Australia v England
Gabba Ground, Brisbane: 1st – 4th January 1985
The third Test was played in Brisbane, at the Gabba and the Australian selectors made sweeping changes to the side after the loss in Adelaide.The match was marked by slow batting by both teams and there was only enough time for three innings before it ended in a tame draw.
Day one for the Test was also day one for 1985, the match beginning on New Year’s Day and Jan Southgate celebrated by winning the toss and choosing to bat. England made 275 from 152 overs with the captain top scoring with 74. Wickets were shared amongst the Aussie bowlers with the returned Lyn Larsen taking 4-33.
Australia followed up with a more polished performance with the bat than they had done in Adelaide, with 326, including half centuries from Denise Emerson, Lindsay Reeler and Larsen.
“Once again I remember this Test for all the wrong reasons. I dropped about 4 catches and the coach suggested I not field in slips or the gully as I was taxing myself too much. Other than that, the new girls in the team had done well.” – Raelee Thompson
Such was the slow state of play that England were only seven down for 204 in the third innings of the match when the Test ran out of time.
England 275 (Southgate 74, Edney 47, Larsen 4/33) and 7/204 (Hodges 95, Thompson 2/25) drew with Australia 9 dec 326 (Emerson 84, Reeler 59, Larsen 52, Starling 4/50, Slother 3/58)