Quantcast

Super Soph turns the screws on England

Rookie allrounder Sophie Molineux proving herself on the biggest stage as tourists close in on retaining Ashes

Any casual viewer who happened to tune in to the women's Ashes Test while Sophie Molineux was going about her business on Saturday could have been forgiven for thinking they were watching a veteran at work.

Cool, calm and ever-so-collected, Molineux struck a handy 21 with the bat as Australia looked to build their first-innings total before declaring, before she put on a show with the ball, extracting turn from the relatively flat surface and bowling 29 of the 83 overs faced by England, collecting three of their biggest scalps in the process.

But this was no hardened long-time international at work – Molineux is on Test debut and just 21 years of age, having been presented with her Baggy Green cap by Australia legend Belinda Clark on Thursday morning.

Just 12 days ago, the left-arm orthodox bowler wasn't even in Australia's Test squad, having missed out on selection in the original 14-player Ashes touring party as she continued recovering from the shoulder surgery that prematurely ended her 2018-19 summer.

But the decision by the national selectors to call her up from the Australia A group also touring the UK has paid off richly, with Molineux easily the most threatening of the Australian attack throughout the afternoon on Saturday's third day of play, on a pitch offering little assistance.

It's going to be a fight tomorrow: Sciver

Having waited two full days to become part of the action, due to the domination of Australia's top order and the wet weather that washed out two sessions on Friday, Molineux quickly made up for lost time.

She finished the day with figures of 3-71, including five maidens, with the wickets of England captain Heather Knight, opener Amy Jones and wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor to her name.

"It was special, taking 20 wickets out here is going to be hard work, so any wicket is quite valuable (and) to take Heather's wicket first up, that was pretty cool," Molineux reflected at the end of play.

"I love Test cricket and I love wearing whites and playing with the red ball.

"I played a lot of longer-format cricket growing up back home, so to put the whites back on again, I felt quite at home.

"To be out there and play with the Baggy Green on my head, I got to enjoy it and have fun."

Perry's stunner brings Beaumont undone before lunch

Just being on this campaign at all is a bonus for Molineux, who spent the last few months dedicated to rehabilitating her shoulder in the hopes of making her maiden Ashes tour.

"It was a nice little carrot on the string," she said. "Just to get here's been pretty cool, I've really enjoyed England so far and today was pretty special."

The Victorian generally presents an unflappable front, so the fact she's taken to Test cricket with such confidence should barely come as a surprise.

She made her international debut in India last year and seamlessly became part of the furniture in the Australian set-up – be it on the field or while lifting spirits off it, never so clearly demonstrated and when she famously took over the DJ decks at a school clinic while in Guyana last November.

That composure has seemingly been part of her game as long as bat and ball have, and it was something which caught the eye of former Australia head coach John Harmer, who mentored Molineux through her teenage years.

Harmer has long believed Molineux possesses as much, if not more natural talent than some of the biggest names in the era he coached – think Belinda Clark, Karen Rolton, Cathryn Fitzpatrick – and what he spotted when she was just 13 is now being broadcast in high definition for the world to see.

Hailing from Bairnsdale is eastern Victoria, Molineux's international career is just 19 matches old but she's already been part of a T20 World Cup victory and, unless England can produce a miracle during Sunday's final day of the Test match in Taunton, will be part of an Ashes-winning team.

She's recently been living with teammate Ellyse Perry – who moved to Melbourne earlier this year – and has made a study of the way the superstar allrounder goes about her business, be it constantly honing her skills with bat and ball, or working on her strength and conditioning off the field.

Today was pretty special: Molineux

Perry has been the shining star of this multi-format Ashes series to date, strengthening her claim as the game's greatest allrounder after taking an Australian ODI record 7-22 in the third one-dayer earlier this month before scoring her second Test ton on Friday.

It's only early doors for Molineux in the green and gold, but not difficult to imagine she has the potential to one day dominate every format of the game in the way her 28-year-old teammate currently does.

As Harmer noted in an interview with cricket.com.au last year: "I had a wonderful group of top players (for Australia). And I think Sophie could out-skill all those girls."

Day four of the Taunton Test will begin at 11am on Sunday local time (8pm AEST) and will be broadcast live and free on the Nine Network and ABC Radio.

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Kirstie Gordon, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole (vc), Lauren Winfield, Sarah Taylor

Australia lead England 6-0


First ODI: Australia won by two wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by four wickets

Third ODI:  Australia won by 194 runs

July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol