Australia 575 for 9 dec (Sutherland 210, Healy 99, Mooney 78, Gardner 65) beat South Africa 76 (Brown 5-21) and 215 (Tucker 64, Tryon 64) by an innings and 284 runs
Australia’s versatile and proficient assault overcame a resolute South Africa mustering belated struggle to full a complete Check victory on the WACA late on day three.
Having been pushed in tight T20I and ODI collection victories, Australia’s expertise in red-ball cricket got here to the fore as they clinched the inaugural multi-series between the groups 12-4.
Australia’s assault have been made to work towards gritty batting on a floor that flattened out because the match wore on, however their bowling depth shone with six bowlers taking wickets in South Africa’s second innings of 215.
After being routed for 76 on day one, their lowest ever Check rating, South Africa had been at risk of humiliatingly dropping inside two days once they crashed to 13 for 3.
South Africa resumed their second innings at 67 for 3 with Brits and Tucker hoping to proceed their rearguard after defying Australia late on day two with a half-century stand.
In heat circumstances, Brits appeared tentative as Australia’s seamers focused a harmful size outdoors off-stump. Darcie Brown’s further tempo proved a handful and she or he was unfortunate not to take a wicket when Brits edged simply in entrance of second slip.
She additionally had Tucker top-edging over wicketkeeper Healy, however the batters settled on a sun-baked floor providing little motion. They put away uncommon unfastened deliveries and have been untroubled by brief deliveries coming off the wicket comparatively slowly in contrast to earlier within the match.
Tucker had a few anxious moments as she neared her half-century, together with miss-hitting a pull shot off Ellyse Perry that narrowly was out of attain of Alana King operating again from sq. leg.
However Tucker regained her composure and notched her half-century on the very subsequent supply. Healy resisted utilizing her three frontline spinners and she or he was rewarded along with her religion within the seamers when Perry ended the 96-run partnership after Brits edged low to second slip the place replays confirmed that Phoebe Litchfield had her fingers underneath the ball.
However Australia have been once more made to wait as Tryon showcased a mixture of energy and finesse to regularly hit by way of the off-side as Healy lastly reverted to spin.
It nearly paid off instantly when Sophie Molineux, enjoying her first worldwide since late 2021, had Tryon inside edging onto her pad just for Healy to drop a troublesome probability moments earlier than lunch.
The strain constructed on Tucker, who was undone by further bounce as she chipped a return catch that was effectively taken by Gardner. She trudged off in disappointment, however earned a robust ovation from the gang after making 64 off 180 balls in 4 hours on the crease.
King was denied a primary wicket of the match when Mooney dropped an easy catch at slip to reprieve Tryon, who capitalised to notch her half-century quickly after.
However an Australia victory was at all times only a matter of time as Sutherland capped a memorable match by clear bowling Tryon with hometown hero King claiming the ultimate wicket to punctuate Check cricket’s return to the WACA.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist primarily based in Perth