Sutherland's epic double hundred sets new records

Annabel Sutherland has rewritten the record books with a double century for the ages to put Australia well on top in the one-off Test against South Africa.

The Proteas will resume on 3-67 in their second innings on day three at the WACA Ground, still trailing Australia by a monster 432 runs.

After Sutherland’s 210-run epic helped Australia to 9-575d in their first dig, an early blitz from Kim Garth and Darcie Brown had the Proteas 3-13 and at one point, it looked as though the Test could end inside two days.

Delmi Tucker (27no) and Tazmin Brits (18no) dug in with an unbroken 54-run stand to ensure no further damage was inflicted before stumps, but the tourists nonetheless have an enormous job ahead of them to prevent Australia sealing victory on Saturday.

The day belonged to Sutherland, as the 22-year-old rewrote the record books with her superb 210 from 256 deliveries.

She was instrumental in guiding Australia to 9-575d, the highest total in the history of women’s Tests – an achievement made all the more impressive by the fact the hosts had at one point been 3-12 with their most accomplished batter in the format, Ellyse Perry, back in the sheds.

As Sutherland piled the pain onto an increasingly weary Proteas attack across two-and-a-bit-sessions on Friday, she continued to tick off the milestones.

By the time she was finally dismissed on 210, three runs shy of Ellyse Perry’s Australian record of 213no, she had scored the fastest Test double century by an Australian woman, reaching the milestone in 248 balls – smashing the previous record of 306 held by Karen Rolton.

Only three women have hit higher Test scores – Pakistan’s Kiran Baluch (242), Mithali Raj (214) and Perry.

Sutherland had also become the youngest Australian woman, and second youngest overall, to hit a double century, and just the ninth woman ever to reach the milestone.

She is also the youngest Australian woman to hit two Test centuries, with her heroics at the WACA joining the 137no she hit at Trent Bridge last June.

After the heartbreak of Alyssa Healy’s 99 at stumps the previous evening, Sutherland ensured there would be no repeat on Friday as she put her team into an unlosable position (and then some).

She resumed on 54 on Friday morning alongside Ashleigh Gardner, who had yet to open her account, and the pair settled back into their work, frustrating South Africa, who failed to build pressure as the Australians batted through the session to add 115 runs to their total.

Sutherland’s century came up shortly before the break via back-to-back boundaries in the first over after the Proteas took the new ball.

She reached the milestone in 149 balls, just one short of her own record for fastest Test ton by a woman.

Neither the fresh cherry nor several reviews that could be described as optimistic at best were able to break the Australians’ stand.

Gardner brought up her third half-century in the format before she was eventually dismissed, trapped on the pads by Nadine de Klerk, on 65 to end a 155-run stand.

Comeback kid Sophie Molineux struck four boundaries before she was bowled not offering a shot on 33, but the pair were the only wickets to fall across the first two sessions as Australia continued to build their lead.

When Sutherland passed 150, she surpassed absent Proteas star Marizanne Kapp’s record for highest score at No.6.

On 190no with an over left before tea, she drove Nadine de Klerk down the ground for four, then faced three dots before striking another four on the leg side.

Sutherland’s shot to bring up 200, on the final ball before the break, was the pick of the bunch, a sublime lofted drive down the ground that bounced just inside the boundary rope.

When the Victorian was eventually dismissed for 210, attempting a ramp shot – bringing to a close a 256-ball knock that featured 26 fours and two sixes – there was still no declaration from Australia.

With their lead already at 465, batting on against an increasingly weary South African attack was an indulgence – and had been for some time – but given the rarity of this format, it is no surprise the Australian batters wanted every opportunity to fill their boots. 

Garth enjoyed herself in her second game in the Baggy Green, smacking seven fours and a six to race to 49.

But when Alana King was bowled for eight, Healy finally did wave her batters in, denying Garth a maiden Test fifty.

Garth had reason to feel aggrieved and she took it out on the South Africa top-order with a superb opening spell that yielded the wickets of Anneke Bosch (0) and Sune Luus (5), both caught at slip.

Laura Wolvaardt’s disappointing personal tour with bat in hand continued when she was caught behind off the bowling of Darcie Brown for eight.

The Proteas captain reached double figures just three times in eight innings, as she finished the tour with scores of 16, 58no, 15, 4, 0, 3, 4 and 8.

With the Australian quicks on a roll, Tucker and Brits did well to see off the new ball as they batted through to stumps to push the game into a third day.

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Australia Test squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

South Africa Test squad: Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Chloé Tryon, Delmi Tucker