Women's Ashes: Tammy Beaumont scores first double ton for England

English batter became the first England woman cricketer to score a double hundred in Test cricket with 208 against the first Ashes Test. 

Australia asserted their dominance on the third day of the one-off Ashes Test, building a lead of 92 runs over England, despite Tammy Beaumont's record-breaking innings of 208. 

The hosts were bowled out for 463 in their first innings at Trent Bridge, trailing Australia by just 10 runs. However, openers Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield guided the visitors to a comfortable 82-0 by the close of play.

Beaumont's remarkable knock, the first double-century in England women's cricket, initially put England in a favourable position. However, some loose bowling at the start of Australia's innings relieved all pressure on the visitors. Beaumont surpassed an 88-year-old record set by Betty Snowball, who scored 189 against New Zealand in 1935, thereby achieving the highest individual score for England women.

England began the day trailing Australia's first-innings total of 473 by 255 runs. They dominated the morning session as Beaumont and all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt forged a crucial third-wicket partnership of 137. Sciver-Brunt successfully overturned an lbw decision on the first ball of the day and went on to score 78. Test debutant Danni Wyatt contributed an aggressive 44 runs from 49 balls, bringing England closer to Australia's total.

However, Beaumont eventually ran out of batting partners as England lost their last four wickets for just 15 runs. Spinner Ash Gardner claimed impressive figures of 4-99, while Tahlia McGrath took 3-24. England's sloppy spell of bowling with the new ball allowed Mooney and Litchfield to remain unbeaten at 41 and 33, respectively. The day's attendance at Trent Bridge reached 6,951, setting a record for a women's Test in England, with the aggregate attendance for the match reaching 17,149.

Despite Beaumont's brilliant performance, England received a stark reminder of Australia's class as the visitors' openers capitalized on a flat pitch. With a narrow 10-run margin between the teams after the first innings, the game was finely poised. However, England's seamers offered plenty of width to Mooney and Litchfield, allowing them to cash in on scoring opportunities. England's aggressive style of play has been evident throughout the match, but their loose bowling and inability to capitalize on early wickets have placed the game firmly in Australia's favour.

England captain Heather Knight turned to her trump card, Sophie Ecclestone, early in the innings to provide control after her marathon 46-over spell in Australia's first innings. Australia's lower order showcased their batting prowess, adding an impressive 158 runs from their final four wickets. The task for England, which seemed relatively manageable earlier, has now become an uphill battle against a formidable opposition.

Looking ahead, Beaumont remains confident despite the challenging situation, emphasizing the importance of the morning session and the team's collective effort. Australian all-rounder Ash Gardner acknowledged that her team currently has the upper hand, considering the difficulty England might face while batting in the second innings. Former England spinner Alex Hartley expressed frustration over England's loss of momentum and urged them to bounce back stronger on the upcoming day.

Australia's commanding position in the one-off Ashes Test has overshadowed Beaumont's historic innings, putting England under pressure to mount a comeback in the remaining days of the match.