Scholfield, Capsey centuries make it England A's day

Paige Scholfield and Alice Capsey seized the initiative in the unofficial women's Test in Sydney with a fourth-wicket stand of 210, as England A's batters built on a bowling effort led by Issy Wong's five-for to move towards a first-innings lead on the second day at Cricket Central.

Both batters made centuries in the course of a dominant day's work, and by the close, Scholfield was still going strong on 138 not out, with England A well set on 317 for 4, trailing by 26 runs with two days of the contest remaining.

After extending their overnight 315 for 7 to a first-innings total of 343, Australia A seemed to have taken charge when England slumped to 34 for 3 in reply. Lauren Cheatle had a role in each of the three wickets, first by catching Mady Villiers at fine leg in Tess Flintoff's first over of the innings, and then in bowling Hollie Armitage and Grace Scrivens in consecutive overs.

But Capsey and Scholfield turned the momentum of the innings in a boundary-studded 52-over alliance that spanned the afternoon session. Capsey swept and pulled Sophie Day for four fours in an over as England pushed on at a brisk tempo, and they weren't parted until Maitlan Brown trapped Capsey lbw for 108, with the deficit already reduced to double figures.

Scholfield, however, found another solid ally in Jodi Grewcock, with whom she saw out the rest of the day in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 73. Grewcock reached the close on 29 not out from 84 balls, with three fours.

Earlier, England had needed 10 overs to pick off the remaining three wickets of Australia's first innings, for the addition of 28 runs. Grace Potts grabbed two of these, including the final wicket of Sianna Ginger for 54, but the key moment came when Wong fired a yorker through Lilly Mills' defences to pick up a well-deserved fifth wicket.