First day of four: England (183-6) v Australia

CATHRYN FITZPATRICK wrested the initiative for Australia on the opening day of the third and final Test against England, at Worcester yesterday.

England closed on a laboriously compiled 183 for six from 112 overs, the Victorian fast bowler claiming three for 70 from 30 overs.

Taking the new ball in the 95th over with England at 149 for four, Fitzpatrick finally ended another courageous innings from England opener Janette Brittin. Three balls later, she bowled Melissa Reynard for a duck after having Charlotte Edwards caught in the gully in her opening spell.

Brittin, twice struck on a damaged finger by Fitzpatrick, took 318 balls to reach 72 with four boundaries. Brittin has now scored 444 runs in four Test innings against the tourists.

Day 2: no report

Day 3: no play- rain

Day 4: Edwards holds out

By Carol Salmon at Worcester

CHARLOTTE Edwards, England's teenage opener, produced her best score of the series to kill off any lingering hopes Australia had of winning the women's Test ending in Worcester yesterday.

She batted for 2.5 hours to make 87, England finishing on 190 for six after some superb hitting by Karen Rolton. This enabled Australia to declare at 427 for four with a lead of 184. Four hours play remained for England to resist the Australian attack, again led by the tigerish fast bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick.

Edwards looked set for her maiden Test century when she played a tired shot at the off-spinner Avril Fahey and was taken at long on.

Her 154-ball innings contained 11 boundaries and with Barbara Daniels she took England from 21 for one to 111 before the side's vice-captain was athletically caught at deep square leg.

Edwards put on another 51 with captain Karen Smithies and when she departed, with the score on 162 for three, Australia had effectively lost their chance of preventing the three Test series ending in stalemate.

Meanwhile, Janette Brittin, playing in her last Test, suffered her first failure of the series when bowled for six.

The opener's aggregate of 450 over the three Tests was easily the best from both sides and came at an average of 112.50, while Fitzpatrick was the outstanding bowler. She took three for 56 yesterday to take 13 wickets in all at a cost of 28.38 runs each.