In sport, being the underdog is often described as a dangerous thing.
In some instances, it has been proved to be true – but more often than not, greatness will prevail.
England learned that lesson in the cruellest way late on day four at Trent Bridge, as Australia ripped through their top order with clinical brutality after the hosts had made such a positive start to their pursuit of 268.
With their backs to the wall after Tammy Beaumont and Emma Lamb’s rapid 55-run opening stand, a feeling of hope – one so rare against Australia – started to drift through the crowd at Trent Bridge.
But with the hope came the tension, and with the tension came Australia’s chance, and there is only so long you can keep greatness at bay.
England were cruising, but in consecutive overs, Beaumont and Lamb were gone – the former, a first-innings double-centurion, caught at slip, while the latter was pinned lbw by all-rounder Tahlia McGrath.
The floodlights beamed down on Trent Bridge, which became Australia’s Colosseum, as England’s hopes faded with the sun.
As pressure knocked on England’s door, Australia blew it down with a double whammy, as star all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt and captain Heather Knight both fell to Ash Gardner’s cunning off-spin.
Sophia Dunkley was undone by some surprising late-evening swing from Kim Garth, and Australia’s job was half done.
But England have turned their fortunes around already in this Test match, and for the first time in recent years, it has been an even contest.
Gripping contest is still alive
Coach Jon Lewis’ side have committed to their aggressive approach throughout the Test and, across four thrilling days so far, they have proved that it can work against the very best.
They have caused Australia to collapse, put their bowlers under pressure and in Beaumont’s historic innings and Sophie Ecclestone’s 10-wicket match haul, they have produced two of the finest performances ever seen in women’s cricket.
It is quite simply to Australia’s credit that they have refused to buckle under this pressure.
Six wickets down in the first innings, and Annabel Sutherland rescues them with a century from number eight.
With England approaching parity, they take four wickets for 15 runs to earn a 10-run lead.
And after a middle-order collapse of their own, captain Alyssa Healy stands tall with a counter-attacking fifty.
England race out of the blocks in their chase, and Gardner grinds them to a halt.
All the individual performances and all the twists and turns in momentum are already enough to make this Test a classic, without even considering that day five is approaching with all four results – we could even have a tie – still on the table.
‘Wyatt must throw punches back at Australia’
Danni Wyatt, unbeaten on 20, has an opportunity to be England’s hero – on Test debut, no less.
She was picked for this reason.
An aggressive batter in the middle order, a limited-overs international career spanning 245 games already, with the ability to throw punches back at Australia.
The expectation is on Australia to win, and they handle it expertly, but rarely do teams attack them in the way England have.
Retreat is one thing that England will not do.
Knight marked her authority by heaving Gardner for six to get off the mark, while Sciver-Brunt’s slog-sweep from her third ball was arguably reckless, but a clear sign of England’s intent.
And despite the disappointment at losing the late wickets, Ecclestone calmly stated in her post-play interview that the team were smiling, and buzzing to go again on day five.
“We’re going for the win,” she said, as simple as that.
And for Wyatt, keeping it simple is the best way for her to go – if the message is to attack, her game plan is clear, and Australia will be wary.
“We have to see Danni play her shots tomorrow, she can’t go into her shell,” said former England spinner Alex Hartley on Test Match Special.
“We’re in for a belter, no matter what happens.”
