Key events
2nd over: India 7-0 (Ghosh 6, Mandhana 1) Kim Garth bustles in from the other end. Ponytail swishing like a pendulum as a light breeze drifts across the Allan Border Field. Mandhana is off the mark with a single into the off and Ghosh rocks back to cut wide of point for a couple. Sun beating down and I’m not jealous at all. It’s 4 degrees and blowing a hoolie where I am. So there.
1st over: India 4-0 (Ghosh 4, Mandhana 0) If we were wondering about the approach then Richa Ghosh settles the debate, she trots down the wicket after two dots and smears Schutt over mid on, doesn’t get all of it but gets enough to get the ball over the the rope for four. Gauntlet being taken up. It’s a tidy start from Schutt though, back of a length and arrowing in.
James Wallace
Thanks Megan, what a stint! Runs glorious runs. Hello from an inky skied and storm bothered Peak District in England, UK, Earth. I’m just sidling into the OBO armchair, which knows no geographical, Meteorological, dimensional or metaphysical bounds.
Here come the players in Brisbane, India’s openers striding to the crease with purpose. They are going to have to go some, a few quiet overs and that run rate is going to rise like a frisky cobra.
Megan Schutt has the ball in hand, Mandhana and Ghosh to start for India. Let’s play!
Australia 371-8
_(ef04def6065c81ceb7d81c967f1e2095c2d32a4d).png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=e9b9293758a22d40baaefc91e2ea77e9)
Megan Maurice
A huge innings for Australia, after a strong start from the two young Sydney Thunder stars in Litchfield and Voll. An important century for Voll in just her second ever international match set the scene for a big innings and she will no doubt be making some of her more experienced teammates feel nervous knowing she is not in the squad for the New Zealand series, but that she will be very hard to drop after her first two performances. Litchfield played a brilliant support role and will rue losing her wicket, but her role in the partnership should not be underestimated.
Perry was as reliable as ever, with a very well-made 105 off just 75 balls, boosting the scoring rate to ensure the team were able to set an imposing total. Mooney was impressive with her 56 from 44 balls, supporting Perry well and keeping the score ticking over.
Australia will be disappointed to lose that flurry of wickets late in the game, but they put on huge total despite those wickets. Gardner will be particularly unhappy with her second ball duck, as she would have been looking to get her batting back on track with a few strong overs to finish the innings. Molineux too would have wanted to make her mark on this game, knowing bowling opportunities may be few and far between.
Despite only scoring eight runs, King played her role, being aggressive when it was needed, before McGrath and Garth steadied the ship and then finished off by blasting a few boundaries to take the total above 370.
It was a dominant innings from Australia and India will have to work hard and go very quickly to chase it down. Chasing a big total and knowing you have to go from ball one is always tricky and India will need a lot from their star batters in Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues. If those three fire, they are in with a shot, but with an intimidating Australian bowling line up, they will have their work cut out for them.
I’m handing over to my great colleague James Wallace now to take you through India’s innings. It’s been a delight, I hope you enjoy the rest of the match!
50th over: Australia 371-8 (McGrath 20, Garth 6) Thakur bowls the last over and Garth starts it with a four over the off side, which brings up Australia’s highest ODI total since 1997. The next ball is a wide, which is really not what India needs right now. Garth gets her captain back on strike with a single next ball. McGrath moves across to the off side to meet the delivery, but it evades her and slides under her bat to the keeper. She tries to hit a boundary down the ground, but it’s cut off by a diving Harmanpreet and they dash through for two. There’s a bit of a delay while the third umpire checks for a short run by the Australians, but they’ve managed to make the ground. McGrath makes the most of the break to catch her breath and then slaps the next ball down the ground for four, then plays one nicely across to the offside for another four to finish the innings.
49th over: Australia 355-8 (McGrath 10, Garth 1) Thakor takes the second last over of the innings and Australia are looking to go hard, but can’t get through the field. They manage two on a misfield to keep the runs ticking over, but King is out next ball, bringing Garth to the crease, who hasn’t batted much for Australia at all. She gets off the mark straight away and McGrath slashes one over the off side field for four to finish the over.
WICKET! King c Deol b Thakor 8 (Australia 350-8)
King wants to score quickly, but she can’t get the ball over the outfield and it’s a simple catch for Deol.
