Southern Stars thrash England in Test

The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars have thrashed England by 161 runs to win the one-off Women’s Test and move closer to regaining the Ashes.

Allrounder Ellyse Perry was the star for Australia on day four, taking six wickets to help dismiss the hosts for 101 and improve their points lead in the multi-format Ashes series to eight-two.

WATCH: All six of Perry's wickets

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Ellyse Perry was a star on the final day // Getty Images

The victory is the first time Australia has defeated England in a Test on foreign soil since 2001 and means Meg Lanning’s charges now need to win only one of the three remaining T20 internationals to regain the Women’s Ashes.

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The Southern Stars are on teh verge of a series win // Getty Images

Debutante Jess Jonassen was named player of the match for brilliant display with the bat, scoring 99 and 54 while also collecting 1-36 in the first innings with the ball.

Australia added 62 runs to their overnight total of 4-90 under blazing Canterbury sunshine as allrounder Jonassen completed her second half-century of the match – the seventh Australian to do so in Women’s Tests.

Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars allrounder Jess Jonassen added her second fifty in what was her debut Test match for Australia (restrictions apply)

Jonassen and veteran Alex Blackwell (47 not out) added 92 for the fifth wicket before the former crashed Laura Marsh to Lydia Greenway at cover to go for 54.

A brief cameo from Alyssa Healy (9) ended when she failed to connect with a reverse sweep, signalling the end of Australia’s innings as Lanning waved her charges in to begin the hunt for 10 wickets.

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Alyssa Healy and her partner Mitch Starc // Getty Images

"We always knew that batting was difficult, especially for the new batters coming in," Lanning said on the timing of her declaration.

"Starting was really hard and bowlers had really dominated throughout the whole game. 

"It was still under three an over, so if England had batted well the carrot was there. 

"But we really wanted to win the game and we thought the more overs we could get at them the better. 

"We declared at a good time and we certainly had enough overs there at the end."

Seam bowler Sarah Coyte found the initial breakthrough, trapping England opener Heather Knight lbw for five before first-drop Sarah Taylor dragged express fast bowler Ellyse Perry on to off-stump to depart without scoring and make it a pair of ducks for the Test.

England resumed the afternoon session on 2-16 but quickly collapsed to be 5-29 as Australia’s new-ball attack of Perry (6-32) and Megan Schutt each claimed a brace of wickets to leave the hosts reeling.

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Megan Schutt had a big impact // Getty Images

But just as the match looked a chance of finishing before tea, Lydia Greenway (16) and Georgia Elwiss (46) dug in to defy Australia’s advances and push the match the distance.

That’s when the Greenway-Elwiss resistance began, soaking up Australia’s attack like a thirsty sponge to the point where Greenway’s first 100 deliveries consisted of 94 dot balls.

Lanning turned to the leg-spin of Kristen Beams, the pace of Holly Ferling and the slingy, wild card variety of her own bowling, but nothing could remove the stubborn pair prior to tea.

But like she did after lunch, Perry struck early after an interval, bowling Greenway with a bouncer that failed to live up to its name, keeping low and crashing into leg-stump.

Perry then doubled-up next ball as Marsh played all around an outswinger that found the woodwork to be dismissed for her second duck of the match.

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Ellyse Perry all smiles after her six-fa

The rampant visitors then ripped through the tail, taking  5-25 to wrap up the match, Australia’s second largest in terms of runs, and bowl England out for the lowest completed 4th innings in Women’s Test history.

"Any time you lose an Ashes Test match is disappointing, and probably more in the manner we lost as well," England skipper Edwards said after play.

"Having been set that target and pretty interested in chasing that target, we knew we needed to bat well until tea and then we’d reassess. 

"But you lose 3 or 4 wickets in the first 10 overs, that was probably the most disappointing thing for me. 

I’m bitterly disappointed to lose in the manner we did."

Watch extended highlights from the final day in Canterbury