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Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah has been handed a three-month suspension by the ICC after he pleaded guilty to violating the ICC Anti-Doping Code

Umar Farooq07-Feb-2016Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah has been handed a three-month suspension by the ICC after he pleaded guilty to breaching the ICC’s Anti-Doping Code that relates to the presence of a banned substance in a player’s sample.The bowler will be available to play again from March 27, once the retrospective penalty ends. The three-month penalty was backdated to December 27, when Yasir was provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance, an ICC release said.The ban rules Yasir out of the ongoing Pakistan Super League, the upcoming Asia Cup and the World T20. The earliest he could return is for the tour of England in June.A sample taken from Yasir on November 13, when Pakistan played an ODI against England in Abu Dhabi, was found to contain chlortalidone, which is on WADA’s prohibited list of diuretics and masking agents and is prohibited both in-competition and out-of-competition. Chlortalidone is also used to treat high blood pressure.According to the release, during disciplinary proceedings, Yasir clarified that he had inadvertently taken his wife’s blood pressure medication and had no intention of enhancing his performance or masking the use of another performance-enhancing substance. Yasir pleaded guilty to breaching Article 2.1 of the ICC’s anti-doping code, which deals with “the presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in a Player’s Sample.””While making the decision, the ICC accepted that Mr Shah had inadvertently ingested the ‘Specified Substance’ for therapeutic reasons, specifically to treat his blood pressure,” the ICC said. “He was able to satisfy the ICC through evidence and submissions prepared on his behalf by the Pakistan Cricket Board that he had no intention to enhance his sporting performance or to mask the use of another performance enhancing substance and had, instead, mistakenly taken his wife’s blood pressure medication that was identical in appearance to his own but which contained the prohibited substance chlortalidone.”However, Mr Shah has accepted that he had failed to satisfy the high levels of personal responsibility incumbent upon him as an international cricketer subject to anti-doping rules.”While stating that it had independent evidence corroborating Yasir’s account, the ICC cited that the player had informed Pakistan physiotherapist Bradley Robinson and the Doping Control Officer in attendance at the time that he had taken the medicine. In its detailed report on the matter, the ICC said: “It has confirmed that during the doping control process YS [Yasir Shah] informed Pakistan team physiotherapist Bradley Robinson that he had taken a single blood pressure tablet some 4 days previously, which had been given to him by his wife with both (1) the Doping Control Officer who was in attendance at the time; and (2) with the ICC’s AntiDoping and Medical Officer, to whom Mr Robinson relayed his conversation with YS regarding the blood pressure medication whilst YS and the Doping Control Officer were completing the Doping Control Form.”While he is suspended, Yasir cannot play – or be involved in any capacity in – international matches, and games organised by any national cricket board or its affiliated members.

Amit Mishra must feel the pressure to establish himself in the Indian team more than the other untested hopefuls on this tour to Zimbabwe

Liam Brickhill at the Harare Sports Club28-Jul-2013Amit Mishra must feel the pressure to establish himself in the Indian team more than the other untested hopefuls on this tour to Zimbabwe. The wrong side of 30, it had been two years before this tour since Mishra last played an ODI and his tally of 18 ODIs in the ten years since his international debut suggests underuse of his talent.Yet without the long-term confidence of the selectors on his side, he has little choice but to keep plugging away and make the most of whatever opportunities come his way. With nine wickets in three games in Zimbabwe, including a Man of the Match-winning 4 for 47 on Sunday, he’s done just that on this tour.But while Mishra’s performances can’t have hurt his chances, when India A head to South Africa in August he’ll be heading in the opposite direction. He isn’t part of the Cheteshwar Pujara-led group which is staking a claim for India’s Test tour of South Africa later this year.”I’m not in the Test side,” Mishra conceded. “I’ll try and do my job in the next two matches, and then it’s up to the selectors. I’ve been waiting a long time for this and I’m doing my best and it’s working for me now.”Mishra has found particular success with his variations on the traditional legspinner’s delivery against Zimbabwe. His front-of-the-hand quicker delivery has helped to tie the Zimbabwe batsmen down, while his googly has brought about six of his nine dismissals .”I’ve done lots of hard work on my googlies and variations and it’s paying off,” he said. “When I came here I was just thinking about the conditions and how to bowl on these kinds of tracks. I’ve spoken a lot with TP [Trevor Penney] and Duncan [Fletcher] who have given me a few tips, which I’ve been working hard on.”With so many of the touring Indians hoping to use this trip to win further honours with the national side, Mishra suggested that their was a positive competitive streak among his team-mates. “All the players have done so well in domestic cricket, so they came here with the confidence,” he said.”There’s a lot of healthy competition going on – everyone wants to do well for India, so it’s working for the Indian team.”

