That’s it from us. We’ll have over-by-over coverage of the full women’s Test between Australia and India from the Western Australian Cricket Association ground for four days from March 6. Later, potaters.
It was a day almost all about Alyssa Healy. Yes, she will play in and captain in a Test match to end this series, but the bulk of her career, as it is for women’s international cricket, has been about the shorter formats. So her leaving the one-day arena feels, in a way, more important, like it’s the most central part.
Healy went out today with the kind of exit that will long be remembered. A big-game player in World Cup finals, yes, but to show up on your farewell day and perform, then go large, that’s something special. So often when she’s made hundreds, she has made them into huge hundreds. And so today, walking out through an Indian guard of honour to ransack 158 from 98 balls, batting until the 37th over while hitting 27 fours and two sixes, a classic Healy medley of those clean-out smites over the leg side, the flashes and back-away carves, the swivels, but really when she got off the mark with a crisp cut shot for four it suggested that this might be another of her days.
Most of her runs were made alongside Beth Mooney, who will at long last succeed Healy as keeper after a decade of waiting, and who made a century of her own today. Georgia Voll made another 50 as a member of the coming generation, and despite a late clatter of wickets in the death overs, Nicola Carey held it together to take 22 runs from the penultimate over and take Australia past 400.
India were never winning it from there, and were winning it even less when Mandhana fell early, Rawal and Rodrigues couldn’t turn a good start into something more, and then Harmanpreet and Deol sucked the air out of the innings. From that point India all but gave up, and what the purpose was of batting out so many overs with little interest in scoring, we may never know. Rana’s 44 from 74 balls and Deepti’s 29 from 47 were the epitome of futility.
Alana King bowled an excellent spell even before she had a bag of wickets, and 4 for 33 from 10 overs was fitting eventual reward. Wareham took 2 for 3. Perhaps Australia’s selectors should stop leaving out one or other of their leg-spinners.
Australia win by 185 runs
That’s the game wrapped up, and the one-day series swept 3-0. India won the T20 series 2-1. So that means the visitors can only tie the multiformat series on points, and Australia hold the trophy already so they can’t lose it.
WICKET! Charani b Wareham 11, India 224 all out
Two for Wareham, with a wrong-un to the left-hander that spins past the bat and hits off stump. Simple! Perhaps should have bowled earlier…
45th over: India 224-9 (Charani 11, Renuka 0) A couple of big wind-ups from Charani now that she has no senior player to support. One of those sends Gardner for six over wide long on, the other is stopped on the bounce by Litchfield.
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WICKET! Rana b Wareham 44, India 217-9
44th over: India 217-9 (Charani 4)
Finally, Georgia Wareham gets her moment. The third ball of the over is clubbed by Charani to deep midwicket where Alana King spills the catch, very rude to do from your fellow leg-spinner. The fifth one goes right throw Rana yet somehow evades the stumps, the keeper, and goes for four byes. And the sixth has Rana step outside off stump, miss the straight skidding ball, and turn back to see it ricochet from her pad back onto the stumps.
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43rd over: India 210-8 (Rana 43, Charani 2) A couple of runs from the McGrath over, as the spiral towards oblivion continues.
42nd over: India 208-8 (Rana 41, Charani 2) It might be getting damp out there in Hobart at night time, King has another ball slip from her hand and arc down as a high full toss, but terrific work from Gardner at deep midwicket stops the boundary and saves two. She comes hurtling across and gets one hand to it as she flicks it behind her body nad keeps it in, then loses the ball for a minute but tracks it down before it can roll towards the rope in a different direction.
Then a near run out, Wareham swooping at point and a direct hit on one stump, but Mooney has broken the other bail before the ball arrived! What is going on with the keeper tonight? Charani is home anyway.
41st over: India 205-8 (Rana 38, Charani 2) Another medical delay: Wareham in the deep sends a long throw back towards Tahlia McGrath, the bowler, who lets the throw go. That’s unfortunate for Rana, who has just strolled a single and has her back to the ball. It hits her right on the point of the elbow, and magic spray is required. Wareham is not impressed, and why would she be, after making no runs and not getting a bowl. “Come off it,” seems to be indicated by her facial expression.
40th over: India 200-8 (Rana 33, Charani 2) Shree Charani, the lanky curly-headed spinner, is next in the middle, away with two runs to point.
WICKET! Deepti Sharma lbw King 29, India 198-8
A yuck end to a yuck innings. King has bowled nicely, but gets a wicket with a slice of luck. A big looping full toss, dipping on Deepti, who tries to sweep it and misses. King can at least say that she was on line. It hits the batters pads on the way down, not quite as bad as Chris Rogers at Lord’s but of that parish, and it would have gone on to hit the stumps. Deepti Sharma has made 29 from 47 balls in a chase of 410, and the practical application of that innings and that approach is anyone’s guess.
