Lauren Filer picks up debut wicket as she removes the dangerous Beth Mooney in women’s Ashes

Lauren Filer made a dream start to her Test career by dismissing Beth Mooney to leave the women’s Ashes Test match delicately poised at lunch on the opening day.

After winning the toss at Trent Bridge, Australia elected to bat under sunny skies in Nottingham.

The visitors made a fast start, but could have been pegged back when Mooney was on nine as she hit an aerial drive back at Kate Cross. The England seamer stuck out a right hand but the ball didn’t stick, giving Mooney a lifeline. 

Cross did get the breakthrough for England shortly afterwards following an error in judgement from Phoebe Litchfield that saw her offer no shot as she was trapped lbw for 23. 

The Aussie opener opted not to review, which proved to be another mistake, with replays showing the ball would have just missed off stump.

Lauren Filer is congratulated by her team-mates after picking up the wicket of Beth Mooney

Kate Cross got the initial breakthrough for England as she dismissed Phoebe Litchfield

The Ashes are on the line, and will be contested across all three formats this summer

Cross continued to pose a threat, and found the outside edge of Mooney’s bat, but Test debutant Danni Wyatt could not hold on to a sharp chance in the gully, letting Mooney off the hook again.

The chances kept coming for the hosts, with Tammy Beaumont dropping Elysse Perry at short-leg off the bowling of Sophie Ecclestone. Once again, it was a tough chance, but one that England will have to start taking if they are to regain the Urn for the first time since the 2013-14 series Down Under.

Filer came into the attack and nearly got off to the perfect start when she looked to have removed Perry with her very first ball. 

Perry was initially given out lbw, but reviewed immediately and was handed a reprieve as UltraEdge proved she’d just managed to get some bat on the ball. 

After a number of scares, Mooney and Perry started to settle into their innings, but Filer finally did get the wicket she deserved before lunch, with Mooney prodding into the gully region and Cross holding on this time.

Perry and Tahlia McGrath saw Australia through to lunch with no further setbacks, taking their team’s score into triple figures in the final over of the session.