Annabel Sutherland shines as women’s Australia play draw with England A in warm-up game

Leicester [UK], June 18 (ANI): Australia’s Annabel Sutherland shinned on the third day of the Ashes warm-up game against England A, resulting in a draw on the last day on Saturday at the Grace Road in Leicester.

Sutherland scored 116 (138) and Phoebe Litchfield, who is expected to start for Australia in next week’s Test at Trent Bridge, also contributed in the middle, scoring 68.
England A scored 562 runs in their first innings, with a 278-run first-innings advantage, before Sutherland and Litchfield guided Australia to 361 for 7 at stumps. Australia batted first and scored 284 runs in the first innings.

Beth Mooney was a major positive from this warm-up match. She scored 107 runs in the first innings for Australia before going for a one-off match against England starting on June 22 at Trent Bridge.

“Class, she (Sutherland) looked so good out there and it was a real pleasure to watch from the other end for most of it and it was awesome for her to bring up three figures,” Litchfield said as quoted by ESPCcricinfo.

England A’s Kirstie Gordon, a left-arm spinner, took out five of Australia’s top six hitters in this match – Litchfield, Sutherland, McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, and Wareham. She delivered outstanding bowling figures 5 for 49.

Meanwhile, England’s senior team drew with an Australia A team led by Test squad spinner Jess Jonassen, who was 173 not out in their second innings.

England had gained a 390-run lead on the second day with Tammy Beaumont’s double-century, but Jonassen – batting up the order at No. 4 – guided Australia A to 361 for 7 on the last day. Courtney Webb also scored 79 runs.

Seamer Lauren Bell grabbed three wickets on the last day for England, while Kate Cross, Issy Wong, Sophia Dunkley, and debutant Dani Gibson each took one.