Jim Troughton and Chris Woakes built Warwickshire’s total on the second day at Taunton

Ivo Tennant at Taunton19-Jul-2012
ScorecardJim Troughton made an unbeaten century•Getty Images

It had been three months since Marcus Trescothick, whose importance to his beloved Somerset cannot be overstated, was able to bat. Whether on account of the extent of what initially appeared a standard injury, or his age, or probably both, his return to the crease had been delayed longer than anticipated. Now, after making 42 for the Second X1 against Essex and stationing himself at first slip, he might well be fit enough to play in his county’s Friends Life t20 quarter-final on Tuesday.Trescothick, the foremost batsman in the county game, will assess the state of his ruptured tendons after one further innings and is likely to make a decision as to his fitness on Tuesday morning. He is, it need hardly be said, “desperate” to play. Brian Rose, Somerset’s director of cricket, who journeyed to Coggeshall to watch him bat, is, of course, equally keen for him to return.”Marcus has done very well, but he is still a little wobbly on his legs,” Rose said. “There is no swelling in his ankles, which is a very good sign. We have another one day fixture against the Essex Second X1 and then a
CB40 match on Sunday before the quarter-final. We are still being cautious.”Trescothick himself has another concern about the quarter-final: “The 4.15 start is far from ideal for working spectators, but it has been arranged so two quarter-finals can be screened on the same evening. We are hoping Albie Morkel will be released by South Africa to join his compatriot Richard Levi in our side.”Such selections illustrate how hard it is for young supporters – indeed any supporters – to forge an affinity with their local side, so the return of Trescothick, by name and deed a true Westcountryman, will be especially welcome. As, to a lesser degree, has been the reappearance of Max Waller, playing his first championship match for Somerset at Taunton since August 2009 and indeed his first anywhere since that season. He took the wicket of Rikki Clarke on a day of solid run-scoring by the first division leaders.Varun Chopra, who relishes batting at Taunton, progressed to 93, including 17 fours and a fair degree of application. He collected rather than smashed these runs. Jim Troughton batted with no less assiduousness, for the ball swung in the morning under cloud cover and there was some slow turn for Waller in the afternoon. A straight six off Arul Suppiah’s left arm spin was the shot of the day and, come the close, he was undefeated on 132 after five and a half hours batting.Chris Woakes, too, played a substantial innings. His contribution to a stand of 204 in 50.1 overs with Troughton was 107, his century reached off 142 balls with his 17th four, clouted to midwicket off Waller.As to Somerset’s attack, Alfonso Thomas was the pick. In the morning he had Laurie Evans held in the slips through away swing, Chopra caught down the leg side by Craig Kieswetter, who had missed a more difficult chance off a similar leg glance, and Darren Maddy for a duck by movement away from the bat.Waller struggled with his control, but that was inevitable after such a long time out of first-class cricket. His figures in his two previous matches, back in 2009, were 0 for 147 and 1 for 37 in the two innings in which he came on, which would offer one reason why he had not been chosen again before this match.

