Dean's late strike gives England hope after Mooney's half-century

Mooney and Perry rode their luck in a 91-run stand to push Australia’s lead beyond 160

Australia 337 for 9 dec and 122 for 4 (Mooney 63) lead England 297 (Knight 168*) by 163 runs

Charlie Dean‘s first Test wicket on the stroke of lunch has given England a slim chance at an unlikely victory after a valuable half-century from Beth Mooney had held the visitors at bay on the fourth morning with time for a result in Canberra running out.

England’s offspinner picked up Mooney with the final ball before lunch when she missed a full toss attempting an ill-advised sweep and was hit flush on the toe infront of middle and leg. Mooney reviewed but the DRS confirmed the umpire’s decision leaving Australia four down with a lead of 163 with 71.3 overs left in the Test match.

Mooney and Ellyse Perry (41) had combined for a much-needed 91-run stand to help Australia’s lead swell after beginning the day at 12 for 2 with a lead of just 52. The pair did have two huge slices of luck though with England keeper Amy Jones dropping both players off the bowling of Kate Cross.

Mooney, who had played fluently throughout the morning, edged Cross on 40 driving at a good length delivery that nipped off the seam. It was a very simple catch to Jones’ left but the keeper closed her gloves too soon and it bounced off her gloves and ran away for four.

Perry was on 30 four overs later when she attempted a booming drive on the up and got a thicker edge that flew towards first slip. Jones flung her right hand across infront of Heather Knight but the ball didn’t stick and was parried away for two runs leaving Cross to slump to her haunches in disbelief at her misfortune.

Mooney and Perry played positively despite the errors. Mooney picked off anything straight or wide while Perry continued to drive in spite of the sideways movement from the seamers and was rewarded with the two best shots of the morning off Cross, one a sumptuous straight drive past the umpire and the other a glorious drive threaded between cover and mid off.

Australia had some other nervy moments with a few edges going to ground while England burned two reviews as Sophie Ecclestone caused some problems with her left-arm orthodox spin. There was an lbw appeal against Mooney that Knight referred. The third umpire deemed Mooney got an inside edge as she hit her pad with her bat. England inquired as to the conclusiveness of the inside edge but it was spinning down leg in any case. Ecclestone spun another sharply past Perry’s outside edge and there was an appeal and review for both caught behind and a stumping but both were fruitless.

Ecclestone was finally rewarded for an excellent spell, trapping Perry lbw with one that slid on straight after pitching in the perfect spot. Umpire Michael Graham-Smith made another outstanding decision and Perry did not debate it.

Alex Malcolm is an Associate Editor at ESPNcricinfo

This article was originally published by Espncricinfo.com. Read the original article here.

Dean’s late strike gives England hope after Mooney’s half-century

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