England Women vs Australia Women, Only Test - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

That's it from our side! We witnessed a well-fought Women's Ashes Test and all the fans got their money's worth. A 5-day Test is a rarity but this game proved that we need many more such Women's 5-day Tests going forward. Result-oriented approach would draw many more fans in and spark much more interest in Women's Test cricket. So, both the Australian Men and Women have got off to a winning start in the Ashes. The Men's game was a nail-biting thriller but the Women's game also had a lot of brilliant performances to boast about! The second Men's Ashes Test is just a day away so do join us as we build up towards it. Also, the Women will head into a limited-overs series. Three T20Is will be followed by 3 ODIs and each game will carry 2 points for the winning side. We hope you enjoyed our coverage. This is Abhinav Guha signing off on behalf of Anurag Hegde and Venky. Till then, cheers and goodbye!

Time for the glory moment! Alyssa Healy is presented the trophy and she poses for photographs along with her teammates.

Alyssa Healy | Australia Captain: Very happy, how good is it to have a result, and pleased to be on the right end. It takes the pressure off the captains and teams to try and manipulate it. Even if it's the potential for a reserve day, if there is rain, it's a great idea. Got my thinking cap on at the toss, we had no doubts in batting. Knew it would be tricky against new ball and the try to bat long. They got pretty close in the end, but we were pleased with those runs on the board. Full credit to Tammy, we probably weren't tight enough at times. When we got it right we were able to take wickets and build pressure. The wicket was very good for 2 and a half days and then it started playing some tricks. You need a little bit of luck in cricket, maybe it went my way there. Had to slide down the order because I couldn't grip the bat in the morning. Hang in there and take the runs on offer. Having 250 on the board to bowl to, we were okay with, but we wanted as many as we could. That’s just the way it panned out, Ecclestone was coming really hard, came good for me. It’s a blessing and a curse, when you have 8 bowling options. Gardner was outstanding, McGrath and Garth were outstanding as well. (On captaining Australia) Stressful, few more grey hairs but I thoroughly enjoyed it. You can see the smile on my face. (Finger Injuries) All good, we'll manage them over the next few days and reassess.

Heather Knight | England Captain: That was a wild game, I've been quite vocal about having 5 days and today shows why it's so vital to have 5 days. Obviously was great to have some of the performances we did. Tammy (Beaumont) and Sophie (Ecclestone), so great to have them. It was in the balance, the way Tammy (Beaumont) batted and the partnerships we had, we were in the game and we came back yesterday after a tough session. We did quite well on a difficult pitch. Just a couple of sessions we could've done a bit better. End of the day, we want to play entertaining cricket and I think we did that. I think they batted well, took their opportunities to score, I think we bowled a little too aggressively trying to take too many wickets but credit to Australia, we did come back and do well the next day. She's (Ecclestone) a captain's dream, she can just hold up one end, for her to bowl so many overs - thought I over-bowled her but she did really well. She really stepped up and was chuffed about taking two 5-fers. Really pleasing to have Filer, we picked her because we thought she could have an impact. Pace does funny things and it was really exciting to watch what happened when she had the ball in hand. I think we'll reflect on the five days, we want to play entertaining and inspiring cricket and I think we did that so we're really proud of that. We'll just focus on the next game. Nat Sciver-Brunt will be alright for the limited-overs series.

Ashleigh Gardner | Player of the Match: I wouldn't have dreamt of it but it shows having 5 days in a Test match and getting a result is super important. I think there was a bit of luck involved with conditions and I think we really bowled well in partnerships. We kept saying we have to keep it on the stumps, some were bouncing and some were keeping low. For me, some turned and some didn't so it made it challenging for the batters. I bowl a little quicker naturally than other spinners, it's super important to try and vary your pace as well. Healy was fantastic all Test match, it shows how pivotal it can be standing up to both the spinners and seamers. Having a good keeper you can rely on is super important. Still 6 matches to go so a lot can happen, we want to celebrate this, first time I've been involved in a Test match that's had a result but we're going to start looking ahead. My game doesn't change too much, it's about sticking to our strengths.

Best bowling returns in Women’s Tests
8/53 - Neetu David (IND-W) vs ENG-W, Jamshedpur, 1995
8/66 - Ashleigh Gardner (AUS-W) vs ENG-W, Trent Bridge, 2023
7/6 - Mary Duggan (ENG-W) vs AUS-W, St. Kilda CC (Melbourne), 1958
7/7 - Betty Wilson (AUS-W) vs ENG-W,  St. Kilda CC (Melbourne), 1958

Best match bowling-returns in Women’s Tests
13/226 - Shazia Khan (PAK-W) vs WI-W, Karachi, 2004
12/165 - Ashleigh Gardner (AUS-W) vs ENG-W, Trent Bridge, 2023
11/16 - Betty Wilson (AUS-W) vs ENG-W, St. Kilda CC (Melbourne), 1958
11/63 - Julia Greenwood (AUS-W) vs WI-W, Canterbury, 1979
11/107 - Lucy Pearson (ENG-W) vs AUS-W, Bankstown Oval, Sydney, 2003