James Franklin, the New Zealand allrounder, has spoken of his shock at missing out on a central contract after what he felt was a strong summer in the national side

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2011James Franklin, the New Zealand allrounder, is shocked at missing out on a central contract after what he felt was a strong summer in the national side. Franklin, 30, was last week left out of the 20-man contract list for the second year in a row, and he said he was disappointed after playing all three formats for New Zealand over the past six months.”I can’t change what they have done,” Franklin told the . “This is a tough one. Last year I was half expecting it, but this one has come out of the blue and I’m a bit bitter. In my last 14 one-day innings I’ve averaged 54, but they’ve made their decision. To miss out entirely on a Test ranking is a hard one for me to fathom. I feel I have a huge amount to offer in the longer form of the game.”The national selection manager, Mark Greatbatch, said Franklin was unlucky to miss out, and while his best performances were excellent, he did not display the sort of consistency New Zealand wanted. Franklin conceded he didn’t have impact he would have liked at the World Cup, coming on the back of an outstanding series against India in December.”If I pinpoint anything I didn’t do, which I wanted to do, it was my World Cup performances,” Franklin said. “But there were a couple of early games when I didn’t get a bat or bowl so I suddenly felt I had no form. Because it was a World Cup, it got microscoped a fair bit and that seemed to be the last point of memory in terms of sorting out contracts.”One of the factors highlighted by Greatbatch was Franklin’s disappointing bowling in recent times. Although he began his international career as a bowler who could bat, Franklin has become more of a batting allrounder and he believes that is an area that he needs to work on.”There is stuff to tidy up in my bowling – there is no two ways in that,” he said. “My stats say I’m a good first-class bowler but that hasn’t always been the case at the next level. I need to get the venom back I had four to five years ago when I was in the mid to high 130s.”He also said his passive exterior – he is not the kind of bowler who shows serious aggression towards a batsman – should not be held against him. “People have been going on about that for years,” he said. “I remember one of the selectors saying that years ago. I am what I am. I’m not a 21-year-old, I’m 30, I’ve played a bit now.”There are things to tidy up in my game but the cop-out of being angry and all that stuff is not who I am. I like to win and do well but getting in someone’s face and showing anger is a cop-out. I don’t need to do that – that is not me.”Last year, Franklin considered using his Irish passport to become a local player in county cricket, but the lure of playing in a World Cup stopped him from taking that path. Again this year he is reluctant to turn his back on New Zealand while hopes of an international comeback remain.

Australia A require another five wickets for victory after setting Sri Lanka A 424 to win the opening first-class game of the series

Cricinfo staff20-Jun-2010Sri Lanka A 103 and 5 for 224 (Chandimal 54, George 5-55) need 200 runs to beat Australia A 208 and 318 (Bailey 87, Hilfenhaus 50, Prasad 3-59)

Scorecard
George Bailey’s 87 further strengthened Australia A’s position•Getty Images

Australia A require another five wickets for victory after setting Sri Lanka A 424 to win the opening first-class game of the series in Brisbane. South Australia’s Peter George collected all five breakthroughs as the visitors pushed to 5 for 224 at stumps on day three.The opener Tharanga Paranavitana started well with 47 and Dinesh Chandimal made 54 and Kaushal Silva collected 47, but George was a constant threat and returned 5 for 55. Batting was easier than on the first two days, but Australia A will look to wrap up the match quickly on the final morning.George Bailey, the captain, posted a game-high 87 as Australia A added 118 to their overnight total of 4 for 110. The innings seemed to be close to an end when Steve O’Keefe added 47 – it went with his 61 on Friday and his 7 for 35 yesterday – and Bailey was dismissed to give Sachithra Senanayake his 11th wicket of the game.However, Ben Hilfenhaus raced to his maiden first-class half-century, striking six fours and two sixes, to take the lead past 400. Senanayake finished with 3 for 110 to go with his 8 for 70 in the first innings, while Dammika Prasad also collected three breakthroughs.

