At a critical juncture of the first Women’s EAD, part of it Women’s Ashes 2025between Australia and England in sydney, Ellyse Perry showed her athleticism and sharp reflexes to complete a superb catch and dismiss the England captain Heather Knight.
Ellyse Perry’s brilliant catch turns down Heather Knight
Facing Ashley Gardnerknight attempted an ambitious slog sweep on a delivery that was thrown well off the off stump. The ball, however, was too wide for the shot, forcing her to leg-drag it. This resulted in an errant top end that fell towards the deep midrange.
Perry, positioned on the boundary, showed excellent anticipation and judgment as the ball hung in the air. He covered considerable ground, sprinting forward from deep to position himself to catch. With the ball sinking quickly, Perry executed a well-timed dive, ensuring she was in complete control as she completed the catch just inches off the ground. The effort required both precision and fearlessness, highlighting Perry’s elite skills on the field. This catch not only ended Knight’s solid knock of 39 runs from 48 balls, but also gave Gardner her first wicket of the match, keeping England’s score in check at 92/3.
Here’s the video:
The England captain is off after a superb catch by Ellyse Perry 🙌 #Ashes #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/ZzqbL9oW5r
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 12, 2025
England’s matches with the bat
Opting to bat first, England managed a modest total of 204 in 43.1 overs, unable to deal with Australia’s disciplined bowling attack. The innings began on a shaky note, with Maia Bouchier and Tammy Beaumont departing early, leaving England at 61/2 from the 13th over. Knight held the innings together with 39 off 48 balls, but her dismissal to an excellent catch by Perry off Gardner marked a turning point. Middle class contributions from Amy Jones (31 minus 30) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (38 off 52) added stability but frequent wickets prevented England from capitalizing on their start. Gardner was the standout bowler, claiming 3/19, supported with satisfaction Kim Garth and Annabelle Sutherland with two ports each. The extras accounted for a significant 25 runs, hinting at occasional lapses in Australian discipline.
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Steady start for Australia in the chase
Chasing 205, Australia Women adopted a measured approach, reaching 122/3 in 21.4 overs. Although an opener Phoebe Litchfield fell cheap to Lauren Filescaptain Alyssa Healy anchored the chase with an authoritative half-century, hitting eight boundaries. Perry (14 of 23) and Beth Mooney (28 off 28) made useful contributions before being dismissed, with Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell picking up crucial wickets. Despite the fall of three wickets, Healy and Sutherland (10 off 18) provided consistency, keeping the required run rate manageable, however Sutherland also lost her wicket. With 70 runs needed from 25 overs, Australia are still in firm control of the game, capitalizing on their batting depth and the solid platform laid by Healy.
Also READ: Women’s Ashes 2025: Australia’s best XI for ODIs against England
This article was first published on WomenCricket.coma Cricket Times company.
