Nottingham: Off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner starred with the ball, claiming a brilliant 8/66 in the second innings as England were bowled out for 178 before lunch on day five of the one-off Women’s Ashes Test, handing Australia an easy 89-run victory, here on Monday.
Ashleigh’s effort means she finishes the one-off Test with an astonishing 12 wickets, after previously picking four wickets in the first innings, with her haul being an Australian record. For England, debutant Danni Wyatt top-scored with 54 before she was trapped lbw by Ashleigh as Australia wrapped up the match within 21 overs on final day’s play.
Ashleigh also became the second bowler to take eight wickets in an innings in women’s Tests, after India’s Neetu David took 8/53 against England in 1995. Her overall match figures of 12/165 are second-best figures in women’s Tests after Pakistan’s Shaiza Khan took 13/226- against West Indies in 2004.
The result means Australia will need to win only two of the six white-ball matches to retain the Ashes in the multi-format, with the first of the three T20Is starting from July 1 in Birmingham.
England resumed day five from 116/5, chasing a record target of 268, after losing five wickets in quick succession on day four left them requiring 152 more runs to get an improbable win.
Danni and Kate Cross added 25 runs for the sixth wicket before the latter was caught behind for 13 off Ashleigh, who spun a vicious web around the England batters to outclass them with ridiculous ease.
Despite Danni hanging around for some resistance, she couldn’t find support from the other end. Amy Jones was stumped by Alyssa Healy, Sophie Ecclestone was trapped lbw and Lauren Filer was castled for a duck, before Danni finally fell to give Australia four points.
For England, they had their moments with Tammy Beaumont scoring 208 in first innings, and Sophie Ecclestone taking a 10-wicket haul in the match, recording five wickets in both innings. But it was ultimately overshadowed by Ashleigh’s stunning efforts.
Brief Scores: Australia 473 and 257 beat England 463 and 178 in 49 overs (Danni Wyatt 54; Ashleigh Gardner 8/66) by 89 runs.
_IANS