ENGLAND STAR TAMMY DEMANDS A TESTING TIME

WORLD CUP heroine Tammy Beaumont hopes her career-best 72, on a mixed day for England, will play some part in getting more Test matches for women’s cricket. After day one of the first day/night Ashes Test, Beaumont was left lamenting the rarity of such an occasion, and is pushing for Tests to become more than a novelty in the multi-format series. “It is a difficult change as we only play once every two years,” said Beaumont (above), as England reached 235-7 at the close. “But I think you can take how you play in one-day cricket and use it with a little less risk. “I used to think I had to bat like a Test match batter, but here it was a case of me trying to do what I do best and nail my game plan. “A lot has been said about our last Test match in England, which wasn’t good for women’s cricket, but here we are trying to play the right kind of Test cricket and get some more in the future.” Australia bowlers Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt played their part in keeping Beaumont and Lauren Winfield quiet early on, before Heather Knight moved things along with 61. Sarah Taylor looked in sublime touch for her 29, but it took a huge moment of fortune to remove her as Perry took a return catch that bounced off her arm without knowing about it. “My head went down and I lost all sight of it,” said Perry. “Obviously, with Sarah Taylor, you are happy getting her any way possible. “But it had nothing to do with my skill or ability. It was pure luck.”