Australia has continued to stretch its big first-innings lead over South Africa early on day two of the maiden women’s Test between the two nations at the WACA amid an all-time shocker of a review from the visitors.
With Ash Gardner on 24, spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba saw a ball turn sharply and beat the outside edge. They opted for a review, but DRS showed the ball was missing the bat by some distance.
The Aussies resumed their first innings on 5/251 with Ash Gardner (0) and Annabel Sutherland (54).
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The Aussies pushed the lead past 250 runs as 22-year-old Sutherland brought up her second Test century off 149 balls, including 13 fours and a six.
But there were promising signs for South Africa with some variable bounce in the pitch, with the visitors handed a new ball the following over.
Ash Gardner then brought up her half-century, with the Aussies reaching 5/366 at lunch with a lead of 290 runs.
“I love batting,” Annabel Sutherland said on Fox Cricket.
“It’s pretty hard to get up the order in the white ball stuff so it’s nice to get out there and spend time in the middle.
“I felt like I left the ball well outside off,” she adds, before declaring she’ll look to “cash in” after the lunch break.
Australia skittled the visitors – who are without an ill Marizanne Kapp – for just 76 on the first day.
Darcie Brown took a maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket before South Africa responded brilliantly to have Australia’s top order in deep trouble at 3/12.
But Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney steadied the ship with a 155-run partnership. Mooney departed for 78 (109) before Mooney fell just before stumps on 99, heartbreakingly short of a maiden Test ton.
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South Africa remarkably collapse for 76! | 01:35
South Africa’s Masabata Klaas was the pick of the bowlers with 3-39 on the opening day, though they trailed by 175 runs after day one.
After temperatures hit 43 degrees on the opening day, conditions are far more moderate today with a light breeze and some cloud cover – though another heatwave arrives on Sunday.
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