12th over: England 34-2 (Knight 19, Sciver-Brunt 3) A huge appeal! Australia are confident as a faster ball from Brown crashes into Knight’s pads as the England skipper falls across her line. The umpire says “no dice” so Australia send it off for a second opinion. Replays show it was clipping leg stump but not enough to overturn the original decision. Knight responds later in the over with a stylish drive for four, then gets a top edge to a shorter ball that lands safely for a single.

11th over: England 29-2 (Knight 14, Sciver-Brunt 3) The England find some relief against Sutherland even with the young all-rounder bowling at a decent pace. Knight works a ball to the off-side for an easy single, while Sciver-Brunt drives past Sutherland for two.

10th over: England 26-2 (Knight 13, Sciver-Brunt 1) Brown has the ball angling in, jagging away, carrying throught to Mooney behind the stumps, and leaving Sciver-Brunt unsure whether to play or leave. A bouncer sails high and wide for the only addition to the score, then Brown almost finds a way through Sciver-Brunt’s defence. The 21-year-old has bowled five on the trot but has probably deserved at least one more over.

9th over: England 25-2 (Knight 13, Sciver-Brunt 1) Annabel Sutherland comes into the attack in place of Kim Garth who finishes with 1 for 9 across her opening spell. Knight has looked comfortable playing off her pads and finds another single before Sciver-Brunt steps forward and punches the ball to the off-side to get off the mark.

8th over: England 23-2 (Knight 12, Sciver-Brunt 0) Brown starts the over with Beaumont’s scalp then has Sciver-Brunt hopping around the crease, playing and missing, and finding an edge. The England batter survives but that was a superb over from the young quick.

WICKET! Beaumont lbw b Brown 8 (England 23-2)

7th over: England 23-1 (Beaumont 8, Knight 12) SHOT! Knight opens up with the pick of the day thus far, punishing a wide half volley through cover to the rope. Garth straightens up as Knight is forced to defend.

6th over: England 19-1 (Beaumont 8, Knight 8) A pair of singles through cover help to rotate the strike until Brown settles in back of a length to Beaumont. The England opener is happy to let the ball sail through to the keeper until tempting by a wider delivery that finds point.

5th over: England 17-1 (Beaumont 7, Knight 7) Kim Garth works away at the line outside off that became so familiar during the white-ball legs of the series. A bit less swing than the pacer was able to find in those matches though, as Knight sees off the first maiden of the day.

4th over: England 17-1 (Beaumont 7, Knight 7) The first boundary of the day and little surprise it comes from a thick edge – the third so far. But Beaumont plays with soft hands as she reaches away from her body outside off and nicks through the slips cordon to the rope.

3rd over: England 10-1 (Beaumont 3, Knight 4) Knight gives a chance. Almost! The England skipper takes a thick edge but the ball falls short of Tahlia McGrath at third slip. Hearts were in mouths for a moment there. Garth drifts onto Knight’s pads and is clipped away for three past square leg.

2nd over: England 7-1 (Beaumont 3, Knight 1) Darcie Brown takes the new ball and starts with a cracker, fast and full to threatening the stumps as Beaumont jags it out late. The opener finds the first runs off the bat with a crisp straight drive that almost reaches the rope but is limited to three. Knight gets off the mark when working the ball down leg for a single.

1st over: England 3-1 (Beaumont 0, Knight 0) An early breakthrough for Australia as Bouchier’s troubles across the series continue. Garth took a few deliveries to find her line outside off stump but once she did Bouchier had no answer to a shorter ball. Captain Heather Knight comes in needing to back up her pre-match comments about a stronger showing from the under-fire tourists and is straight into a forward defence that might be a sign of things to come.

WICKET! Bouchier c Mooney b Garth 2 (England 3-1)

Tammy Beaumont made a double ton the last time these two teams met in a Test at Trent Bridge 18 months ago. The opener will be hoping to carry something resembling that sort of form with her as she strides out to the middle of the MCG alongside Maia Bouchier. Needless to say a solid start will be critical for England as they look to make a stronger showing in the last match of the Women’s Ashes.

Kim Garth has the ball in hand at the top of her run up as we get under way…

While the first day-night Test at the MCG is the main event today another important cricket match is taking place in Melbourne with an Afghanistan XI playing a 20‑over match against a Cricket Without Borders Charity XI.

Raf Nicholson spoke to two of the women playing under the Afghanistan banner for the first time since the Taliban seized power of the country in 2021 and they were forced to flee for their lives.

When the game finishes, we don’t want it to end. We want to go further and have other matches in Australia. We’re glad to have Cricket Australia with us – now we hope to get some support from ICC. We will try to be the best, to tell Afghan girls that they can do it.

Peter Warrington is first to let us know his thoughts on the Australia XI with concerns around how they might take 20 England wickets across the coming four days of play.

“Australia have stacked the batting, possibly because Mooney can’t open and keep. Possibly because a number are in pretty awful form – Litchfield, Perry, Sutherland, and Voll has a couple of 20s. Ash and Brown have had one good test each and Kingy has been on fire, but it’s not clear to me we have structured an attack to win – unless the plan is to use that batting depth to get 450 super fast?”

I think with the many all-rounders, including a mix of seamers and spinners, Healy should have enough options to turn to. But it will be interesting to see how Garth and Brown handle the new ball.

England XI

Australia XI

Australia win the toss and elect to bowl

Georgia Voll’s summer to remember continues as the emerging batter is awarded her first baggy green in the Test against England at the MCG. The 21-year-old made an immediate impact in three ODIs against India late last year and showed that she can play with plenty of intent after making her T20 debut in the three clashes with England. Voll now gets an opportunity to show what she can do against the pink ball.

Alyssa Healy has been included in the Australia XI as selectors back her fitness after the skipper missed the T20 leg of the series due to a stress reaction in her foot. Australia’s usual wicketkeeper will play as a batter only with Beth Mooney to take the gloves for the first time in a Test and shift down the batting order.

Raf Nicholson has been following England across the series as the tourists try to turn around their poor form as much as results. Despite most matches being much less competitive than expected, especially after the tied series 18 months ago, a sizeable crowd has made their way into the MCG for the historic occasion.

Beth Mooney was the standout player of the T20 leg of the Ashes as she amassed 213 runs across three innings in the shortest format. The opener-sometimes-keeper has also been making her mark as a regular Guardian columnist across the series and has explained what playing a Test on the MCG will mean to her and the rest of the group, as well as revealing how determined Australia are to complete a clean sweep.

There has been a lot of chat around the 2023 Ashes and that we let England back into the contest to tie that series. We wanted to make sure we didn’t give them a sniff this time.

The conditions in Melbourne are nothing short of perfect for both players and the fans packing the stands – sunny and a high of 21C forecast throughout the day, dropping to around 17C at stumps. It should be warmer over the next three days but still with few clouds on the horizon let alone any hint of rain.

Preamble