2002-03 Annual R eport 2002-03 Annual R eport - Australian Sports ...

Back, left to right: David Moore (Assistant Coach), Steve Jenkin (Coach), Claire Connolly (Team Manager), Melanie Jones, Michelle Goszko, Therese McGregor, Cathryn
Fitzpatrick, Lisa Ross (Physiotherapist), Sally Bailey (Physical Conditioning Co-ordinator), Erica Sainsbury (Scorer), Peter Kremer (Psychologist).
Front, left to right: Alex Blackwell, Julie Hayes, Julia Price, Karen Rolton (Vice-captain), Belinda Clark (Captain), Lisa Sthalekar, Emma Twining, Kris Britt.
COMMONWEALTH BANK SOUTHERN STARS
ASHES TEST SERIES, 2002-03
The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars also triumphed in the
Test arena in 2002-03, retaining the Ashes against England with
a 1-0 win.
The first Test at the Gabba in Brisbane saw three New South
Wales team-mates – Alex Blackwell, Lisa Sthalekar and Emma
Twining – make their Australian Test debut.
As England batted steadily, Australia was kept wicket-less until the
second session with vice-captain Karen Rolton taking 2-6 in an
eight-over spell, and fast-bowlers Cathryn Fitzpatrick (3-32) and
Therese McGregor (2-24) striking to have England 9-124 at stumps.
In what became a battle of the bowlers, day two saw 19 wickets
tumble for 165 runs.
Dismissing England on the third ball of the day, Australia then
recorded a humble 78 – its third lowest total ever, and its
smallest in 45 years.
England left-arm medium pacer Lucy Pearson was the key
destroyer, capturing 4-31 from 15 overs while medium-pacer
Laura Newton took 3-10.
Australia fought back to have England 8-87 at stumps – 133
runs in arrears. A fiery Fitzpatrick led the charge with 3-25,
including the wickets of opening pair Collyer and Leng, and
dismissing captain Clare Connor on the last ball of the day.
All-rounder Julie Hayes’ 3-9 from 10 overs also helped swing the
momentum in Australia’s favour. At one stage, Hayes had figures
of 3-0 from 28 balls as she collected England’s middle order.
Fitzpatrick finished with 4-28 in the second innings and 8-60 match
figures – deservedly earning the player-of-the match award.
101
Needing to make its highest score of the match to win on the
final day, Australia eventually reached its total after captain
Belinda Clark (47) and Rolton (46) put on a 78-run partnership.
Clark’s 47 etched her name in history as Australia’s greatest
Test runs-scorer, eclipsing Betty Wilson’s 1957-58 record.
Seemingly cruising to victory, the Southern Stars suffered a mini
collapse losing 4-11 in 13 overs to be precariously placed at 5-
111 before the steadiness of Hayes (18 not out) and 19-year-old
debutante Blackwell (9 not out) guided Australia home.
The second Test headed to Bankstown Oval where a raininterrupted
first day’s play kept the wicket moist and England’s
fire in the belly, restricting Australia to 134.
Pearson began what became a record haul, taking hold of the
Australian batters to capture 7-51 from 25 overs, Leng
completing the sweep with 2-5 from 19 balls. Melanie Jones
provided some resistance, top scoring with 58.
In reply, England slipped to 4-70 after debutante Kris Britt
struck with a wicket in her fourth delivery in Test cricket,
catching Aaran Thompson leg before wicket.
A fifth-wicket stand of 81 runs from 17-year-old Lydia Greenway
(31) and ‘keeper Claire Taylor (48) helped England on its path to
a 53-run first innings lead.
Australia experienced early trouble in its second innings,
plummeting to 4-49 before unbeaten half-centuries from
Sthalekar and Blackwell rescued the Southern Stars.
Playing in only their second Test matches, the pair revived
Australia with a world record fifth-wicket stand of 136 – breaking
the previous mark set by Betty Wilson and Val Batty in 1957-58.
Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars Ashes Test Series, 2002-03