Women’s cricket Filer makes promising start to England career
ELLYSE Perry was a familiar thorn in England’s side as she offset an eye-catching debut from Bristolborn Lauren Filer on the opening day of the lone Test which started the multi-format Women’s Ashes series.
Perry was given lbw on 10 to Filer’s first delivery in international cricket but the Australia linchpin was reprieved on review as replays showed the ball caught an inside edge before thudding into the pads.
While Filer had her maiden international wicket when Beth Mooney edged to gully on 33, Perry’s unbeaten 82 carried Australia to 213-3 before a rain shower led to an early tea being taken. Perry, who made 116 and 76 not out in the 2019 Test between the sides at Taunton, put on 119 with Tahlia McGrath in a largely frustrating afternoon session at Trent Bridge for the hosts.
Sophie Ecclestone, the topranked bowler in the world, castled McGrath for a Test-best 61 after finding just enough turn off the pitch but Perry was assured after a nervy start against Filer.
Heather Knight had promised to “entertain and inspire” and set attacking fields throughout after losing the toss - although the England captain insisted she would have bowled on a green-tinged pitch.
There was early sideways movement for Kate Cross and Lauren Bell but Phoebe Litchfield justified her inclusion with a series of elegant drives on her Test debut.
Filer, held back until the 18th over, used her extra pace to breach the defences of Perry but DRS detected a thick inside edge on to the pads. Perry then played and missed at Filer’s second ball and edged the third short of the slips but the England seamer was belatedly in the wickets column when Mooney’s back-foot punch took the edge and carried to Cross at gully.
Perry, though, showed her full range either side of the lunch interval with decisive pulls, late cuts and fluent drives.