Five quick hits: England’s abject fielding and Annabel’s thrilling ton

England’s terrible fielding may have helped, but Annabel Sutherland’s brilliance made the difference as Australia ground their Ashes rivals into the dust in this most one-sided of contests.
Here’s the five quick hits from day two of the MCG Test.
- Day two updates: Sutherland’s brilliance sets up dominant Ashes performance as England’s fielding woes intensify
- ScoreCentre: All the scores and stats from the standalone Test
1. England can’t catch anything a break
Sophie Ecclestone saw three chances go down off her bowling. (Getty Images: Daniel Pockett)
As England has probably realised by now, if you want to have a chance to beat Australia, you have to take your chances.
With a precarious lead of just 114 at the start of play, which was rapidly diminishing as the first session got underway, England had to make any chances that came their way count.
So what they probably didn’t need was Sophia Dunkley completely misjudging a skied shot from Phoebe Litchfield at long on in the third over of the day off the bowling of Sophie Ecclestone.
Litchfield was on 20 at the time. She made 45.
Over the next couple of Ecclestone overs, there was more disappointment.
Annabel Sutherland should have been caught by Danni Wyatt-Hodge at backward point after she sliced a drive in her direction.
Wyatt-Hodge got both hands to the ball, and dropped it.
In the next Ecclestone over, Sutherland got a thick edge to a brilliant delivery that Amy Jones did well to even get her glove to in truth, but it was still a dropped chance.
Sutherland had been dropped on 29 and 31. She made 163.
2. Healy left shaking her head at LBW call
Alyssa Healy was not impressed. (AAP Image: James Ross)
When Alyssa Healy was given out LBW from Sophie Ecclestone’s bowling she could hardly have reviewed the decision quicker.
The reason was pretty clear, as the ball had hit her pad. But the question that lingered was did the ball hit the pad first, the bat first or both at the exact same time?
After a number of replays and some forensic analysis, the third umpire hedged its bets. “Inconclusive” was the verdict, which was an admission they could not tell what the ball had made first contact with.
Healy was left shaking her head and gesturing towards the big screen at the MCG, clearly aggrieved at the decision. Perhaps justifiably so.
3. Sutherland gets another ton
Annabel Sutherland was dropped on 29 and 31. How costly were those chances? (Getty Images: Daniel Pockett)
Annabel Sutherland loves playing Test cricket.
To be honest, who wouldn’t love playing against this England team…
But it doesn’t matter who Sutherland is playing against, in truth.
By scoring her third century in just her ninth Test match innings, Sutherland became the fastest Australian woman to reach that milestone.
Only England great Enid Bakewell needed fewer innings (8), while Australia’s fastest before now was Betty Wilson. It took her 15 innings.
What was most pleasing about Sutherland’s ton was it took 193 balls and ebbed and flowed throughout, a masterful performance.
That it took place on her nominal home ground as a Victorian and put her onto the honours board, made it all the more special.
4. No really, England can’t catch anything a break
England have been comprehensively demoralised. (AAP Image: James Ross)
Just when you through England’s fielding couldn’t get any worse, Beth Mooney came to the crease, sparking a calamity of carelessness that would rival your local game of beach cricket.
First, Ryana MacDonald-Gay let a catch go through her hands at cover when the dangerous Aussie batter was on 8.
That was off the bowling of the luckless Ecclestone.
The next over, Ecclestone returned the favour, dropping a ball that came through at comfortable height at slip — off the bowling of MacDonald-Gay.
Could things get any worse?
Enter Maia Bouchier, whose in and out drop at gully might be the worst you’ll ever see, costing MacDonald-Gay another wicket.
Mooney had been dropped on 8, 11 and 18, three times in the space of 11 deliveries.
At any level of cricket, it was just not good enough.
5. No Ellyse Perry?
Australia didn’t need to call upon one of their greatest ever players, but neither did it look likely that Ellyse Perry would pad up at all in any case.
Originally slated to come in at number three, Perry’s spot was taken by Sutherland on day one.
But when she didn’t come out to bat at any stage in the top seven, it became clear something was up.
Footage of Perry walking around the outfield, holding her hip and then sitting in the bench not in her whites, suggested that it would need something pretty remarkable for her to be called upon.