IT WAS Annabel Sutherland who stole the show on day two of the 2025 Women’s Ashes Test, as the young star became the first women’s test centurion at the MCG and the Aussies further cemented their control of the match.

Day two of action began with some spin, as Sophie Ecclestone was given first responsibilities with the ball. She would ultimately be partnered up the other end by the pace of Lauren Filer and later Lauren Bell.

England had a number of close wicket chances early, but were unable to covert them and there was a wonder whether the English would be made to pay for them later.

Meanwhile the Australian batters Sutherland and Phoebe Litchfield continued to look right at home at the crease, with Sutherland even whacking a six down the ground. Just as the match was looking cruisy for Sutherland and Litchfield, Litchfield got trapped in front by Bell and she was on her way, a mere five runs short of a half century.

Litchfield’s dismissal brought Alyssa Healy to the crease, who perhaps thanks to her freshness from having not played for several matches was scoring with relatively frequent.

Sutherland eventually reached her half century three quarters of the way through the session with a well driven four, and was continuing to score with a relative ease, calm and confidence well beyond her years.

As the session progressed, the Aussie batters kept scoring with ease and there was a sense of desperation hovering over those in the field. Australia eventually finished the session on 2/154, just merely 16 runs behind England’s first innings total and with a pair of very set batters at the crease.

Australia kept its momentum going at the start of the second session of the day, taking only 20 minutes to draw level with England’s first innings tally. Healy did not last even 10 minutes longer after parity was achieved though, trapped in front by Ecclestone and sent on her way.

However, nothing seemed to be able to stop Sutherland, who continued to look calm as a monk out in the middle and continued to score pretty easily. She broke the record for highest individual score in a women’s test at the MCG, before finding herself at 99 not out at drinks and Australia was at 3/205.

Sutherland eventually got her century with a carefully crafted four just behind square, to the rapturous applause from the crowd that was starting to build as the working day concluded for many.

As the dinner break drew near, the runs just continued to flow for Sutherland and Beth Mooney, passing the 100 run partnership mark and Sutherland drew closer to 150 runs individually.

At the dinner break, Australia found themselves at 3/278, with Sutherland on 135 not out and Mooney not far off a milestone of her own at 43 not out.

Mooney did not take long after the dinner break to pick up her half century, reaching the milestone in the second over after the restart. Sutherland followed, reaching the 150 milestone less than five overs later.

Unfortunately Sutherland’s magnificent knock came to an end about half an hour into the final session, finishing on 163 after being bowled out by Ryana Macdonald-Gay.

Sutherland’s departure did not stop the runs though, as Mooney and new batter Ash Gardner made sure the momentum continued even after Sutherland was back in the grandstand.

As the final session progressed into its final hour, Mooney and Gardner continued to score as freely as they pleased, but some may have started to wonder if a declaration was nigh as Mooney edged towards a century of her own.

One element that had not helped England all day was its fielding, with at least eight dropped catch chances.

As the overs remaining for the day continued to count towards zero, Mooney edged ever closer to a century and Gardner ever closer to a half century, but Gardner fell agonisingly short after she skied one to Filer six runs short of her half century.

Mooney also did not quite reach her century, but she was still in at the end of the day, finishing day two on 98 not out.

In perhaps a sign of desperate times calling for desperate measures, Heather Knight decided to have a bowl in the last few overs of the day. However, Australia ended the day with a lead of 252 runs and was in cruise control.

SCORECARD – END OF DAY TWO

England 1st innings – 10/170

Sciver-Brunt 51
Knight 25
King 4/45
Garth 2/13
Brown 2/47

Australia 1st innings – 5/422

Sutherland 163
Mooney 98 not out
Litchfield 45
Bell 2/94
Ecclestone 2/134