A ROUSING rendition of God Save the Queen inspired England’s cricketers to an Ashes rout in Perth in the early hours yesterday.

And it was belted out by an opera star originally from Berrick Salome in Oxfordshire.

Penny Shaw, 40, who emigrated to Australia in 1999, delivered the anthem to a sell-out crowd at the Western Australia Cricket Ground while millions more watched and listened around the globe.

The mum-of-four hoped her “call to arms” had helped England’s stars rise to the occasion as they blasted through the Australian batting line-up.

She said: “In my little actress heart I think so.

“The anthem is a call on the players to really perform.

“It should be rousing, that is the point of a national anthem, to make you support your county and live up to its reputation.”

And it certainly did the trick. England’s bowlers took two quick wickets, including that of Australian captain Ricky Ponting, and ended the day in a commanding position in the third Test.

“I think it got the crowd singing along,” said Mrs Shaw. “England fans, the Barmy Army, gave me a nice cheer at the end.”

The rendition might have inspired Andrew Strauss and his bowlers, who are looking to retain the Ashes in Australia for the first time since 1987, but it divided loyalties back at Mrs Shaw’s home in Fremantle, which is near Perth.

Penny and husband Jack support England, but their four children were born in – and support – Australia.

She said: “My eldest son Finn, who is 11, was kind of embarrassed his mum was singing for the opposition. The children all support Australia so there is a real rivalry.”

The family – including Jasmine, nine, Georgia, seven, and Barney, two – spent a year back in Oxfordshire last year and the three eldest children attended The Batt School in Witney.

Mrs Shaw, who has performed with the English Touring Opera and Western Australia Opera, was selected as one of five singers to deliver the national anthem ahead of each of the Ashes Test matches.

The Perth game was the first Test match she has attended.

Until then her cricket experience was limited to the annual village game in Berrick Salome, near Wallingford.

She said: “I had a great time. I thought it would be boring, but it was really fun.”

Her parents, Derek and Marian, set their alarm back at the family home to make sure they could tune into her performance at 2.30am.

Her mother said: “We’re terribly proud of her.

“We listened on the radio and we were thrilled.

“I really think it inspired our players.”