Centurion Beaumont’s “concentration and skill level” are praised by the England captain.
Crucial partnership: Beaumont and the Knight Century stand.
After ending the second day of the Women’s Ashes Test at Trent Bridge on a promising 218 for 2, owing to a brilliant century from Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight urged her batters to “go again tomorrow” and earn the right to be dominant on a run-friendly surface.
Although England still trails Australia’s first-innings 473 by a substantial 255 runs, Beaumont’s first Test century, along with 57 from Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s characteristically free-flowing 41 not-out, allowed England to increase the pressure on the visitors. It raised the possibility of many more runs if, as Knight put it at the end of the match, they could be “clinical” when play resumes.
Knight told Sky Sports, “I’m proud of Tammy,” after Beaumont duplicated her feat of being the only woman in women’s cricket to make an international century in all three formats. Being on the field for such a long time is laborious. However, her level of talent and attentiveness was exceptional.
Beaumont and Knight put together a crucial second-wicket stand of 115 after Emma Lamb was dismissed early for 10, and it took one of Ashleigh Gardner’s best balls of the day to break it as Knight was drawn forward and undone by turn and extra bounce, allowing Alyssa Healy to complete the catch behind the stumps.
Before then, though, the duo had advanced without incident against a somewhat uncoordinated Australian seam attack. On a surface that Knight acknowledged was dryer than she would have liked, only the double spin of Gardner and Alana King could exert much pressure.
“The Aussies tried a few different things, they went cross-seam and banged it into the wicket, but there are not too many demons in it,” she added. Then a couple started spinning, so we discussed how we would play the various varieties of spin… Ash attempted to bowl a more aggressive line outside of off, and Kingy then displayed some drift before beginning to exhibit some turn towards the end.
“It was just about getting in and trying to play every ball on its merits,” she continued. “When the ball became soft, scoring was challenging if you bowled straight and targeted the pads with straight fields. We only discussed our advantages while attempting to decide quickly which balls we wanted to target. And it’s about earning the right to reapply pressure, as Nat did when the ball stopped swinging at the end.
Knight continued, “The pitch has likely been a bit dry; we wanted a little more grass and carry.” “It’s been a little frustrating that the nicks haven’t carried, but we bowled first because we didn’t anticipate a significant decline in the condition. If you’re highly strategic about how you want to score, it’s still where you can go big as a hitter and get high value.
On day three, Beaumont and Sciver-Brunt will have that chance as they continue a stand that has already produced 67 runs in 12.4 overs. Nevertheless, as Knight herself pointed out, Australia had been in a very similar position when they were 202 for 2 in their first innings until a collapse of 4 for 36 weakened their supremacy, with Sophie Ecclestone’s first Test five-for helping that comeback.
Knight responded, “We have to go again tomorrow. “Today was fantastic for us at the plate, but we must continue. With the score down two, they were obviously in a similar situation, and during that middle stage, they, too, lost a few wickets.
So, as you saw at the end when we dominated the spinners, “we’ve got to turn up tomorrow, try and boss that middle period, and if we get two batters in, it can be a little easier to score.” Although the middle order will be pretty active and aim to score, handling the various circumstances is just as important as trying to catch up to them.
Ecclestone may have been England’s most effective bowler in the first innings, but rookie Lauren Filer, whose unusual 75 mph-plus pace was unnerving for Australia’s bowlers—even though she only took two wickets—could yet be England’s secret weapon in the second.
Knight agreed that Filer had handled the pressure of her first England debut with more poise than she could have asked for on a field that was pretty lifeless for the bowlers on both teams.
However, her superb control is one of her most impressive bowling aspects. We brought her in to try to create an impression and get wickets, and each time she came to bowl, the fans got behind her.
“It’s incredibly thrilling because it seemed like something was about to happen. Lauren was the only bowler for whom it appeared that the nicks might travel, which is problematic on a placid wicket. She undoubtedly ran all day, and making the game’s strategy straightforward for novice players is essential. She has excelled in rising to the challenge. She’s done much better than I anticipated and greatly influenced our team.
But like any captain with a new toy, Knight acknowledged that one of her biggest struggles was to control Filer’s potential and confine her to bursts of four or five overs.
“It’s incredibly tough; she’ll probably have bowled thrice. She’s looking menacing here, but her efficacy comes from her ability to bounce back and bowl quickly after brief stints. So when I want to give her one more, it almost feels like that’s probably enough. She can make things happen, and I want to use her as an impact bowler. But like any captain with a new toy, Knight acknowledged that one of her biggest struggles was to control Filer’s potential and confine her to bursts of four or five overs.
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