Sutherland’s 163 from 258 deliveries made her the first woman in Test history to post consecutive scores of 150-plus, following her 210 against South Africa last year at the WACA. She was just the seventh to score consecutive Test centuries. She also became the first woman to score a century batting in three different positions, No. 6, No. 8 and No.3 having been promoted in this innings due to Ellyse Perry’s hip injury. Only India’s Sandhya Agarwal has scored more Test centuries (four) under the age of 24.

Beth Mooney was two runs shy of becoming the second women to score an MCG century finishing the day on 98 not out to continue her wonderful series. But she was dropped three times before she reached 19. Mooney made the most of her luck, running England ragged late into the night as her opponents looked deflated and defeated.

Sutherland shared a 154-run stand with Mooney, and half-century stands with Phoebe Litchfield and Alyssa Healey to ensure Perry was never required to get out of her training gear for the entire day despite being available to bat.

Sutherland’s century was different to her previous two, as much due to her promotion as anything else. She showcased her defensive skills and ability to absorb across the first evening and second morning before expanding with the power and placement that she has showcased previously.

There were moments when Sohie Ecclestone caused her trouble, but it wouldn’t be long until she skipped down the track to loft her down the ground.

Her best shot of the day, of which there were many candidates among 21 fours and a six, came when she threaded a drive inside out off the left-arm orthodox between two catching covers. Such was their proximity the two fielders’ full stretch dives overlapped but the ball found it’s way through and had enough power to beat long-off’s dive on the rope. It was a sublime stroke from a sublime player at the peak of her powers.

Both Sutherland and Mooney owe a debt of gratitude to England’s fielders.

The bowling was serviceable, but their fielding was deplorable. They created enough chances to keep their opponents in check but grassed most of them to let Sutherland and Australia run away with the game. England spilled eight clear-cut chances in all but to cap it at half a dozen might be generous considering a couple of other half chances. On top of the catches, the misfields were innumerable and embarrassing in nature at times.

Sutherland should have spent most of the day watching others bat. On 29 she sliced a drive from Ecclestone to backward point and Danni Wyatt-Hodge grassed a chance diving to her right with two hands.

Sutherland enjoyed two further slices of luck shortly after although it is difficult to call them chances. She edged Ecclestone on 31 but the deflection went past Amy Jones’ gloves and hit her knee. On 47, Jones failed to collect a ball down the legside while keeping up to seamer Ryana MacDonald Gay while Sutherland overbalanced out of her crease. But Sutherland’s foot was only out briefly so it is debateable whether there was time to complete a stumping in any case.

England have had some bad days in the field in this series but they might have saved the worst till last. Nearly every Australian batter enjoyed a reprieve or profited from a misfield. Litchfield skied a ball over mid-on on 20 but Sophia Dunkley circled it without getting close and she ended up making 45 before edging Lauren Bell behind.

Several of Healy’s 34 runs came from England’s inability to stop routine ground balls struck at them. England also burnt a review when Healy near-on middled a ball into her pad. Healy left frustrated when she was adjudged lbw despite feeling like she had hit it. The third umpire was unable to conclude whether it was bat or pad first and sided with the onfield decision.

Mooney benefited most from England’s incredible charity. She drove Ecclestone to cover and MacDonald-Gay dived forward and completely missed the chance that carried easily. Ecclestone exacted swift revenge in the very next over when Mooney nicked MacDonald-Gay to Ecclestone’s left at first slip and she grassed it after getting two hands to the ball.

Maia Bouchier trumped both of them two overs later when Mooney was on 18. Mooney guided a late cut straight to her in the gully at waist height as if it was catching practice and the ball once again hit the turf.

Ecclestone’s retribution on MacDonald-Gay turned cruel and unusual when Ash Gardner nicked to slip on 12 in the last session and she clanged another. Her two drops only added to the pain of conceding 100 runs for the fourth time in a Test innings, the most in women’s Test history, although with the ball itself she toiled away hard.

Gardner got another reprieve on 36 when a leading looped agonisingly off the outstretched fingers of Lauren Filer in her follow-through. Filer finally clutched a skied ball to her chest to end Gardner’s innings on 44.

Tahlia McGrath was only given 17 minutes to bat before stumps but offered a chance third ball, smoking a cover drive low to Nat Sciver-Brunt’s right and her tired body could not get her hands down to it in time. Mooney began the final over of the day on 96 but McGrath ended up facing the final three deliveries leaving her a night to sleep on a landmark moment.

Brief scores:
Australia Women 5 for 422 in 120 overs (Annabel Sutherland 163, Beth Mooney 98*, Phoebe Litchfield 45, Ashleigh Gardner 44;Lauren Bell 2-94, Sophie Eccleston 2-134) lead  England Women 170 in 71.4 overs by 252 runs

[Cricinfo]