Tea Australia 199 for 3 (Haynes 82*, Lanning 84*) vs England
Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes took advantage of being given lives to rebuild Australia's first innings on the opening day in Canberra, after they had initially stumbled when put into bat, with both closing in on maiden Test centuries.
By tea their fourth-wicket partnership was worth 156 having come together at 43 for 3 shortly after the first hour when England's seamers had taken advantage of some early movement.
However, England missed three huge moments to build on those inroads. Lanning was dropped on 0, a tough low chance to second slip, and a simpler offering on 14 when she edged Sophie Ecclestone to Heather Knight at slip in the last over before lunch.
Haynes was then given a reprieve early in the second session when she edged Katherine Brunt to second slip on 44 where Nat Sciver put the chance down.
Haynes, back in the Test side having missed the India match earlier in the season due to injury, went to her fifty from 107 balls having been a vital part in Australia getting through the early phases without further damage when they had been 4 for 2.
Lanning's half-century arrived off 97 deliveries which was followed a short while later by three consecutive boundaries off Kate Cross as Australia's scoring rate increased. As ever, her strokeplay between cover and backward point was a highlight.
England also lost two reviews against Lanning. The first was a poor call against for an lbw which struck well outside the line of off stump, but the second was much closer when the ball was very near to taking the wrist band of the glove when Lanning swept at debutant Charlie Dean.
It was England who had made the running early on. Brunt provided the first breakthrough in the third over with a perfect set-up of Alyssa Healy was drawn into driving at an outswinger which found the outside edge.
Anya Shrubsole then did something similar to Beth Mooney, batting at No. 3 just 10 days after having surgery on a broken jaw, when she was lured into pushing at a delivery which shaped away outside off stump.
Ellyse Perry, who was left out of the T20I series, quickly settled and rattled off a couple of crisp cut shots when Cross offered too much width while Haynes took two boundaries off a Brunt over as Australia found a foothold in the session.
However, shortly after the drinks break Sciver cramped Perry for room with a well-directed short ball and the top-edged pull went towards backward square leg where Amy Jones made good ground to claim her third catch.
Australia had sprung a selection surprise in their final XI when they omitted the experienced Megan Schutt. The explanation was that there were concerns over her conditioning for the four-day game after she had suffered Covid-19 late last year and with an eye on the ODI World Cup, but a CA spokesperson said she was medically fit for selection.
They handed a Test debut to legspinner Alana King while the pace attack was in the hands of Darcie Brown, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath and Perry.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
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