Sports round-up: 13-19 May
Welcome to our weekly round-up of British women’s sporting news and results from home and abroad.
Cricket:
This year’s Ashes will be contested over three formats of the game. Points will be accumulated and the team with the higher points aggregate will win the Ashes.
The series will comprise one test match, three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches.
Winning the test match will earn six points. The three one-days and Twenty20s will be worth two points each.
“The women’s game has seen huge growth in interest and profile as a result of the limited overs formats in recent years,” said Clare Connor, head of women’s cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
“The new women’s Ashes series looks to combine this reality with the prestige and tradition of test match cricket.
“We believe that this new multi-format series will gain significantly more profile and context than can be generated by playing a one-off test match every couple of years.”
Australia currently holds the Ashes, having won the one test match contested in 2011.
Disability athletics:
Paralympian Mel Nicholls took a surprise T34 1500m world record, beating the previous record by a massive four seconds. The previous record, set by Deborah Brennan, had stood for 10 years.
Nicholls, usually a wheelchair sprinter, was shocked by the record as she only took part in the race as a training exercise.
Football:
The Continental Cup semi-final line-ups were decided last weekend.
Everton booked their place with a 3-1 win over Doncaster Belles in their last group game on May 18.
Doncaster took the lead through Beth England in the 35th minute but Everton equalised before half time with a strike from Nikita Parris.
In the second half Vicky Jones gave Everton the lead, which was consolidated by Toni Duggan’s penalty in stoppage time.
Liverpool continued their good recent form with a 4-0 win over Chelsea on May 19.
The Reds were three up by half time through two goals from Natasha Dowie and one from Nicole Rolser. The rout was completed in the second half with a goal from Fara Williams.
Arsenal qualified for the semis in style with a comprehensive 4-2 win over the league leaders Bristol Academy. The goals for Arsenal came from Ellen White, Jordan Nobbs, Danielle Carter and Kim Little, with Nicola Watts and Ellen Curson scoring for the visitors.
Lincoln took the last semi-final spot following a 1-1 draw with Birmingham on May 19. They will now face Liverpool for a spot in the final, while Everton face off with Arsenal.
Bristol Academy went to the top of the Women’s Super League (WSL) table on May 16 after an impressive win over Chelsea 2-0. The goals came through defender Jemma Rose and Spanish striker Natalia Sanchon in the second half.
Bristol now hold the only 100 per cent record in the WSL this season.
The spoils were shared between Lincoln and Arsenal on May 15. It seemed a no-score draw was on the cards until the 89th minute when Lincoln took a surprise lead through Emily Roberts.
Arsenal were not beaten, though: just one minute later, England midfielder Steph Houghton equalised with a 20-yard strike.
No-one was able to take the points in an entertaining match between Everton and Birmingham City on May 15.
Both sides had plenty of chances, and it looked as if Toni Duggan was going to snatch the win in the last minute when put through with only the keeper to beat, but managed to put her shot wide. The match ended a nil-nil draw.
Rugby Union:
England Women Sevens finished second in the World Series behind New Zealand after coming fourth in the final leg in Amsterdam on 18 May.
After their loss 7-12 to Canada, England had to settle for the third/fourth place play-off.
But England failed to win this, losing 26-5 to a strong Russia side. Russia had raced into a 21-0 lead by half time, effectively sealing the match. Ruth Laybourn scored a try in the second, but Russia added fourth try through Marina Petrova.
England coach Barry Maddocks was pleased with his side’s performance, though, especially as his focus is on the World Cup in June.
Tennis:
Laura Robson played one of the best matches of her career to date to beat seven-time grand slam winner Venus Williams in the first round of the Italian Open in Rome on 13 May.
She broke Williams’ serve six times, taking the match 6-3, 6-2.
However, in the second round she came up against Serena Williams, which was a whole different ball game. Although she broke Serena in the first game it was pretty much one-way traffic after that with the American taking the match 6-2, 6-2.
The final was contested by Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka. Serena took her fourth consecutive tournament, – and in truth was not tested by Azarenka. The final score was 6-1, 6-3.
Serena now goes to Roland Garros for the French Open as firm favourite to take the title.