39th over: India 198-7 (Deepti 29, Rana 33) May we pose a question to the Indian team? To the effect of, what, exactly, is the point of this exercise? Deepti Sharma is a player who once rather famously made 181 in this format, but tonight she has not played a single shot in anger. Sneh Rana is defending balls on off stump. What is the point? There’s no draw available. No bonus points to save or avoid conceding. No net run rate calculation. You’re still 212 runs from victory. You’re not going to win it, but the aim of the game is to score. Why not try? “Playing for pride” isn’t going to mean much if you lose by 180 after batting 50 overs or lose by 180 after batting 40 overs.
38th over: India 195-7 (Deepti 27, Rana 32) Alana King is back, with three overs remaining. She was taken off earlier with figures of 3 for 22 and then we had a Hamilton net session and faffed about with the Healy situation. Would King have wanted a break, or preferred to Adam Dale it and bowl all 10 on the trot? She’s not purring after the break, slipping one delivery outside leg stump in such a way that Rana can sweep it from a standing position for four through fine leg.
37th over: India 182-7 (Deepti 26, Rana 24) A little shovel-pull from Rana adds four from Tahlia McGrath. The bowler tries a bouncer, too high, and Mooney misses it, giving up three wides. It’s been a very untidy night for Mooney.
36th over: India 182-7 (Deepti 26, Rana 24) Deepti Sharma’s slow night adds a second boundary, this time through fine leg from Hamilton.
35th over: India 177-7 (Deepti 22, Rana 23) Maybe Healy should have left the bowling at one over. She’s carrying on for a second. It’s not great stuff. Drag down, slammed through cover by Deepti for four. Huge full toss, then another. Still finds a few dot balls to close the over, not ones that are bowled very well, but a bit short and not bouncing much and limping through. I suspect that Deepti just doesn’t want to be the answer to a trivia question about Healy’s one wicket.
34th over: India 171-7 (Deepti 17, Rana 22) Hamilton with her short ball and she badges Deepti Sharma. Attempted hook, maybe a nick on it, helmet. After a long concussion check we continue, and Hamilton bounces Rana first ball back. All in tangles trying to dodge that. This is interesting ahead of the Test match, given Hamilton is in the frame to play. Only the leg bye from the over, via the helmet deflection, so technically that’s a maiden.
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Alyssa Healy is having a bowl
33rd over: India 170-7 (Deepti 17, Rana 22) She’s the captain, it’s her last one-day game, and India need 246 from 18 overs. So why not! Healy brings herself on. She’ll be bowling some off-breaks, by the looks. Bad stuff first ball, dragged down and leg side, and Sneh Rana flips it fine for four.
Much better second ball, some decent shape and it pitches outside the off stump, dot to point, dot to cover. A couple of singles, a ball that stays low, and the over goes for six – so that’s a win for the bowling side. Beyond her action through the crease, the real standout is when a throw comes in at the non-striker’s end and Healy casually receives the ball in one hand and with one smooth backhand motion knocks the bails off. That’s craft.
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32nd over: India 164-7 (Deepti 16, Rana 17) Another decent over for Hamilton, going up for an lbw shout but it was nicked.
31st over: India 162-7 (Deepti 15, Rana 16) At last, some movement. Sneh Rana cracks a drive shot from Gardner, running and hitting through long-off for four. Another boundary a few balls later, Gardner trying the old Shane Warne variation, the spinner bowling a bouncer. Flicks the grip to seam-up it looks like and bangs it halfway down. But Rana nails her cut shot. So, 10 from the over, which is great when you don’t need 13 an over.
30th over: India 152-7 (Deepti 14, Rana 7) Lucy Hamilton is back. Maybe call her Lucky Hamilton, walking out on debut with 400 to defend. Easing into top level cricket. She’s testing out the middle portion of the pitch, trying her shorter ball, then what looks like a slower ball variation, running through her repertoire.
29th over: India 148-7 (Deepti 12, Rana 5) Rather going through the motions here, as the batters collect four singles from Gardner. No Georgia Wareham tonight among the six bowlers used by Australia.
28th over: India 144-7 (Deepti 10, Rana 3) Deepti Sharma sweeping King, getting a run. A rare bad ball from King follows, full toss that Rana crunches but straight to the deep cover sweeper for one. Deepti gets onto her next sweep more effectively, looks to have found the rope but McGrath dives in on her stomach, gets hands to the ball, and knocks it up into her own face and away to Hamilton on the ricochet. Saves two.
