A devastating burst of swing bowling by an England player ripped the heart out of Australia’s top order on Tuesday to maintain the Ashes feel-good factor. Sound familiar? Well Anya Shrubsole’s four wickets in 19 balls did not quite leave Australia on the ropes as Stuart Broad’s eight for 15 did at Trent Bridge last week but it boosted England’s women in a Test they cannot afford to lose. This is a big week for Charlotte Edwards and her England team who have the opportunity at Canterbury to showcase women’s cricket as rarely before. These are exciting times in a women’s game which now sees the best England players on central-contracts and a Super League on the way next season which should show the men the best way forward in Twenty20 cricket.Anya Shrubsole's four wickets in 19 balls boosted England's Ashes hopesAustralia lead the Ashes 4-2 and England need to win in CanterburyAustralia were 99-5 but Jessica Jonassen's 95 helped them to 269-8
It has not been easy so far, Australia’s 2-1 win in the one-day series giving them a 4-2 points lead and leaving England badly needing to win this one-off Test if they are to provide _ with her third successive Ashes triumph.