Fast bowler adds to Durham’s growing squad ahead of maiden season as Tier 1 county

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2024Lauren Filer, the England fast bowler, has joined Durham on a three-year deal, ahead of the club’s maiden season as a Tier 1 women’s county in 2025.Filer, the fastest bowler in England’s current ranks, follows her international team-mate Mady Villiers as another significant signing for Durham, who have taken over from Headingley-based Northern Diamonds as the northern-most representative in the new women’s domestic set-up.Now aged 23, Filer made her mark on the international game during last summer’s Ashes, including a memorablly hostile debut in the one-off Test at Trent Bridge. To date, she has played 17 matches across formats for England, but was overlooked for this month’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.She heads to Durham after coming through Somerset’s pathway, having made 41 appearances for Western Storm since signing her first professional contract in 2020, with her best figures of 3 for 8 coming in this season’s Charlotte Edwards Cup.She has also appeared for Welsh Fire, London Spirit and Manchester Originals in the Women’s Hundred, and claimed an England-best haul of 3 for 10 during the recent ODI series against Ireland in Belfast.Related

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“I’m super excited to make the move up north,” Filer said. “Durham is a great place where I share some very happy cricketing memories.”The values the club holds as a whole were extremely important to my move up to the North East and they hold everything I think is necessary for a successful and healthy environment.”After the change to the women’s structure, it’s important to keep the women’s game moving in the right direction, and I believe Durham has the support and infrastructure to do that. With this vision and the extremely talented group of girls we have, it’s very exciting to see what we can do.”Marcus North, Durham’s Director of Cricket, added: “We are delighted to have signed one of the most exciting young fast bowlers in England.
“Lauren is already regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in the women’s game since bursting onto the international scene during the Women’s Ashes last year and we cannot wait to welcome her to Durham.”Our squad is coming together nicely and with the addition of Lauren she adds a huge point of difference with her pace and quality.
“We look forward to supporting Lauren’s ambitions on the field for England and in playing an integral part in establishing a successful Women’s Team at Durham.”

Controversial dismissal of Timm van der Gugten leaves Glamorgan short in thrilling chase

ECB Reporters Network10-Aug-2023Warwickshire openers Rob Yates and Ed Barnard set the platform for their team to maintain their 100% record, though Glamorgan gave them a mighty scare before succumbing to defeat.Teenager Ben Kellaway struck 67 off 41 balls to take the Welsh County within site of victory, when a moment of huge controversy turned the game the way of the visitors in this Metro Bank Cup One Day game. Timm van der Gugten struck the ball towards the midwicket boundary where the catch was well taken by Ethan Brookes, the Glamorgan batter sent on his way despite TV evidence that Brookes just touched the boundary rope before releasing and regathering the ball.When Kellaway was the last man out, caught on the boundary off Barnard, they fell 24 runs short with 17 balls remaining. Half-centuries by Kiran Carlson, Sam Northeast and Billy Root were also in vain.Warwickshire’s imposing score was built on the foundations laid by the opening partnership of Yates and Barnard, which fell just one run short of a record opening partnership for Warwickshire in all List A cricket. Needless to say it was a record opening partnership against Glamorgan, with Barnard the more aggressive of the two early on though Yates caught him up and went past his partner.Their steady progress went up a gear when Glamorgan captain Carlson brought himself on as his first two overs were expensive. Carlson continued to ring the changes in his bowling attack as he searched for a breakthrough, but Barnard and Yates continued their serene progress taking advantage of the short Neath boundaries.Zain-ul-Hassan was the bowler who eventually made the breakthrough when Barnard was caught by van der Gugten for 79 off 88 balls. That sparked a bit of a mini collapse as Michael Burgess went for just 7 and then there was the big wicket of Yates for 102 off 114 balls, all in a three-over period for just seven runs.Will Rhodes was the common denominator as Warwickshire bounced back from that minor setback, but more of the aggression was coming from the other end. Brookes got 38 off 25, Hamza Shaikh 21 off 10, as Warwickshire plundered 129 from the final 14 overs. Rhodes was out just before the close for 44 off 45 balls.Teenager Kellaway continued his promising introduction to List A cricket with 3 for 56 off his seven overs, while Zain and Andy Gorvin both took two wickets.Glamorgan’s innings could not have got off to a much worse start with openers Thomas Bevan and Eddie Byrom both falling early to Oliver Hannon-Dalby as the opening bowler used his height to cause problems.That brought Carlson and Sam Northeast to the crease and their partnership was always likely to be central to Glamorgan’s hopes. Carlson showed his intent from the start, racing to his half-century off just 33 balls. Glamorgan’s hundred came up in the 15th over. When Carlson fell for 61 it came a little out of the blue as Craig Miles got some movement away and keeper Burgess dived to take the low catch.Northeast and Root made steady progress to 181 off 31 overs, but the return of 6ft 8in Hannon-Dalby saw the end of the former aiming over square leg as the extra bounce meant a top edge to fine leg. Root struck an assured 56, but the impetus was provided by Kellaway who launched a series of fours and sixes to put his team ahead of the run rate. He brought up an excellent half-century off 26 balls, with four sixes.Wicketkeeper Alex Horton looked good for a quickfire 14, and it took a world-class catch diving on the boundary by Brookes to dismiss him. Van der Gugten came and went to that controversial dismissal, but there was no doubt about Gorvin being clean bowled to give Hannan-Dalby his fourth wicket.

