Aussies on the attack means England must defy history

England need to create history to keep their hopes of an Ashes Test victory alive, after Meg Lanning signalled her intent to keep the tourists in the field into the second day.

Australia will resume at 7-327 on Friday, having produced, thus far, their fastest scoring first innings ever on the opening day at Manuka Oval.

That run rate of 3.37 came despite the early wickets of Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney, with Lanning (93), Rachael Haynes (86), Ashleigh Gardner (56) and Tahlia McGrath (52) making the most of a good batting wicket.

While Lanning was not sure at stumps exactly when she would look to declare, if given the opportunity, she did have a target in mind.

"I think if you'd said (beforehand) we'd score 327 on the first day, we'd be pretty happy," Lanning told cricket.com.au at stumps.

"It's important tomorrow that we finish that off and try and get above that 350 mark.

"We've been able to move the game forward pretty quick.

"It's a good batting track and fast outfield ... if we can push past 350, as close to 400 as we can, I think that puts us in a good spot.

"I remember saying to Motty at lunch, 'geez it's hard work out there and I'm finding it really challenging'.

"But it did seem a little bit easier after that lunch break, having a bit of sun on the wicket and a little bit less swing as well. We just wanted to be positive."

A win for Australia in Canberra will ensure they wrap up the Ashes, while a draw would mean they only need to win one of the three ensuing ODIs to retain the trophy.

For England, even a draw would leave them having to win all three one-dayers to win back the trophy – and history and a poor forecast are stacked against Heather Knight's team.

No team has ever been beaten in the 142 women's Tests played when they have scored in excess of 300 in the opening innings.

Of those, 82 per cent have ended in draws.

England allrounder Natalie Sciver, while ruing dropped chances that gifted Lanning lives on 0 and 14, and Haynes on 44, was confident her team could at least match the Australians when it came their turn to match.

"The runs (from Australia) stacked up a little bit, but I think it is quite a quick scoring ground when you get in," Sciver said.

"We saw batters doing it hard at the start of their innings but when they got in, it seemed to get a lot easier to score.

"Hopefully that's what we can do when we go out to bat."

Lanning said she and Haynes had been determined to remain positive despite coming together with Australia shaky at 3-43.

Lanning also praised the approach taken by Gardner, who hit her second half-century in as many Test innings and found the boundary eight times, and cleared it once, in her 74-ball innings.

It swung the momentum firmly back in Australia's favour after the dismissals of Lanning and Haynes in the space of four deliveries opened the door to England.

"It was perfect given the circumstances," Lanning said. "It could have easily gone the other way and we could have been rolled for 250-odd, so it was very important.

"That's Ash's natural game we want players to do that … it certainly helped put us back in front."

Meanwhile, Haynes – who conceded this could be her final Ashes Test - put her own success with the bat down to a preparation geared towards the longer formats, after missing the entirety of WBBL|07 following the birth of her son Hugo.

"Meg and I just spoke about leaving with good intent," Haynes said.

"Still looking to score, but letting the bowlers to come to us a little bit more.

"Having this series in mind, and needing to bat for longer periods of time, but also (the upcoming World Cup) in New Zealand as well - when we toured over there at the end of the last season, seam and swing played a pretty big role.

"So I've done a lot of work on my decision making.

"I think it probably will be my last Ashes Test, so I just want to enjoy it."

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes v England

Australia Ashes squad: Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Stella Campbell, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (vc), Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland

England Ashes squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver (vc), Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt

Australia lead the multi-format series 4-2

Jan 20: Australia won by nine wickets

Jan 22: No Result

Jan 23: Match Abandoned without a ball bowled

Jan 27-30: Test match, Manuka Oval, 10am AEDT, 

Feb 3: First ODI, Manuka Oval (D/N), 2.10pm AEDT

Feb 6: Second ODI, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT

Feb 8: Third ODI, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT