and Australia were scoring easier than before. England brought Shrubsole back into the attack and it looked to have worked when she had Blackwell caught at first slip by Heather Knight, but after the reply came up on the big screen Australia asked for a review and with various angles inconclusive the third umpire gave the batsman benefit of the doubt and judged the ball touched the ground before Knight had it under control.
England were bowling well and stemming the flow of Australian runs, meaning that if they were to face a big target they would at least make the visitors work for it and wonder when the best time to declare was. But Jonassen was a batter in form and showed that as she belted Marsh over her head for the first six of the match. Despite the floodlights being on full, the players were pulled off due to bad light after the clouds darkened. And soon after, the rain started again and as it got heavier play was called off for the night.
Australia will definitely be the happier going into the final day with a lead of 196 runs, although a draw could be the most likely result depending on when the visitors declare. The highest second innings total England have chased down in a test was 173 against New Zealand in 1969, so don't be surprised by an early declaration from Australia and them attempt to bowl out the hosts on day four. A win is more important for them than England, as they need to win the multi format points series to regain The Ashes, although a loss for England would all but put them out of contention to retain, given that it is four points for the test win.
Day three highlights from the England Cricket YouTube channel.