Sussex youngster claims eye-catching 3-47 to keep Leicestershire at bay

David Hopps14-May-2022Leicestershire 210 and 195 for 5 (Patel 67*, Azad 54, Lenham 3-47) trail Sussex 450 (Clark, 138, Carter 72, Haines 50) by 45 runsNearly a year has elapsed since Archie Lenham made a dramatic entrance into county cricket as a 16-year-old having a whale of a time in the T20 Blast.In all that time, Sussex have failed to win a Championship match, a winless run stretching back to April 2021 in Cardiff when Ollie Robinson bowled them to victory, but Lenham has promised to end their anguish after adding a Championship memory to his teenage dream.As he is a year older now, a young shaver no longer, it is probably wise to intimate that no more do spectators come over all protective if anybody hits him a long way. He looks slightly less vulnerable now, more game-hardened. He will doubtless be mightily relieved about that and, anyway, by the time his third over had finished with three wickets for eight runs to his name he had underlined the point for himself.A coltish legspinner in T20 has the advantage of scoreboard pressure on the batting side and can take wickets by hanging in there. And by looking particularly young which can lead to batters muttering “play the ball not the bowler” in a desperate attempt not to be psyched out by the experience. In the Championship, especially when the opposition are faced with a deficit of 240 and can pick him off at will, the challenge is much harder.In his third Championship match, spread over three seasons, he was more than up to it. As tea loomed, and Leicestershire had chipped away 94 runs with relative comfort, Sam Evans their only casualty, he changed the face of the match. Hassan Azad, the Foxes’ most anchored batter, was lbw on the back foot against his third delivery. At the end of his third over he struck twice more in successive deliveries, bowling Colin Ackermann with a ball that dipped and left him to graze off-stump, and then befuddling Lewis Hill, first ball with a turning googly as the new batter blindly propped forward. Three very different balls, all well executed.Related

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The pitch is turning (it is a fine sight as many surfaces have refused to wear this summer) and Leicestershire have a decent spinner in the slow left-armer, Callum Parkinson. They will be desperate to give him something to bowl at, and woe betide them if they don’t because judging by his exasperation if people misfield off his own bowling, he is a hard taskmaster, his standards not undermined by the county’s position at the foot of the Second Division.They finished the third day still 45 runs adrift, heartened by Rishi Patel’s unbeaten 67 from 201 deliveries. It was a worthy effort, and he is an attractive player, but there is an uncontrolled element to his game which can make his attacking shots rather less than a done deal. One of those, on 30, should have brought about his downfall when he mis-pulled Henry Crocombe to backward square leg only for Delray Rawlins to get himself into a good position but shed the catch. Wiaan Mulder met Lenham more assertivlve than anyone but he became the fourth lbw victim when he shouldered arms to a delivery from Rawlins that would have gone on to clip off stump.Leicestershire had fielding follies of their own as Sussex added 64 to their overnight score. Robinson reached 26 thanks to drops off consecutive balls from Ben Mike, by Patel at second slip and Hill at third man, but it is luck with the ball that Robinson needs if he is to attract the England selectors and today at least it was Lenham who was attracting attention. Spinners bowled 36 overs in all, limiting Robinson to 11 wicketless overs, solid enough, but no clear message to England’s selectors in only his second match of the season about his form or stamina levels.Lenham also added a personal-best 48 with the bat before he was dismissed trying to pull Chris Wright and so missed out on a maiden half-century. “Two PBs, so a good day for me,” he said. “I was a bit annoyed to get out on 48, but never mind, I had a dream start with the ball and those three wickets got us right back in the game. I just feel lucky to be playing first-class cricket early in my career, and I’m loving it. That said, it feels like a long day and I’m pretty tired right now.”