27th over: India 140-7 (Deepti 7, Rana 2) Three runs from Gardner’s over, as spin continues.
26th over: India 137-7 (Deepti 5, Rana 1) King bowls a maiden! Sneh Rana deadbats the lot. I’m not sure what the point of that is, in a format based on scoring.
25th over: India 137-7 (Deepti 5, Rana 1) Sneh Rana in next, who’s a great fighter and a very good bat, but not one with the attacking gear to tackle 11 an over for half an ODI innings. Two runs from the over. Deepti has been out there for an age and barely made a run.
24th over: India 135-7 (Deepti 4) Suddenly King has 3 for 18 from five overs.
WICKET! Gautam lbw King 0, India 135-7
Two in three balls, King looping one up as Kashvee Gautam tries to sweep and misses. Any time you do that you’re in peril with umpires, the ball going on to hit her front pad rather than back leg, which means it was towards the line of leg stump, but the ball-tracking again says umpire’s call for hitting leg.
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WICKET! Ghosh b King 18, India 135-6
Now that is game over. Ghosh does get hold of King in the over, clearing her front leg to dig out a full ball over the long-on fielder for six, but two balls later King skids another ball through at off stump, much like the one that got Harmanpreet. Ghosh is not trying to block it, she’s trying to back away and cut it, forced by the required run rate to manufacture scoring chances. No dice, no contact, bowled top of off.
23rd over: India 129-5 (Deepti 4, Ghosh 12) Just not working for India. This must be one of the slower pairs between the wickets, and they have a couple of near run-outs. The runs don’t come. Three singles. They need ten and a half.
22nd over: India 126-5 (Deepti 3, Ghosh 10) Another over giving away nothing by King, who so far has conceded 12 from her four overs while India needed about 40 from them. There’s also a dropped catch, a feather from Deepti’s edge that the keeper misses standing up. Mooney has had quite a few errors behind the stumps, as she prepares for life after Healy.
21st over: India 124-5 (Deepti 2, Ghosh 9) After a few sighters, Ghosh does get going. Consecutive boundaries from Tahlia McGrath to close an over, driven through the off side. They need 286 from 29 overs, so about 10 an over.
20th over: India 116-5 (Deepti 2, Ghosh 1) There’s only one possible route to Indian victory now which is that Richa Ghosh smacks about 180.
WICKET! Harmanpreet lbw King 25, India 115-5
Lovely line, suffocatingly close to the off stump. Was that a top-spinner or did it just skid? It carries on towards the stumps, beats the forward press of Harmanpreet Kaur and pins her on the front pad just in line with off stump. The umpire gives it immediately, and a DRS review doesn’t change that. The Indian captain’s 25 off 33 hasn’t helped the cause that much.
19th over: India 112-4 (Harmanpreet 23, Deepti 1) Three runs and the run out in that over, and India’s chase looks pretty well done.
WICKET! Deol run out (Gardner / McGrath) 14, India 110-4
Sloppy running brings the stand to an end. Harmanpreet taps the ball to square leg, the first run is easy, but Deol seems to be easing her way down the pitch, not racing. Only expecting one. Harmanpreet turns for the second and goes, but Deol doesn’t until she sees her captain moving, and has to start late. Gardner luckily ignores the teammate yelling “Keeper!” and throws instead to the bowler’s end. Deol gestures to her ear, saying that she didn’t hear a call. Or that there wasn’t one.
18th over: India 109-3 (Harmanpreet 21, Deol 14) Still no plan or confidence with how to take on King. Deol trying to sweep, but almost coming undone when one ball dives at her boots and she has to drop her hands to keep up with it and make contact. Two runs from that, two other singles, King has the tap turned off.
17th over: India 105-3 (Harmanpreet 20, Deol 11) Finally, an over where India do what they need to do. The ones and the twos first, from almost every ball, then Harmanpreet whacks the final ball of the set over mid off and it skims for four. That’s the nine an over that they need. Tahlia McGrath is the bowler. Drinks.
16th over: India 96-3 (Harmanpreet 15, Deol 7) As if the chase wasn’t hard enough, Australia can now call on Alana King. The supreme leg-spinner in the women’s game for the last couple of years, with flight and control and the ability to rip the ball, she slides her second ball on into the pads of Deol. Pitches in line with middle and leg, skids through. Inside edge? Trending past leg? She continues, fielding well off her own work, then beating Deol’s stroke, leaving the batter needing to run down just to drive a single from the final ball of the over. Two runs from the over!
15th over: India 94-3 (Harmanpreet 14, Deol 6) Singles, dots, and three from the Gardner over. This really isn’t good enough from the current batting pair, as the required rate climbs past 9.
