Rising star Cross is catalyst as women wrestle back pride for English cricket

After the travails of the Ashes, when England suffered embarrassing defeat after public humiliation – which continued at the start of the one-day series over the weekend – came a little respite for the nation’s touring party.

A first win on Australian soil was achieved by England’s women, who struck an almighty first blow in their seven-match Ashes with their counterparts from Down Under.

Unlike the men, who failed to build on their victory last summer, England’s women took a significant step towards regaining the Ashes by winning their Test match with Australia by 61 runs to put six valuable points towards their bid to retain the trophy on the board.

What is more, a Yorkshirewoman and girl educated here in the county made a significant contribution to England’s victory.

Set a target of 185 to win, Australia were all out for 123 with Leeds University student and Test-match debutante Kate Cross and Anya Shrubsole each taking three wickets for England.

Barnsley’s Katherine Brunt – a regular in the England set-up for the best part of a decade – took three wickets across two innings.

Three one-day international meetings and three Twenty20 games remain, with two points available for a win in each game.

Holders England need only win two of the six games to retain the trophy while Australia are tasked with winning five games from six.

England captain Charlotte Edwards, who had earlier passed the half-century mark to score 56 before becoming one of five victims for Australian bowler Ellyse Perry, said after the victory in Perth: “The last four days have been a rollercoaster, but I’m really proud of the girls.

“This is not the Ashes won, we’ve got to win more games now.

“We had some great performances... I’m so proud of them.

“We have to keep working hard and hopefully we will take the Ashes home.”

The next appointment is a one-day international at the MCG in Melbourne on Sunday and Australia captain Jodie Fields is looking for an improved display from her team.

“It was a great Test match to be a part of, but unfortunately we didn’t come out on top,” she said.

“We’ve got a great team and I didn’t think we played to 100 per cent of our ability but hopefully we can bounce back.”

Australia all-rounder Perry, who dismissed Edwards, Lydia Greenway, Arran Brindle, Natalie Sciver and Cross, added: “I think everyone’s really disappointed to lose such a tough Test match like that.

“The match turned and twisted, and those six points will go a long way in the Ashes but now we’ve got the limited-overs games.

“I think we’ve learned a lot from this game, but it would have been lovely to have won.”

Cross finished with identical figures of 3-35 in both innings.

In Australia’s first innings of the four-day game – after England had made 201 – Cross took over from opening strike bowlers Brunt and Anya to give them a breather and promptly tore through the Australian order, taking her first two wickets before conceding any runs, with her first wicket coming from only her fourth bowl.

She then whipped out Jodie Fields for 43 to help reduce Australia to 207 and send the two teams into the second half of the match with relative parity.

“It is probably going to be one I remember for a while,” said Cross, 22, who was born in Manchester but studies in Leeds.

England made 190 in their second innings at the WACA and looked in trouble before Cross’s intervention.

She put in an evening cameo on the penultimate day to help set up England’s victory.

The hosts had looked to score quickly as opener Elyse Villani set about starting her Test career in style. She made a run-a-ball 21 before holing out to Natalie Sciver from Brunt’s bowling.

Villani’s fellow opener Meg Lanning ambled her way to 15 before she was caught behind off Cross, with Jess Cameron following her team-mate back to the pavilion having been caught from the next ball.

Although she could not manage to seal a memorable hat-trick, Cross did not have to wait too long to take her third victim. Alex Blackwell went the same way as Lanning to leave Australia reeling.

Barnsley’s Brunt, 28, was playing her 10th Test match and in her fifth Ashes series.

Women’s Ashes Tour itinerary

Test match: January 10-13; England (6pts) beat Australia by 61 runs.

1st ODI: Sunday, January 19; 10am (11pm GMT); Melbourne; 2pts available.

2nd ODI: Thursday, January 23; 2.20pm (3.20am GMT); Melbourne; 2pts.

3rd ODI: Sunday, January 26; 1pm (2am GMT); Hobart; 2pts.

1st Twenty20: Wednesday, January 29; 2pm (3am GMT); Hobart; 2pts

2nd Twenty20: Friday, January 31; 2.45pm (3.45am GMT); Melbourne; 2pts

3rd Twenty20: Sunday, February 2; 2.45pm (3.45am GMT); Sydney; 2pts.