Australia sweat on Ellyse Perry’s fitness after dominant day against England

Australia will sweat on the fitness of its greatest women’s Test player despite another dominant day against England at the MCG.

An injury to superstar Ellyse Perry overshadowed another comprehensive day by Australia in the marquee day-night Test match at the MCG.

Perry hurt her hip after landing awkwardly during Australia’s fielding innings and left the ground in pain.

Perry did not return and Cricket Australia said she would undergo further assessment before day two.

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The injury was untimely for the Aussies, who had surged into a strong position through spinners Alana King and Ash Gardner.

King took 4-45 while Gardner claimed 1-30 as Australia skittled England from 4-127 to 170 all out.

The strong hour either side of the dinner break came after a mini fightback from England, which was yet again on the back foot due to early wickets.

Nat Sciver-Brunt scored a gritty half-century but was a lone hand in much-needed English resistance.

Alana King (right) celebrates one of her four day one wickets. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

King found the edge of Sciver-Brunt early in the middle session but the third umpire deemed the ball to have touched the ground on its way to captain Alyssa Healy at first slip.

Perry, who has two centuries and averages 62 in Test cricket, was listed to bat at No. 3 but was replaced by Annabel Sutherland after the loss of debutant Georgia Voll (12).

Sutherland (24 not out) and Phoebe Litchfield (20no) steered the Aussies to 1-56 at stumps.

England’s final wicket on day one summarised the tourists’ horror series down under.

After batting for eight overs and adding 13 runs, Ryana MacDonald-Gay struck the ball directly to Darcie Brown point and called Lauren Bell through for a run.

Brown collected the ball cleanly, threw it to Beth Mooney who then took the bails off to comfortably run Bell out.

Despite England’s middle-session collapse, Australia seamer Kim Garth said the MCG wicket was “a little bit dead” at one end.

Maia Bouchier was dismissed fourth ball of the day. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Garth struck with the first wicket of the Test, dismissing out of form opener Maia Bouchier, after Australia won the toss and sent England in.

Several English edges fell short of the slips cordon during the first session in a sign of the slow nature of the wicket.

Garth told Channel 7 prior to England’s collapse that the wicket had little life at one end and that she hoped to see more deviation when the lights came on.

“It’s probably a tale of two ends. Coming from the far end into the wind it’s a little bit dead, potentially a little bit two-paced,” she said.

“There’s probably a bit more in it for the quicks coming from this end. We’ll have to see how it behaves under lights. Hopefully it does a bit more for us.”

Plenty of eyes will be on Perry when the Test match continues on Friday.

Originally published as Australia sweat on Ellyse Perry’s fitness after dominant day against England