Hit the North: Alyssa Healy stars as Australia kick off Ashes with a win

Player of the match Ash Gardner 42no, 3-19 and two catches

Later, Platform 1 would be filled with people making their way to - or rewinding their way from - the Inner West Ale Trail, but this Sunday morning a mixed crew of cricket fans, hearts filled with hope, are waiting to catch the driverless Metro to North Sydney for the cricket.

Jerry, 9, sitting opposite, has gone the full painted face. There’s a man in an old Alinta cricket shirt adorned with Indigenous art, and families aplenty armed with picnic blankets and baskets.

All would be rewarded with a relatively controlled performance by a home side whose returning captain, Alyssa Healy, led the way with a half-century, while Ash Gardner starred with bat, ball and in the field

It wasn’t, however, as easy a day as the Australians may have anticipated after bundling England out for 204 in the 44th over. The visitors should have had them seven down with 22 runs still needed, but a poor shot from Ash Gardner to a poor ball from Lauren Bell was trumped by a disastrous fielding error by Sophie Ecclestone.