Women’s Test: Aussie bowlers defy 40-degree heat to destroy South Africa

On a 43C day in Perth, Australian captain Alyssa Healy made a daring decision at the coin toss – and it paid off in remarkable fashion.

Few Test captains have won the toss and sent the opposition in to bat on a 40-degree day.

But Alyssa Healy did just that and it paid off in spades as Australia’s bowlers claimed eight first session wickets before rolling the shell-shocked South Africans for just 76 in Perth as the mercury soared.

It was South Africa’s lowest score ever in a women’s Test as rampaging Darcie Brown (5-21) and Annabel Sutherland (3-14) tore through the tourists on a fast and bouncy pitch at the WACA on Thursday.

With an expected maximum temperature of 43C, Healy boldly stuck to her assessment of the pitch and opted to send South Africa in, and was immediately rewarded when Brown had both openers caught behind the wicket in her first two overs.

A sharply rising delivery on a short length caught Anneke Bosch off-guard for a duck before a pitched-up ball outside off stump sucked captain Laura Wolvaardt into a big cover drive which she edged to Beth Mooney at third slip.

Both South African openers were dropped behind the wicket, but Darcie Brown had them both out anyway within her first two overs on her way to a maiden Test five-wicket haul at the WACA. Picture: Paul Kane / Getty Images

The catch was an immediate redemption act for Mooney after an uncharacteristic drop just moments before in the same position.

Healy also dropped an early chance diving to her right off Kim Garth’s bowling, but no harm was done as an incisive spell from Sutherland reduced South Africa from 2-33 to 5-41.

Tahlia McGrath also chipped in with two wickets as the tourists’ innings was brought to an end in just 31.2 overs.

With South Africa 8-55 at the lunch break, Brown said there was plenty of life in the pitch for the seam bowlers, with a slight breeze doing enough to keep the players’ spirits high in the suppressive heat.

“It was a bit warm, but I think once you sort of cooled down after you were running around it wasn’t too bad … there’s a bit of a breeze,” she told Fox Cricket.

“I struggled finding my length early, and I was just trying to run in and bowl as quick as I could.

Darcie Brown was feeling the heat in Perth (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

“At the start I was a bit shorter than I would’ve liked, but luckily it paid off because the WACA is such a quick wicket.

“We’ve got a few ice baths in there and lots of slushies which is nice – we’re just trying to keep cool and get ready for another big session.”

Healy had forecast the favourable early bowling conditions on Wednesday after the pitch was heavily watered amid the heatwave in Perth.

Remarkably, her win at the toss was her seventh from seven matches in the multi-format series.

Alyssa Healy leads Australia into the field after winning her seventh consecutive coin toss in the multi-format series against South Africa. Picture: Paul Kane / Getty Images

“They’ve put a lot of water into (the pitch), I watched them water it for the hour that I was keeping yesterday,” Healy said before the match.

“But it seems like from all reports, it’s going to be a traditional WACA wicket where it could be a little bit tricky early on, but flatten out by the end of it and be a beautiful batting wicket.”

Sophie Molineux forced her way back into the Australian side for the first time in more than two years at the expense of fellow left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, but her bowling was not needed as the quicks tore through the opposition.

South Africa was dealt a blow before the game with star all-rounder Marizanne Kapp ruled out due to illness, and fielded four Test debutants: Tazmin Brits, Delmi Tucker, Masabata Klaas and Ayanda Hlubi.