England Women lead by 133 runs at stumps on day two

England will take a lead of 133 runs into the third day of the Ashes Test match at The Gabba having bowled Australia out for just 78 runs. It was Australia's third lowest innings score in an Ashes Series and not since The Oval Test in 1951 have Australia failed to register a three figure total in an innings against England.

England Captain, Clare Connor said "ideally, we would have wanted a lead of 220, but in the context of this match we will be happy to put another thirty runs on the board tomorrow and bowl Australia out again".

"It's the first time in my career, and in the career of all the England players that we have blown Australia away. I suppose it is overshadowed by our performance with the bat this afternoon, but we would not have expected to be back in by the middle during the second session today".

For the second day in succession, England dominated the opening session of play, but today managed to follow it up with another exemplary hour in the field to take a lead of 46 runs into their second innings.

Australia survived just 40 overs as wickets falling continuously. Lucy Pearson maximised the extra bounce, and she finished with 4-31 from 15 overs. "I'm really pleased with how I bowled. I felt confident throughout that wickets would come to us as the ball was swinging from the outset, so I knew that if I was accurate then the ball would do the work for me".

Laura Newton also bowled her best Test spell with 3-10 from 6 overs.

Clare Connor, England Captain, surprised Belinda Clark, her Australian counterpart by opening the bowling with off-spinner Laura Harper and Harper promptly had Clark caught by Newton for 4 runs in the second over. Fellow opener Lisa Sthaleaker quickly followed her Captain, trapped lbw by Pearson.

The loss of Australia's openers usually signals an onslaught from Karen Rolton, the leading run-scorer and most prized wicket in women's cricket with a Test average of 68.

Connor introduced Laura Newton to the attack, and the seamer bowled an inspired spell with pace and movement to dismiss Rolton, caught and bowled for 8, Gosko lbw for 0 and debutant Alex Blackwell, caught Harper at second slip for 4.

When the teams met in 2001, Gosko and Rolton had shared their own competition as Gosko, on debut, hit 204 to take the world record for the highest individual Test Score at Shenley. She didn't keep it long; Rolton scored a magnificent 208 at Headingley.

But today was a day for bowlers. At stumps, England were 87-8; Cathryn Fitzpatrick taking 3-25 and Julie Hayes 3-9. Australia struck vital blows twice, the first when Hayes had Charlotte Edwards caught behind in the 44th over, with the last ball before tea. Unintimidated by the bowling of Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Edwards had hooked the pace bowler in successive overs and reached 27, the top score of the day, with some comfort.

The second was Clare Connor's dismissal to Fitzpatrick with the last ball of the day having established a useful partnership with of 21 with Laura Newton for the eighth wicket.

Newton, on 9, and Clare Taylor will resume in the morning to add as many runs as possible before Australia bat again.