Phoebe Litchfield has come out all guns blazing and making India pay for the dropped catches. Phoebe Litchfield was dropped on 0 and then later 56 and has now reached 82 runs so far as Australia chasing 282 for the win are 157/1 in 25 overs. Alyssa Healy made 27 off 23 balls while Perry has retired hurt on 30. Mooney has joined Litchfield at the moment.
India have locked lacklustre in the field and have been one-dimensional with the ball. They seem to lack ideas and are now behind the eighth ball now. Only time will tell as to whether India can make a comeback in this game.
Australia make a strong start in the chase despite losing Alyssa Healy
Chasing 282 for the win, Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield came out to bat for Australia while Kranti Goud had ball in hand for India. Goud bowled a decent first over. Sneh Rana had ball in hand from the other end. Phoebe Litchfield got a reprieve as Jemimah Rodrigues put her down when she was on 0 and Australia were 4/0 at this stage at midwicket as it was a sitter. Litchfield was ready to make India pay as she hit Goud for a boundary by tickling it away to fine leg. Litchfield once again square drove Goud for a boundary.
Healy hit Rana for a boundary through the left of the cover point fielder. Litchfield lofted it straight back over the bowler’s head for a boundary as runs started to flow for Australia. Healy then slapped Goud past covers for a boundary. Deepti Sharma was introduced into the attack next as Alyssa Healy greeted her by sweeping along the ground past backward square leg for a boundary.
Healy continued her merry ways as she hit Goud for two boundaries in three balls. But against the run of play, Goud dismissed Healy for 27 off 23 balls with 5 fours to her name. She bowled a good length delivery in the channel outside off-stump, Healy looked to drive it on the up through covers but ended up getting an inside edge back onto the stumps. The ball nipped back a fraction after pitching to catch the inside edge of Healy’s bat. Ellyse Perry came out to bat next.
Phoebe Litchfield then chipped Deepti past mid-off for a boundary. Litchfield played the square cut through backward point region for a boundary. Deepti Sharma bowled the 10th over as Australia at the end of the mandatory powerplay were 58/1.
Phoebe Litchfield and Ellyse Perry drive home the advantage for Australia
Sneh Rana came to bowl the 11th over as Litchfield played the reverse sweep over covers for a boundary. Nallapureddy Charani came into the attack next as Perry welcomed her by coming down the track and smacking it over mid-on for a one bounce and over the ropes. Phoebe Litchfield brought out the reverse sweep again and nailed the reverse sweep along the ground to short third for a boundary.
Radha Yadav came into the attack next as Perry smashed her down the ground straight over the bowler’s head over mid-on for the maximum. Litchfield then hit Charani by rocking back and cutting it past the diving Radha Yadav at point region for a boundary. Perry then hit Deepti Sharma for a boundary through the vacant fine leg region as she took advantage of a poor delivery.
Phoebe Litchfield then brought up her fifty in style as she got down on one knee and swept it along the ground past the left of backward square leg for a boundary. Litchfield got to his fifty in 44 balls as a 50-run stand came up between the two players. Litchfield was dropped on 0 and is making India pay big time. At the end of 15 overs, Australia were 98/1 as the players took the Drinks Break. Australia in a great position to win this game.
Phoebe Litchfield drives Australia forward as multiple dropped catches hurt India a lot
Sneh Rana came back into the attack as the 100 came up for Australia in 15.4 overs. Radha Yadav returned to the attack next. Now, it was time for Ellyse Perry to get a reprieve when batting on 20 and the team score was 103/1 in 16.3 overs. Pratika Rawal was the culprit dropping this catch. Perry was also struggling with her calf at the moment. Perry then smashed her through deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Perry continued to struggle at the crease.
India’s fielding continued to haunt them as Litchfield was once again dropped this time while batting on 56 and the score was 114 for the Aussies. Harmanpreet Kaur the captain was the culprit this time. Litchfield added salt to the wounds as he she hit the gap between covers and extra covers. Litchfield once again hit Radha for a boundary through third man. Rana bowled a decent 20th over as Australia were 124/1 in 20 overs.
Ellyse Perry finally walked off the field with cramps and calf as she was retired hurt as Beth Mooney joined the crease. Deepti Sharma came into the attack next and Phoebe Litchfield hit a switch hit over mid-on for a boundary. Kranti Goud came into the attack next and she bowled a decent over. Charani returned as Mooney joined in the fun by lofting the bowler over mid-off for a boundary. Litchfield then walked down the pitch and pulled Goud through deep square leg region for a boundary. Mooney too pulled Goud through widish deep square leg region for a boundary.
Charani bowled the 25th over and bowled a decent over as Australia Women reached 157/1 after 25 overs at the halfway stage of the game and are in prime position to win the contest. Phoebe Litchfield was batting on 82* off 71 balls while Beth Mooney was batting on 15* off 18 balls. Only Goud had the wicket to his name.
What Lies Ahead
Australia are in a prime position to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series. They are 157/1 in 25 overs with Litchfield looking good on 82* and with him is Beth Mooney on 15* with Perry retired hurt on 30. For India to win, they need wickets in clusters to come back and make a match out of it. Australia though are favourites.
Let’s see if India fights back and makes a match out of it. But we reckon Australia will go on and take a 1-0 lead in the series. That is what we think at this stage.
Also Read:Â IND-W vs AUS-W: Australia Restricts India To 281/7