14th over: India 91-3 (Harmanpreet 12, Deol 5) Nice bit of timing from Deol, who plays Sutherland through deep third where it takes a good chase and a neat flick-back from Alana King to stop the boundary. The rest of the over though, not much intent to score.
13th over: India 87-3 (Harmanpreet 11, Deol 2) It looks like it’s going to be another suffocating over from Gardner, but the final ball is full and wide, and Harmanpreet using a whipcrack of the wrists to snap through the line of that ball as it lands, sending it down to bounce one foot inside the long-off rope for four.
12th over: India 81-3 (Harmanpreet 6, Deol 1) Still going very leg stump is Sutherland, picked off by Harmanpreet through square although Hamilton in the deep at fine leg makes up good ground to save two runs. A single from the last ball is the only other score. Harmanpreet using up too many deliveries early.
11th over: India 78-3 (Harmanpreet 3, Deol 1) A few singles to close the Gardner over. Two fairly slow starters at the crease now, not ideal for India. They need 332 more from 39 overs, which is 8 and a half. They’re currently going at just over 7.
WICKET! Rodrigues c Hamilton b Gardner 42, India 76-3
Action packed as soon as the Powerplay finishes and Australia’s premier spinner comes on. The first ball is a reverse sweep for four, the second is an attempted repeat that sees the ball beat Rodrigues and hit Mooney but bounce away, the stumping chance missed, then the third ball does bring the wicket, the conventional sweep this time bringing a simple top edge to short fine leg for the player on debut to take her first catch.
10th over: India 72-2 (Rodrigues 38, Harmanpreet 2) Great catch by Mooney down the leg side, given out on the field, but Harmanpreet reviews and the replay shows that it was all thigh pad, no bat. Sutherland keeps sending down dot balls, India’s captain not taking anything on until she steps forward and times the pants off a straight drive, but so straight the bowler can deflect it into the other set of stumps and stop any scoring. No run from the over.
9th over: India 72-2 (Rodrigues 38, Harmanpreet 2) Another scoop from Rodrigues against Hamilton but a field change means she only gets two for it, and the over only concedes three. A win for the debutant.
8th over: India 69-2 (Rodrigues 36, Harmanpreet 1) Dross to end the over, Sutherland thumping a ball in short that just limps up off the surface and hangs outside the off stump, like something a kid with a tennis ball would send down. Rodrigues waits for it to reach her vicinity and clubs it through point for four. That makes 16 runs from the over, along with a decent ball to take the wicket.
WICKET! Rawal lbw Sutherland 27, India 62-2
Runs from the over, with Rawal glancing another boundary, then Sutherland fires down leg and Beth Mooney behind the stumps fumbles a take to give up five wides. But it all comes good for Sutherland with another ball angled towards leg stump but starting from a better line, given by the umpire. I thought there was enough doubt about that in real time to review but India don’t. Ball tracking says umpire’s call. I wouldn’t have given that one, but it sneaks in under the cutoff.
7th over: India 53-1 (Rawal 23, Rodrigues 30) It takes Pratika Rawal three balls to get off strike from Hamilton, who then bounces Rodrigues to take out any chance of the lap shot again, but Rodrigues is equal to the new length, bandicooting up on her toes to guide it down through gully for four. Then a genuine nick from the next ball that skims away safely through the slip area for two. Cordon deux?
“That’s you, mate!” shouts Healy to the bowler. Imagine, making your Australian debut in 2026 in Healy’s final ODI match. What a handover.
6th over: India 46-1 (Rawal 22, Rodrigues 24) Good shot from Rodrigues, moving across to change the line of the ball so she can pick up the flick shot high over square leg from Carey for four. Only one other run from the over though.
5th over: India 41-1 (Rawal 21, Rodrigues 20) Scoop shot from Rodrigues! She has the left-armer Hamilton to content with, and the right-hander does so by throwing the front foot around, opening up her stance, and shovelling the ball over short fine leg. Four there, then repeats the does two balls later. Defends the next, on off stump, then smokes her on-drive for a third boundary in the over!
They need 8 an over and now they’re ahead of that rate.
4th over: India 29-1 (Rawal 21, Rodrigues 8) Three fours in a row for Rawal! Often questioned for her scoring rate, although there’s nothing actually wrong with it, she has a burst here against Carey by driving through cover, glancing fine, then driving through point. That last shot especially looks effortless, just places the bat there and it pings away.
3rd over: India 17-1 (Rawal 9, Rodrigues 8) Another over for Hamilton, another boundary, Rodrigues on the walk and glancing an angled ball through fine leg.