Bowlers with five-wicket hauls in both innings of a Women’s Test
Anne Gordon (AUS-W) vs ENG-W, St. Kilda CC (Melbourne), 1969
Julia Greenwood (AUS-W) vs WI-W, Canterbury, 1979
Shazia Khan (PAK-W) vs WI-W, Karachi, 2004
Jhulan Goswami (IND-W) vs PAK-W, Taunton, 2009
Sophie Ecclestone (ENG-W) vs AUS-W, Trent Bridge, 2003

Most runs aggregated in a Women’s Test
1371 - ENG-W v AUS-W, Trent Bridge, 2023
1143 - ENG-W v AUS-W, Guildford, 1998
1098 - ENG-W v SA-W, Shenely, 2003
1095 - ENG-W v AUS-W, Canberra, 2022

This was also just the seventh instance - in 145 matches - of all 40 wickets falling in a Women’s Test. The last time a Women’s Ashes Test produced a definite result was in 2015, when Australia Women had won by 161 runs in Canterbury. Each of the next three Tests between these two sides thereafter had ended in a draw.

12:33 Local Time, 11:33 GMT, 17:03 IST: A thumping win for Australia by 89 runs and it's Gardner who leads her side towards the dressing room. She has a beaming smile on her face! Her 8-fer is the best bowling figures in an innings by an Australian in Women's Test cricket. She took all the remaining 5 wickets to fall today and finished with 12 wickets in the game - a game to remember for a lifetime for her! It was always going to be a herculean task for England after they lost 5 wickets yesterday and they succumbed under pressure today. Special mention for Wyatt as she fought valiantly and went past her maiden fifty on Test debut but the others couldn't hang on.

Earlier in the game, after winning the toss and opting to bat, the Aussie openers got off to starts but couldn’t convert them into something substantial. Perry’s 99, McGrath’s fifty, Sutherland’s ton and a few handy contributions from the lower order batters ensured that Australia posted the highest 1st innings total in Women’s Test cricket. Ecclestone was the star with the ball for England as she picked up her maiden 5-wicket haul.

In reply, England were solid with the bat as well. Knight, Sciver-Brunt, and Wyatt played good knocks but it was Beaumont who stole the limelight. She batted with grit as well as flair to score a double ton that brought England to near parity against Australia’s total as they got bowled out for 463. Having gained a negligible lead of 10 runs, it was even-stevens. The Aussie openers stitched a 99-run stand but once it was broken, the hosts kept on chipping away at the wickets at regular intervals. A counter-punch from Healy down the order ensured that the visitors posted a challenging target of 267 for England. Ecclestone once again was brilliant with the ball, taking another 5-fer and finishing with 10 wickets in the game. On a pitch that had already started misbehaving, the English openers started off nicely but a wicket changed the complexion of the game. Gardner probably produced one of the finest performances of her lifetime! Australia gain a vital 4 points in this multi-format Ashes. Stick around for the presentations...

Gardner to Wyatt, out Lbw!! A convincing win for Australia and Gardner rightfully finishes it off with an 8-fer! Take a bow, Gardner. It has been an exhibition with the ball from the Australian all-rounder. Tossed up on a length outside off, keeps low and spins in. Wyatt shuffles a bit and tries to sweep it across but misses to be struck in front of the stumps. The umpire raises her finger and Wyatt challenges the call. Ball Tracking shows three reds to ring the death bell for England. Wyatt lbw b Gardner 54(88) [4s-5]

Gardner to Wyatt, THATS OUT!! Lbw!!

It looks like that's it! However, Wyatt will review and she ought to! It's regarding an lbw decision. There's no bat involved. Ball Tracking rolls in and reveals three reds

Gardner to Bell, 1 run, pushed quicker through the air on middle, Bell pushes at it and outside edges it past slip for a run

Lauren Bell, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Gardner to Lauren Filer, out Bowled!! Australia are inching towards a famous victory! Gardner has been unplayable and she gets her 7th wicket. She tosses it up on a length outside off, turns in just a bit and Lauren Filer plays down the wrong line. Tries to block it but the ball beats the outside edge and crashes into the off stump. Lauren Filer expected it to turn in more and hence the misjudgement. Lauren Filer b Gardner 0(9)

Gardner to Lauren Filer, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!

Gardner to Lauren Filer, no run, Gardner switches to over the wicket and bowls it on a length outside off, left alone

Gardner to Wyatt, 1 run, risky shot but Wyatt is safe eventually! Pushed through the air on off, Wyatt kneels down and goes for the big sweep but gets a top edge over the keeper. The ball lands safely and a run results

Gardner to Wyatt, no run, flat and quick outside off, Wyatt looks to cut but misses

McGrath to Lauren Filer, no run, and this one takes off! The variable nature of the pitch on display again. Fuller in length,

McGrath to Lauren Filer, no run, back of a length ball around off, Lauren Filer mistimes her punch to extra cover