48th over: Australia 346-7 (McGrath 5, King 5) The fielding restrictions are now in place for India due to those aforementioned slow over rates. King starts by pulling one off her hip, but can’t quite find the boundary and has to settle for two. It’s Deepti’s final over for the match and she keeps the run rate down, bowling well to her field.
47th over: Australia 340-7 (McGrath 4, King 1) India are quite behind in their over rates and may have to cope with some fielding restrictions on top of the heat and Australia’s quick scoring. Mooney adds insult to injury with back-to-back boundaries, but Minnu fights back with a wicket, through some quick glovework from Richa. Molineux goes soon after for Minnu’s second ODI wicket and brings King to the crease for the last ball of the over.
WICKET! Molineux c Reddy b Minnu 0 (Australia 340-7)
Molineux gets a second ball duck, trying to go hard after starting with a dot ball, but she can’t get past the field.
WICKET! Mooney st Richa b Minnu (Australia 340-6)
After bringing up her 50 and following up with another boundary, Mooney goes for one too many and Minnu gets her first ODI wicket.
50 for Beth Mooney!
Yet another half century for Mooney, she brings it up with a beautiful sweep shot past deep backward square.
46th over: Australia 332-4 (McGrath 4, Mooney 48) Mooney rotates the strike immediately and gives Gardner a shot, but she’s out for a second ball duck to bring McGrath to the crease. Priya appeals for an LBW on McGrath, but the umpire is unmoved and next ball McGrath gets off the mark with a cut shot that splits the fielders and flies to the boundary for four.
WICKET! Gardner c Harmanpreet b Priya 0 (Australia 328-5)
Gardner just looked uncomfortable from the start and she loops up an easy catch for Harmanpreet, who appears to be a bit of a ball magnet today!
45th over: Australia 327-5 (Gardner 0, Mooney 47) Sutherland slashes at the first ball of Thakur’s over and gets over the field, but short of the boundary. Then she smacks one down the ground, but there’s a fielder there, so she can’t pick up a boundary from that one either. There’s an appeal for LBW on Mooney next ball, but not too much interest from anyone aside from the keeper. Sutherland plays another big shot, but this one is cut off on the boundary by Reddy. She’s out on the last ball of the over.
WICKET! Sutherland c Harmanpreet b Thakur 6 (Australia 327-4)
Sutherland was trying to keep the run rate moving, but she couldn’t get past the field and this was a simple catch for Harmanpreet.
44th over: Australia 321-3 (Sutherland 1, Mooney 46) OK, weirdly there’s a review taking place now from the last ball of the previous over on Mooney. It’s very clearly not out and given so. Alex Blackwell in commentary thinks it might be more about giving the players a break and bringing a pause into the game than thinking it was a real chance. It doesn’t seem to bother Perry and Mooney though, they were probably happy for a little break as well and they continue to take the bowling on and racking up the score. Some good fielding forces Perry to hustle through to avoid a run out, but she makes her ground safely. She’s out a ball later and Annabel Sutherland comes to the crease and gets off the mark immediately.
WICKET! Perry b Deepti 105 (Australia 320-3)
Perry decides to bring out the reverse, but Deepti’s yorker gets under her and takes out middle stump. It’s been a fantastic innings from Perry.
43rd over: Australia 313-2 (Perry 100, Mooney 44) Thakur resumes to try to get this total under control for India. Mooney slices one through the field straight away with a determined cut shot to start the over with a boundary. She gets a leading edge a few balls later, but it falls short of the fielders. Perry brings up her century and it’s a superb innings for her and Australia.
100 for Ellyse Perry!
Surprisingly, this is just Perry’s third ODI century, she brings it up in 72 balls with an easy single.
42nd over: Australia 306-2 (Perry 99, Mooney 39) Mooney starts the over with a chip over the top of the fielders on the offside – it would have been a chance for a catch if there had been any fielders in the vicinity. She then gets a streaky edge to the leg side for a single, which brings up the 300 for Australia, with more than eight overs remaining in their innings. Perry chips one over the fielder to find a similar gap that Mooney found a few balls earlier for another four.
