Women's Ashes: Dropped catches hurt England as Australia take control of Test in Canberra

Missed chances hurt England as Australia took control of the crucial Ashes Test on day one in Canberra.

After being dropped on 14, Australia captain Meg Lanning hit 93 and opener Rachael Haynes, also put down on 44, made 86 to steer Australia to 327-7.

The hosts had been in trouble at 4-2 and later 43-3 after England made an excellent start with the ball.

Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney fell inside four overs and Ellyse Perry was caught off a top edge for 18, a rare failure for the imperious all-rounder in Test whites.

However, Lanning and Haynes capitalised on their let-offs in a dominant partnership worth 169.

They looked to be easing towards maiden Test centuries when Lanning edged Nat Sciver to slip and Haynes gloved Katherine Brunt behind four balls later.

That gave England hope of a final-session fightback but Ashleigh Gardner's aggressive 56 and Tahlia McGrath's 52 secured Australia's position in the ascendency, despite the latter falling to the final ball of the day.

After a win in the opening Twenty20 of the multi-format series and wash-outs in the next two games, Australia will retain the Ashes with victory in the one-off Test.

Even a draw in this Test would leave England needing to win all three of the one-day internationals that follow to regain the Ashes.

Much of what England did on day one of this series-defining Test was good but the fear already is that their errors will cost them.

Brunt, Sciver and Anya Shrubsole found significant movement through the air in an bowler-dominated start, after England won the toss and took the aggressive option of bowling first.

Perry had scored 213 not out and 116 in her previous two Ashes Test innings and when Sciver removed her with a surprise bouncer England were well on top.

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