| Women's Ashes, one-off Test, Manuka Oval (day two of four) |
| Australia 337-9 dec Lanning 93, Haynes 86; Brunt 5-60 |
| England 235-8 Knight 127; Perry 2-35 |
| Trail by 102 |
| Scorecard |
Heather Knight, the captain, single-handedly repelled Australia with a superb century to keep England in the Ashes on the second day of the one-off Test.
As the batting line-up crumbled around her, Knight hit 127 not out from 249 balls, her second Test ton, to drag England to 235-8 at the close.
Knight ensured that England avoided the follow-on which could be crucial in their bid to avoid defeat, as the rain is forecast for the final two days of the series.
The next highest score was 27 not out, made by the number 10, who shared a crucial stand of 66 with Knight late in the day.
The England top-order was guilty of a number of soft dismissals, opener Lauren Winfield-Hill, who tried to shovel the ball to leg, and Amy Jones, who was caught off the top-edge at mid-on.
Australia declared on 337-9 in the morning session with Brunt taking 5-60.
If England win the three one-day internationals which follow, they will win the series.
They trail 4-2 in the multi-format series with four points on offer for victory in the Test and should Australia win, they will retain the Ashes.
England looked to be in a position that would have left them with no chance of victory.
Knight was amazing. She was already the only woman to hit centuries in all three formats for England but this effort, her fifth international ton in total, must surely rank as her best.
Her team-mates had no answer to Australia's varied bowling attack but, having come in in the third over, Knight, showing solid defence and accumulating off her pads and with drives through the covers, hardly offered a chance.
The only chance came when Knight was on 93, when Jess Jonassen got fingertips on a caught-and-bowled chance high above her head.
England were still 19 adrift when the follow-on was arrived at 169-8, but they were short of the follow-on mark at that point.
Knight masterfully managed the situation, taking the strike until Ecclestone grew in confidence and adding quick runs against the second new ball in the final hour as the bowlers tired.
The time Knight has taken out of the game may be crucial.
Australia could have had a second bowl at England late on day two, but instead the tourists are able to chip away at the deficit in search of a draw or even an unlikely win.
Ellyse said that Australia would have enforced the follow-on if they had taken the final two.
The Australia attack was led by the all-rounder, who was dropped from the Twenty20 team last week, but she led the attack with 2-35.
Tammy Beaumont was dismissed for five and Sophia Dunkley was dismissed for 15.
Darcie Brown found pace and movement with the first ball.
She took a fine diving catch to complete Jones' disappointing dismissal off the bowling of Annabel Sutherland, and she also benefited from the ill-advised drive that gave her a first Test scalp.
King found turn and accuracy to add to Australia's attack.
Debutant Charlie Dean hit a long-hop to cover and debutant Anya Shrubsole hit a long-hop to the pavilion, both of which were disappointing from an England perspective.
Seamer Brunt had been England's stand-out performer on the first day, and she took three of Australia's four points.
The lower-order was tentative before their declaration with only 10 runs coming in the 30 minutes played.
Most of the credit for that must go to Brunt, who hit the top of the off stump with the perfect delivery.
Her five-wicket haul was her third in Tests, 17 years after her first, and her eighth in all formats for England.
Brunt said you can win from anywhere. The last hour gave us hope.
We will look to reduce that deficit and then fight like crazy.
It would have been nice to get her out, but thanks to Heather. She played well for her team.
The partnership from Ecclestone and Knight swung a little bit of the momentum back to England, but we have had a pretty good day.
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