England v Australia
County Ground, Worcester : 21st – 24th August 1998
Two draws from two Tests meant that it was all riding on the third and final Test, at Worcester. Belinda Clark had now skippered four Tests over four years and was yet to win or lose. She was in a mood to make things happen.
Karen Smithies won the toss for England and chose to bat. A similar tale for the England innings as per the previous Tests: Jan Brittin batted patiently and purposefully, top scoring with 72, while Cathryn Fitzpatrick sent down 40 overs taking 4-100, with England all out for 243 from 135 overs.
Determined to press along, Clark and Lisa Keightley went along at a brisk pace, there being no real demons in the wicket as one might have suspected given the pace of the England scoring, and didn’t lose a wicket until the score was 127, Keightley caught from the bowling of the England captain for 50.
Karen Rolton came to the crease and if anything, increased the rate of scoring. With Clark piling on the runs from one end, Rolton was in spectacular form at the other, mixing finesses with brute force. The pair took the score past 300, before Clark fell for a career best 136, from 226 balls with twelve boundaries. Rolton continued the onslaught and was not out when Clark declared at 4/427. The South Australian had plundered 176 from 236 balls including 21 fours.
“Karen Rolton was the best batter I played with. She was devastating when in good form. She scored so quickly and ensured the game kept moving. Of the things I look back on fondly is her ability to score a single or 3 from the last ball of the over. She is genuinely a great of the game and I enjoyed every minute of that innings.” – Belinda Clark
Brittin fell early in the England second innings which was held together by a patient knock from Charlotte Edwards with 87, and while the Aussies were on track to record a victory, the weather came to the aid of England, teetering at 6/190, effectively 6/6. The entire third day was lost to rain. The Aussies held the Ashes, so a draw in this final Test meant the trophy was retained, but the way the team went about their cricket in this match suggested that a draw wasn’t on their mind at all.
“It’s not in my nature, nor the Team’s psyche. We were there to push ourselves, play an attractive brand of cricket and win. We believed we were better when we were making the play and expressing ourselves. If we had been conservative we would have lost for sure.”
England 243 (Brittin 72, Fitzpatrick 4-100) and 6/190 (Edwards 87, Fitzpatrick 3-58) drew with Australia 4 dec 427 (Rolton 176*, Clark 136, Keightley 50)