“I just backed my strengths – the yorkers and cutters,” Natarajan said of his impressive performance

Deivarayan Muthu08-Dec-2020India captain Virat Kohli has said that T Natarajan could be in contention for the T20 World Cup next year at home if the left-arm seamer builds on his impressive start in Australia. On his first international tour, Natarajan stepped up with his yorkers and slower variations, in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, helping India to a 2-1 T20I series win. Natarajan made an impact on his ODI debut as well, picking the wickets of Marnus Labuchange and Ashton Agar in another match-winning spell in the third game of the series.ALSO WATCH: T Natarajan ends Glenn Maxwell’s innings (India subcontinent only)“Natarajan – special mention to him because in the absence of [Mohammed] Shami and Bumrah, he’s been the guy who has stood up and really delivered under pressure which is outstanding for the fact that he’s playing his first few games at the international level,” Kohli said during a virtual media interaction. “He’s very composed, very sure of what he wants to do. He’s a very hardworking guy, very humble guy, and you feel happy for guys who are committed and working hard for the team when they get the results and make the team win.”So, I wish him all the best and I hope that he continues to work hard on his game and continues to get better because a left-arm bowler is always an asset for any team. So if he can bowl that well consistently it will be a great thing for us heading into to the [T20] World Cup next year.” The T20I leg of the tour ended with Natarajan posing with both the series trophy and the Player-of-the-Series trophy, which Hardik Pandya had handed over to him, in the team photo. Natarajan wasn’t supposed to be in India’s T20I squad in the first place. He was originally picked as a net bowler, but an injury to mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy opened up an opportunity and he seized it with a chart-topping six wickets at an economy rate of 6.91 in a high-scoring T20I series.Speaking to Sony Pictures Network, Natarajan said that he didn’t burden himself with expectations and simply backed himself to execute his skills.”I’m very happy to have played against a good team in Australia and won the series,” Natarajan said. “I have no words to describe my happiness. I didn’t have many expectations. I just came in as a net bowler and then because of some injuries I got a chance. I just wanted to utilise that chance. I was in good form in the IPL which helped me. Everyone around me supported me and motivated me, so I had the confidence to do well here.”In the second T20I, Natarajan showed that there’s more to him than just the yorker, bowling offcutters into the Sydney pitch and threatening the edges of the bat. On a used Sydney pitch on Tuesday, Natarajan rolled out more cutters to pull Australia back in the slog overs.”I just backed my strengths – the yorkers and cutters. Depending on the conditions, I ask the wicketkeeper or captain whether I need to bowl the slower ones or yorker. I adapt to it depending on that. I didn’t change too much about my bowling. Whatever I did in the IPL, I wanted to do it in Australia and wanted to execute it cleanly.”It has been an incredible couple of months for Natarajan. On the day he became a new dad, he yorked AB de Villiers with what was arguably the ball of IPL 2020. He then received his maiden T20I cap from one of his heroes Bumrah earlier this month in Canberra. If Natarajan continues to evolve, he could well be bowling alongside Bumrah in the 2021 T20 World Cup in the death overs.

