Test match special

I have spent four days watching a test match at Bankstown. It was the Ashes test match between the women's teams of Australia and England.
Bankstown is about a 45 minute train ride west of Sydney. The town centre is a mixture of Lebanese and Vietnamese shops.
It was hot and sunny throughout the four days of play. Having seen on tv the England women play five T20 games against Australia and win the series 4-1, I was looking forward to a good match.

The field of play

 

Bankstown oval

 

The England openers come onto the field

 

After lunch it was time to get back to work

 

At the end of Day One England were 181 for 8 with Charlotte Edwards on 103 not out.

Team photo at the start of Day Two

 

Team talk

 

England were all out for 207 in the first innings with Charlotte Edwards unbeaten on 114.

Lauran Griffiths has to stretch for that one

 

Australia were on 159 for 9 when they declared which was a bit of a surprise.

Our bowlers warm down having had a good day.

 

At the start of Day Three the scores were England 207 & 9 for 0, Australia 159 for 9 declared.
Edwards strikes out

 

Pressure

 

At the end of Day Three the scores were England 207 & 149, Australia 159-9 dec & 29-1

So as the last day began if England needed to get nine wickets and not allow Australia to score more than 168 runs during the day.
Wickets were hard to come by but Australia were scoring very slowly during the morning.
Charlotte Edwards was injured whilst fielding and she awaits to rejoin after treatment

 

At lunch it was still anyone's game.
However during the afternoon we just could not get any wickets despite multiple appeals for LBW and run outs. It seemed like the umpires were giving nothing, unlike the day before when England were batting and they were putting their finger up for everything.
Australia get the winning run

 

It's all over and Australia win back the Ashes

 

Our captain Charlotte Edwards thanks the team for their efforts

 

The England team stand back in disappointment

 

The winners

 

England seemed to be in a winning position for most of the first three days but a hat-trick by Australia turned the game and then we just could not get the wickets on the last day. It was a valiant effort for no reward. At least I will get to see them play again in the UK during the summer.

Peewit