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Australia vs England: Women's Ashes Test - Day 1, live scores, blog

9th November, 2017
First ball: 2:30pm (AEDT)
Venue: North Sydney Oval, Sydney, NSW
TV: None
Online: cricket.com.au (desktop/laptop), cricket Australia live pass (mobile/tablet)
Betting: Australia $1.90, England $3.60, draw $4
Umpires: Gerard Abood and Geoff Joshua (on-field), Greg Davidson (third)

Australia (squad)
Rachael Haynes (c), Alex Blackwell, Nicole Bolton, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.

England (squad)
Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Nat Sciver, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt
Alex Blackwell plays a drive. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
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9th November, 2017
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Australia hold the lead in the Women’s Ashes and have the potential to wrap it up, but Test cricket is a different challenge and England will be desperate as the teams head to North Sydney Oval. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of Day 1 from 2:30pm (AEDT).

The Aussies won two of the three one-day matches and lead the Ashes by four points to two.

With a series total of 16 points up for grabs, the Test match is worth four, with three T20s rounding it out worth two apiece. As the holders, Australia need to reach eight points to retain the Ashes, so a win in the Test will seal the series. England need to rack up ten points for a series victory – or nine in the event of a draw.

The hosts’ form was superb during the second one-day match in particular. While the first was a scrappy win, Australia were utterly dominant in the second as they clinched a 4-0 lead in the series.

It was Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes who led the way in that match with the bat, although batting for long periods of time in Test cricket is a different challenge.

Beth Mooney, who will open the batting, is coming off a century in their warm-up game against an ACT XI, so there are plenty of positive signs for the Australian line-up. With Megan Schutt in fantastic form and spinner Amanda Wellington also bowling well, England’s batting order will need to stand up.

England’s batting wasn’t good enough in the first two one-day matches, although it was better in the third thanks to Tammy Beaumont, Sarah Taylor and Heather Knight, all of whom will have to be at the top of their game against the pink ball for the tourists to succeed.

The trio struggled in the first innings of their tour game against a Cricket Australia XI, although Taylor bounced back with 85 in the second dig. Lauren Winfield also hit some form, scoring 82. What was pleasing was the way Katherine Brunt got the new ball to swing, picking up four wickets in the first innings.

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She troubled Australia during the limited overs fixtures and will be the key for England to limit scores here.

Prediction
Australia have been the more dominant of the two teams, and with Alex Blackwell, Rachael Haynes and Ellyse Perry leading the charge, as well as the bowling of Schutt, it’s hard to see England winning away from home.

Australia to retain the Women’s Ashes.

Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the first day’s play in the Women’s Ashes Test from 2:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.

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