Tourists hold their nerve against spirited England bowling effort to take 1-0 series lead

The Report by Valkerie Baynes02-Jul-2019
Australia – led by the bowling of Ellyse Perry and the batting of Alyssa Healy – have claimed early Ashes honours, winning a tight opening contest by two wickets in the first one-dayer at Leicester.England never recovered from a top-order batting collapse, led by Perry’s three wickets, despite the best efforts of England spinner Sophie Ecclestone, who claimed 3-34 as the tourists wobbled in their modest run chase. They reached the target with 45 balls remaining on the back of Healy’s half-century but, in the face of some tense moments, the match was close, peppered with some poor shot selection, particularly from England, and nervy fielding on both sides.The loss ended England’s winning streak across all formats at 14 after they crumbled to 19 for 4. Player of the Match Perry had Amy Jones out attempting a pull which ballooned to Healy behind the stumps and accounted for Jones’s fellow opener, Tammy Beaumont, who chopped on a short time later.Megan Schutt bowled Sarah Taylor with an in-swinger and then Perry had Heather Knight out lbw for a duck, walking across her stumps.It became 44 for 5 for England when Fran Wilson was out to a dubious lbw decision to spinner Jess Jonassen. Replays showed Wilson clearly gloved the ball first but, with no DRS for this series, Wilson could do nothing but march off the field making no secret of her consternation.Natalie Sciver launched a salvage mission with a spirited 64 off 95 balls but when she and Katherine Brunt were out lbw, to Jonassen and Delissa Kimmince respectively, and Anya Shrubsole was caught brilliantly by a leaping Rachael Haynes at mid-off, it fell to Ecclestone to carry on the attempted fightback.Ecclestone showed fine touch, reaching 27 of as many deliveries, including five fours, but her cameo ended when she attempted to loft Ashleigh Gardner for a second four in a row but found Beth Mooney just inside the long-on boundary.Laura Marsh was left standing unbeaten on 24 off 52 when Schutt bowled Kate Cross with a beautiful leg-cutter which clattered into off-stump.Chasing just 178 for victory, Australia more than fancied their chances. Despite the early loss of Nicole Bolton, caught behind attempting to drive Shrubsole, the tourists were in control at 41 for 1 after the first Power Play.But Brunt, celebrating her 34th birthday and in the rare position of first-change bowler, made the breakthrough with the first ball of her second over when she had Meg Lanning out to a plumb leg-before decision.Sarah Taylor’s stunning glovework shone as usual with a leg-side stumping to dismiss Perry cheaply off the bowling of Sciver.The England bowlers kept the pressure on Australia by claiming wickets at fairly regular intervals, including that of the dangerous Healy – who reached 66 off 71 balls before holing out to Wilson off Marsh. By the time Marsh bowled Mooney, attempting a paddle-sweep, Australia were 150 for 7 and, while the run rate required was easily attainable, England were in with a sniff if they could just take the remaining wickets.Shrubsole put down what should have been a regulation caught-and-bowled off Kimmince, demonstrating the less-than-assertive fielding that had bothered both sides at times. Orthodox spinner Ecclestone gave England a glimmer of hope with her penultimate ball, when she tempted Jonassen into a stroke that went straight to Shrubsole at mid-on.Needing 11 runs off the last 10 overs, the Australians held their nerve, Kimmince struck a lofted four off Brunt which had everyone’s hearts in their mouths as it went just wide of star fielder Wilson and five wides off the next ball sealed a low-key end to a thrilling contest.Both sides admitted nerves were a factor, with England captain Knight putting the hosts’ batting collapse down to “maybe absorbing pressure a little bit more”.”Disappointed with the bat, we lost too many early wickets and that ultimately cost us,” Knight told Sky Sports. “I’m really proud of the way the girls managed to get us to a total, would have liked a few more, but not to be today. I don’t think it was particularly being too aggressive that cost us the wickets. It’s maybe a few soft dismissals instead.”Australian captain Lanning said her side would be looking to improve going into Thursday’s second ODI.”Our bowlers did really well to put England on the back foot early but England bowled well as well so it’s just nice to get over the line,” Lanning said. “Hopefully the quality improves over the series. It was a great contest and everyone fought really hard but we feel like we’ve got a little bit to work on, as probably England do as well.”The Ashes will be decided over three one-dayers, a four-day Test and three T20Is.