England v Australia
Harewood Road, Collingham : 21st – 24th August 1987
With a win under their belt, the Aussies went into the second Test with their tails up. What England were doing is another matter altogether. The home side needed to win the second Test to keep alive their hopes of regaining the Ashes.
Carole Hodges started well by winning the toss at Collingham and choosing to bat, however while they began strongly they moved the score along very slowly, certainly not at a pace that might show intent. The Australians bowled well and the English were dismissed for 201, with Wendy Watson top scoring with 69 not out. While the seamers kept things tight, it was the spin of Jenny Owens that caught the lower half of the England batting by surprise, giving the Western Australian 5-55.
Australia lost Denise Emerson cheaply for 1, then Belinda Haggett for 21 when the score was 37. Captain Lyn Larsen was padded up ready to go in at the fall of the next wicket, but spent the next two days watching from the sidelines as both Lindsay Reeler and Denise Annetts reeled off centuries. Annetts was run out for 193 and Reeler not out 110 when Larsen declared (and most likely happy to remove the pads after two days) at 3/346. The partnership between the centurions was 309, the highest for the third wicket and the highest of all time. Annett’s 193 was the highest individual score in Test cricket at that time. It was a colossal innings.
“It was a typical DA innings. She was at the peak of her powers.”
With 145 runs in front, Australia were never going to be beaten, but batting into the fourth day limited the options of bowling England out and with only 63 overs, England were 4/116 when the Test drifted to a draw. The result meant that England could not possibly win the Ashes back, even if they won the third Test.
England 201 (Watson 69*, Brittin 56, Owens 5-55, Brown 2-30) and 4/116 (Brittin 70*, Owens 2-36) drew with Australia 3/346 (Annetts 193, Reeler 110*)