Haren
After losing the toss at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Sunday, the Indian bowlers were made to chase leather. In sharp contrast to India’s 100 all out a couple of days ago batting first at the same venue, Australia posted a mammoth 371/8 in the second One-Day International. This is the highest-ever score conceded by India in women’s ODIs. That the previous record of 338/7 was also scored by Australia earlier in January at the Wankhede Stadium doesn’t augur well for India less than a year out of the ODI World Cup.
Rookie Georgia Voll and veteran Ellyse Perry were in magnificent form as Harmanpreet Kaur’s side struggled for any sort of control in Brisbane. Voll (101) and Perry (105), at different ends of their careers, smashed equally magnificent centuries. In response, India’s run-chase never really got going. They promoted Richa Ghosh to open, and she did top-score for India with a half-century, but it didn’t come at a great rate.
There was never any real intent to go for the target and regular wickets – starting with another cheap dismissal for Smriti Mandhana – meant India folded for 249 in 44.5 overs. Minnu Mani, on debut, impressed lower down the order with an unbeaten 45-ball 46. With the 122-run win, Australia clinched the series 2-0 with one match to go, to be played at the WACA in Perth.
Georgia Voll, take a bow!
A century in just her second match for Australia. Outstanding #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/yxFV4wsrIK
— Australian Women’s Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) December 8, 2024
“We created a few opportunities but couldn’t take them. We should give credit to them for how they batted. We need to think about our plans on how we will be bowling in the next game. We need to bat the full 50 overs. We have to come up with better plans,” skipper Harmanpreet said after the match.
After electing to bat, Australia put on a commanding display with openers Phoebe Litchfield (60) and Voll forging a 130-run partnership to set the tone. Voll then combined with Perry for a 92-run stand before the latter teamed up with Beth Mooney (56) in a 98-run stand. And through it all, India looked bereft of answers. It was only when Litchfield struggled for early momentum that it felt like India had any sort of grip on proceedings. But after she was dropped early by Priya Punia, Litchfield also shifted through the gears.
Voll was near flawless in just her second ODI innings. Early in the piece, she drove the bowlers with disdain, through the covers and down the ground past the bowlers, repeatedly. Once the opening stand was broken, Perry was steady in the first half of her innings, before unleashing a flurry of strokes, smashing six sixes during her knock.
When the 300 came up in 41.2 overs, it actually looked like Australia could even make a push for 400. But a few late wickets prevented that. Australia’s first 100 came up in 98 balls, the 2nd off 82 and the 3rd 100 off just 68 balls as India paid the price for not making regular breakthroughs.
Brief Scores: Australia 371/8 in 50 overs (Ellyse Perry 105, Georgia Voll 101; Saima Thakor 3/62) beat India 249 all out in 44.5 overs (Richa Ghosh 54, Jemimah Rodrigues 43; Annabel Sutherland 4/38) by 122 runs
