In a big coincidence, something extraordinary happened on the first day of February 2025 as two teams suffered identical batting collapses. Surprisingly, both the matches involved Australia.
Two matches are being played currently, one in Melbourne and the other one in Galle. Australia is playing a Women’s Ashes Test against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. On the other hand, Australia’s men’s team is locking horns with Sri Lanka away from home at Galle.
Identical batting collapses in both Tests involving Australia
Melbourne: Australia 431/5 to 440 all out
Galle: Sri Lanka 156/5 to 165 all outBoth Tests today have had a collapse of 5 wickets for 9 runs 🤯#SLvAUS | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/J22JEG3CEg
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 1, 2025
It was a day of collapses as Australia was involved in both of them. In one game, they were the victim of the collapse while they were on the other end in another Test.
Australia Women collapse in Ashes Test
In the women’s Ashes Test, Australia women suffered a shocking collapse as they lost 5 wickets for 9 runs to be all out for 440. Australia were 431-5 at one stage but were later bundled out for 440.
In this game, Australia looked good for an even bigger first-innings lead and seemed on track to cross the 500-run mark. However, England’s bowlers bounced back with a fine effort to clean up the tail quickly.
Allrounder Tahlia McGrath was the first one to fall among these five wickets as she tried to play an aggressive shot to Sophie Ecclestone. Lauren Filer then dismissed Kim Garth for a third-ball duck to slide Australia further.
Alana King, who had an impressive game with the ball, was found dead in front by Ecclestone as she picked up her fourth wicket. Filer, who had an impressive day with the ball after a dismal showing on the second day, got the big wicket of Beth Mooney for a well-made 106.
Ellyse Perry was the last wicket to fall as the left-arm spinner Ecclestone picked up a five-wicket haul and finished with 5-143 in a marathon spell where she bowled 44.3 overs. The hosts took a massive first-innings lead of 270 runs as they bundled out England for just 170 earlier.
Sri Lanka suffer batting collapse
In the other match, Sri Lanka were 156-5 at one stage in reply to Australia’s mammoth first-innings score of 654-6. The hosts Sri Lanka were looking to score as much as they could and avoid the follow-on.
However, they suffered a batting collapse and lost five wickets for just nine runs. After a fine 51-run partnership, wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis tried to play an aggressive shot which led to his dismissal for 21 by the left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann.
With still no runs added to the board, Dinesh Chandimal was found plumb in front as he tried to play a reverse sweep off Nathan Lyon. With still no runs added, Kuhnemann got another wicket in the form of Prabath Jayasuriya. Sri Lanka had lost three wickets without any runs added to their tally.
Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann picked up the last two wickets respectively to bundle out Sri Lanka for just 165. As a result, Australia took a massive first-innings lead and also enforced a follow-on.