41st over: Australia 295-2 (Perry 94, Mooney 33) A ninth over for Priya, she has done a lot of work today, but has been quite expensive so far. She catches the toe of Mooney’s bat, but it falls safely with three fielders in pursuit. Perry hits yet another six, this one over long on, to make this a very big over for Australia. She has hit five fours and six sixes so far this innings.
40th over: Australia 283-2 (Perry 85, Mooney 30) Deepti comes on to bowl her eighth over and Mooney starts the over with a scoop to pick up three runs as the ball trickles away towards the boundary. There doesn’t seem to be anything the Indian team can throw at the Australians at the moment, they’re looking tired and out of options. It can’t help that the Australian batting line up is so deep that any breakthroughs just feel like more of a punishment.
39th over: Australia 277-2 (Perry 83, Mooney 26) Ooh, this is interesting, Smriti Mandhana comes into the attack for her first over of the game. She nearly picks up a wicket with her second ball, but it flies just over the fielder. I would have thought Harmanpreet would bowl herself before going to Smriti (and Rachael Haynes and Alex Blackwell in commentary concur), but it is something different for the batters to think about. Perry and Mooney bring up the 50 partnership late in the over and they don’t seem to be bothered by the unusual bowling move it all. 12 runs off the over – so probably not a move that has paid off.
38th over: Australia 265-2 (Perry 81, Mooney 16) Perry starts with a four, but next ball Priya beats her bat and Perry only just manages to slide back into her crease to avoid being stumped. Perry and Mooney are looking strong together, rotating the strike well. Perry plays an uncontrolled shot down the ground and Deol gets her hands on it on the boundary, but can only manage to parry (or Perry) it over the rope for another six.
37th over: Australia 252-2 (Perry 69, Mooney 15) Perry opens up from the first ball of Minnu’s over with a MONSTER six down the ground and over the fence. It’s a sensational shot and impressive after a couple of slower scoring overs to be able to boost the run rate again. She equals Meg Lanning for the most sixes scored in women’s ODIs with that shot – now on 40 sixes from her career. Mooney finds the boundary for four soon after and they bring up the 250 for Australia.
36th over: Australia 239-2 (Perry 61, Mooney 10) Another over from Priya and India are starting to create a little bit of pressure, with boundaries drying up a little, forcing Perry and Mooney to run through for a risky single to keep the score ticking over, but they make it through.
35th over: Australia 236-2 (Perry 59, Mooney 9) Mooney starts the over after drinks with a nice cut shot to split the fielders for a single to give the strike back to Perry. Minnu is bowling her sixth over of the day and it’s been a decent debut for her so far – she certainly hasn’t leaked as many runs as some of her more experienced teammates.
34th over: Australia 232-2 (Perry 57, Mooney 7) Priya comes back into the attack and Perry defends one before tucking one off her pads to deep backward square for a single to hand the strike to Mooney. Mooney steps up with a straight drive down the ground for four – a favourite boundary shot for the Australians today. Perry looks to push another one down to the boundary late in the over, but it’s cut off by a diving Deepti. Drinks are on the field.
33rd over: Australia 224-2 (Perry 54, Mooney 2) Thakor resumes and takes her second wicket, bringing Voll’s innings to an end, but it just brings Mooney to the crease, which doesn’t make things any easier for India. Mooney immediately gets off the mark after she’s served up a full toss and works it away for two, but Thakor pulls her length back for a couple of dots. She creates a chance on the last ball of the over, but the ball lands safely in front of the diving fielder – the sub fielder Reddy at mid-wicket.
WICKET! Voll c Richa b Thakor 101 (Australia 222-2)
A fantastic innings from Voll comes to an end with a little edge through to the keeper – it’s great keeping from Richa to react and hold on to it.
32nd over: Australia 222-1 (Perry 54, Voll 101) Voll on strike to Minnu on 99 and she takes the single to bring up her first century. Perry keeps her foot on the accelerator with an aggressive pull shot for four, then a lofted drive for yet another six and both players are looking very comfortable out there. Can India find any answers to slow this run rate?
50 for Ellyse Perry!
A sensational performance from Perry, bringing up her half century from 43 balls.
100 for Georgia Voll!
What a milestone for the young player, getting her first century in just her second international match. She brings it up with a lovely chip over the field for a single.
