Farrel’s hattrick helps Oz eves close in on the Ashes
By ANITuesday, January 25, 2011
SYDNEY - The Australian women’s cricket team is 169 runs away from achieving what their male counterparts failed so dismally to do this summer - win back the Ashes on home soil.
Australia was 1-29 at stumps on day three chasing 198 for victory in the one-off Test against England at Bankstown Oval with one day remaining.
England had dominated much of the four-day contest, thanks to a hattrick by seamer Rene Farrell midway through the afternoon session yesterday, The Age reports.
This is just the third Test hattrick in the 78-year history of women’s cricket.
Australian women’s great Betty Wilson and Pakistan’s Shaiza Said Khan were the others.
Farrell’s inspired spell claimed the wickets of Charlotte Edwards, Katherine Brunt and Danielle Hazell as the visitors slumped to 7-95, with the match in the balance.
Farrell’s 5-23 from 17 overs, which included four wickets in five balls, sunk England’s hope of posting a much bigger total for Australia to chase.
Three run-outs didn’t help the visitors’ cause, either.
Farrell said her hat-trick was a moment she would always remember.
“Winning the World Cup Twenty20 last year was unbelievable and this sits right up there,” she said. (ANI)
