6:41pm Friday 10th July 2009
A superb 139 from Australia captain Jodie Fields and 98 from debutante Rachael Haynes helped the tourists recover after a devastating opening spell from England’s Katherine Brunt on day one of the Women’s Ashes Test at New Road.
Yorkshire quick Brunt, so impressive in the recent World Twenty20, made a breakthrough at the end of the very first over when she had Alex Blackwell caught behind for a duck.
Karen Rolton was then removed leg before, also without troubling the scorers, to leave Australia, who had won the toss and elected to bat, reeling at five for two.
All-rounder Lisa Sthalekar (6) soon followed, as did opener Shelley Nitschke, caught in the slips off the bowling of Nicky Shaw.
When Leah Poulton, who managed just one from 14 balls, became Brunt’s fourth victim, the tourists looked deep in trouble at just 28 for five.
However, Fields and Haynes, in her first Test appearance, steadied the ship as they grew in confidence to head towards tea in a much more solid position as England failed to sustain their early momentum.
Fields went on to reach 139, which included 21 boundaries, before she eventually was trapped lbw by Brunt, to end what was a world-record sixth-wicket partnership of 229.
Haynes, though, fell just short of a century when she was bowled by Sussex’s Laura Marsh, as Australia finished at a comfortable 271 for seven from 99.3 overs, with 18-year-old Ellyse Perry on four not out.
Brunt ended the day with impressive figures of five for 55 from her 22 overs, which included nine maidens.
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