Scholfield and Capsey tons put England A on top

Paige Scholfield and Alice Capsey took the lead with a fourth-wicket stand of 210. In the unofficial women’s Test in Sydney, England A’s batters capitalised on a bowling display inspired by Issy Wong’s five-for to move towards a first-innings lead on the second day at Cricket Central.

During a powerful day’s work, both batsmen scored hundreds, and by the end of the day, Scholfield was still going strong at 138 not out, while England A was well established at 317 for 4, 26 runs behind and two days into the match.

When England fell to 34 for 3 in reply, Australia A appeared to have grabbed control after pushing their overnight total of 315 for 7 to a first-innings total of 343. In Tess Flintoff’s opening over of the innings, Lauren Cheatle caught Mady Villiers at fine leg, and in subsequent overs, she bowled Hollie Armitage and Grace Scrivens, contributing to each of the three wickets.

But in a 52-over partnership that lasted the afternoon session, Capsey and Scholfield altered the tide of the innings with a flurry of boundaries. As England pressed on at a rapid pace, Capsey swept and pulled Sophie Day for four fours in an over.

They weren’t separated until Maitlan Brown trapped Capsey leg before wicket for 108, by which time the margin had already been cut to double figures.

But Scholfield found another reliable companion in Jodi Grewcock, with whom she shared an uninterrupted fifth-wicket partnership of 73 for the remainder of the day. Grewcock hit three fours and finished at 29 not out from 84 balls.

Earlier, England had added 28 runs by taking the final three wickets in Australia’s first innings in 10 overs. Two of them were taken by Grace Potts, including the last wicket of Sianna Ginger for 54, but Wong’s yorker through Lily Mills’ defences to claim a well-earned fifth wicket was the turning point.