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Gardner’s 8 strikes down England

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1 year ago

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Ash Gardner returned her career best figures - 8 for 66 (pic Cricbuzz)

Ashleigh Gardner’s brilliant 8 for 66, inclusive of a fifer on the fifth morning itself, helped Australia to a four-point lead in the multi-format Women’s Ashes with a convincing 89-run victory in the one-off Test at Trent Bridge. Half-centurion Danni Wyatt offered some resistance but Gardner took under a session to bundle out the five remaining wickets as she went on to register Australia’s best match haul of 12 for 165 in women’s Tests and the second-best of all-time.

While Wyatt held one end up, she found little support at the other to keep going. The wrecker-in-chief for Australia was Gardner, who first had Kate Cross nicking behind after adding just six to her overnight score and then got wicketkeeper-bat Amy Jones stumped for only four. just as England went past the 150 mark.

Sophie Ecclestone dropped anchor long enough for Wyatt to get to her maiden fifty on Test debut, but Gardner, bowling her ninth over on the trot, struck her on the pads. Ecclestone availed a review, only to be given the marching orders again.

With the win only two wickets away, Healy handed Gardner a tenth successive over and the wily off-spinner wrapped up the proceedings quickly. Lauren Filer was guilty of playing down the wrong line, and was bowled trying to defend as the ball that beat the outside edge to crash into her off-stump. One delivery later, Wyatt was struck on pads in front, attempting to sweep the final ball of the over. A desperate review also couldn’t save her as Australia marched to a famous 89-run victory.

Having restricted Australia to 257 in their second innings on Day 4, England had begun their chase of 268 on a rather positive session but the Gardner-inspired comeback with the ball in the final hour of play – including a fatal collapse of 4 for 18 – saw the hosts hitting survival mode. Australia never took their foot off the pedal and took just 20 overs on the final morning to keep England to just 178 in reply.

Brief scores:

Australia 473 (Annabel Sutherland 137, Ellyse Perry 99; Sophie Ecclestone 5-129) & 258 (Beth Mooney 85, Alyssa Healy 50; Sophie Ecclestone 5-63) beat England 463 (Tammy Beaumont 208, Nat Sciver-Brunt 78; Ashleigh Gardner 4-99, Tahlia McGrath 3-24 & 178 (Danielle Wyatt 54; Ashleigh Gardner 8-66) by 89 runs 

(Cricbuzz)

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