31st over: Australia 208-1 (Perry 43, Voll 99) Perry drives a full toss down the ground from the first ball of Thakor’s over and for once there is a fielder down there to cut off the boundary, where Australia have been scoring with ease today. Voll takes two runs to bring her to 98 and keep the strike. She cuts away, but it’s just a single as the crowd is riding every moment. Perry scores a boundary from the last ball of the over to become the fourth Australian woman to score 4000 ODI runs.
30th over: Australia 200-1 (Perry 38, Voll 96) Minnu returns to the attack and Perry works the first ball behind her for two as the ball trickles down to third. A nice ball from Minnu to follow forces Perry into a defensive shot, before she finds space for her cut shot, but she can’t get it past the field and it’s just a single to bring Voll on to strike. Some big deep breaths coming from Voll before each delivery she faces now. She whips one over the field for a single and looks a little frustrated that she can’t get it to the boundary. These two bring up the 200 for Australia on the last ball of the over.
29th over: Australia 195-1 (Perry 34, Voll 95) A lovely cut shot from Voll to start the Deepti over, it’s just a single, but next ball Perry lofts one up and over Minnu’s outstretched arms on the boundary for six. Perry gets Voll back on strike and she comes down the pitch and flicks a ball off her pads for a single – she’s looking a little more watchful as she approaches the magical three figures.
28th over: Australia 185-1 (Perry 26, Voll 93) Thakur resumes and Voll takes a single early, before Perry sees out a couple of dot balls. It’s a good over from Thakur, just three runs from it.
27th over: Australia 182-1 (Perry 25, Voll 91) Voll has taken a bit of a backseat since Perry started teeing off, but she plays a great pull shot off Deepti’s bowling to pick her scoring back up, getting into the 90s from the next ball.
26th over: Australia 177-1 (Perry 24, Voll 87) Perry starts Thakur’s next over with a beautiful lofted drive for six – the first six of her innings. She has quickly found herself very comfortable out in the middle. A good comeback ball from Thakur, bowling a very good length to force Perry into a defensive shot. Voll is very lucky not to be run out. She makes her ground easily, but doesn’t slide her bat – something U11s players have drilled into them – and just drops it on to the ground at the last split second before the ball hits the stumps.
25th over: Australia 169-1 (Perry 17, Voll 86) Deepti returns for her first shot at Perry. Perry edges the first two balls either side of the wicket keeper and picks up two runs for each of them. It’s not super controlled batting from her, but she doesn’t look overly worried. A little drop and run gets Voll back on strike and she finds a single straight away. Perry finishes the over with a lovely and well-timed pull shot, but it finds the fielder on the boundary.
24th over: Australia 162-1 (Perry 11, Voll 85) Thakor resumes after drinks and Voll starts with a single in her relentless pursuit of runs in her (very) short international career so far. Perry takes a single as well and then Voll picks up yet another boundary with a fantastic cover drive that easily beats the field.
23rd over: Australia 156-1 (Perry 10, Voll 80) Priya starts with a full toss and Voll isn’t about to miss out on that, pulling it over the boundary for four. Priya tries to adjust, but misses her line and it’s ruled a wide. She manages to cramp Perry up with a few dots later in the over, but Perry is eventually able to come down the wicket and drive it straight back over Priya’s head for a boundary. Drinks are on the field now.
22nd over: Australia 146-1 (Perry 6, Voll 75) Thakor resumes after her wicket, she’ll be hoping she can make another breakthrough. She gets a bit of extra bounce that evades Perry’s bat early in the over, which will be heartening for her. It’s a great over for Thakor, just the single from it.
21st over: Australia 145-1 (Perry 6, Voll 74) Voll starts the over by crunching one over the field for four, before tucking a nice little one away to the legside for a single to hand the strike to Perry. They turn the strike over and well throughout the over and Perry finishes the over with her first boundary.
20th over: Australia 134-1 (Perry 1, Voll 68) Thakor returns for her second spell and Litchfield shows great footwork to come down the pitch and smack the ball over the boundary, before attempting another little scoop shot past the keeper, which is ruled as wides. But Thakor finally makes the breakthrough and brings Perry to the crease – it must be a nightmare to play Australia and have more and more incredible players come out every time you get a wicket.
