Stars batters to fine-tune ahead of Test

The Southern Stars will have one last chance to fine-tune their batting ahead of next week’s Women’s Ashes Test when they head into the final day of their tour match against a combined ECB Academy and Surrey boys side.

Australia will resume on 0-46 on day three in Beckenham on Friday morning (UK time), with openers Elyse Villani and Nicole Bolton looking for valuable time in the middle.

Bolton, who produced the opening pair’s first fifty of the tour when she scored 93 on day one of the warm-up encounter, will resume on 13 not out, while Villani is unbeaten on 28.

“It’s nice to be not out overnight and to be no wickets down, particularly after the last practice match,” Villani said at stumps on day two.

“Hopefully we can start the day off well tomorrow and have another big partnership.”

The openers were both dismissed for one in the previous tour game against the ECB Academy, and Villani said the chance to play two red-ball warm-up games ahead of the only Test of the mixed-format Ashes series had been a crucial chance to adapt to the longer form.

The Southern Stars’ last Test match was against England in the summer of 2013-14.

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“I think probably main difference (from the first tour match) is I’m a bit more relaxed,” she said.

“I think you to get most nervous about things when you haven’t experienced them often and that’s certainly been the case with not playing many Test matches.”

Earlier on day two, the ECB Academy and Surrey boys side declared at 8-360 in reply to Australia’s 6-393, having resumed on 0-38.

No.4 batter Amy Jones anchored her side’s innings, finishing unbeaten on 155no.

Megan Schutt (2-30) and Holly Ferling (2-82) were the multiple wicket takers for the Southern Stars, while in-form allrounder Ellyse Perry also chipped in with 1-14 from her eight overs.

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Villani said after bowling 12 wicketless overs to the hosts late on day one, the Southern Stars bowling attack had taken a tighter approach the following morning.

“I just don’t think we made them play enough, so the plan was to make them play a bit more and test them around about their off stump.

“As a batter if you continually have to make decisions that’s more difficult than being able to comfortably leave balls.”

The three-day tour match is the team’s last tune-up ahead of the Women’s Ashes Test in Canterbury, which starts on Tuesday.

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