2nd over: India 12-1 (Rawal 8, Rodrigues 4) Jemimah Rodrigues wastes no time, guiding a boundary away through deep third to end Carey’s over.
WICKET! Mandhana c Gardner b Carey 0, India 8-1
Shades of Tendulkar in the World Cup final of 2003! The highest-quality operator in the Indian side, the player who has to come off for them to have a chance, goes having faced just a few balls, looking to force the pace early. Nicola Carey swinging the ball away from the left-hander, who walks down the track and tries to loft over the off side. Can’t d0 more than skew a ball high to cover, where the catch is taken by a Ash Gardner running back.
1st over: India 8-0 (Rawal 8, Mandhana 0) Eight an over required, eight an over acquired. Easy. Lucy Hamilton on debut bowls her first over in international cricket, the tall left-armer angling the ball across Pratika Rawal, who leaves four alone before driving an overpitched ball through the covers, then reaching for a square drive and flashing it in the air square of the wicket, just past backward point and then beating the sweeper.
Thanks Megan. That’s not a score, that’s a colossus. If India are to have a prayer of chasing it, they’ll need to go for it right away, so we’ll in for some early action if that’s the case. The far more likely scenario is that they’ll get nowhere near it, given that conceding such a score is a flattening experience. Let’s see if Smriti Mandhana can get on one of her rolls.
Well, it’s now time for me to say goodbye to you all after a monster first innings. However, you’re in for a treat with the brilliant wordsmith Geoff Lemon jumping into the driver’s seat for the second innings. So sit back, relax and let him guide you through this chase. I’ll see you next time!
Australia set India 410 for victory
A massive innings from Australia – around the 25 over mark it was already looking like 400 might be on the cards. A slower pace later in the innings when a couple of wickets fell made that start to look less likely, but a batting masterclass from Carey and Mooney at the death pushed them easily past that total.
It was a real treat for Australian fans to see Healy come out with such a dominant performance in her final ODI. Her 158 from 98 balls was full of flair and determination and puts an emphatic exclamation mark on her highly decorated career. Mooney was brilliant in support, with a fantastic century of her own, finishing with 106 from 84 balls.
Carey was a revelation as a late order hitter – her 34 came from just 15 balls, her strike rate of 226.67 was exactly what Australia needed after a few quick wickets to India.
There wasn’t too much to celebrate for India, with none of their bowlers finishing with an economy rate under 6. Sneh Rana was their best with 2-66 from her 10 overs. Sree Charani also got two wickets, but giving away 106 from her 10 overs gave Australia way too much room to move.
It is an overwhelming total for India to chase, but they will hopefully go into it with some belief on a good batting wicket.
50th over: Australia 409-7 (Carey 34, Mooney 106)
Well to really rub salt in the wound, India are behind on over rates and have to bring a fielder up into the inner circle for this final over. Mooney starts with two twos to get to 99 and bring up the 400 runs for Australia. She pulls one away for a single and brings up her sixth ODI century. Deepti bowls a very good ball to Carey, but she slams her bat down and opens the face to protect her wicket and pick up a single. Mooney picks up another four and then some very hard running gets them a two from the final ball.
49th over: Australia 397-7 (Carey 33, Mooney 95)
Carey starts the over with a beautiful reverse sweep that runs away for four and follows it up with a drive through deep point for four. Next up it’s a sweep that also goes for four – a great boosting of the strike rate from her late in the innings. She defends one back to the bowler, then switch hits for six in a frankly ridiculous shot and follows that up with a four. She is having a field day!
48th over: Australia 375-7 (Carey 11, Mooney 95)
Kashvee comes back for her last over of the day. A couple of singles straight up get Mooney in the 90s. It’s a decent over from Kashvee for most of the over with just ones and twos from it, but then Mooney gets in position for the scoop and manages to flick it down to the boundary for four.
47th over: Australia 365-7 (Carey 7, Mooney 89)
Deepti returns for her ninth over and Carey takes a single straight away to give Mooney the strike. They are content with taking the singles and keeping the strike rotating to make sure the score keeps on ticking up. Carey gets things moving a bit faster with a big sweep shot, which can’t find the rope, but they run two and then do the same thing again next ball.
46th over: Australia 356-7 (Carey 1, Mooney 87)
Charani returns for her ninth over of the game. She succeeds in keeping McGrath on strike with a dot first ball and is rewarded with the wicket, which brings Wareham to the crease. She gets off the mark with a quick single to get Mooney back on strike. Wareham then loses her wicket and Carey comes in and runs a quick single to keep the strike.
WICKET! Wareham c Smriti b Charani 1 (Australia 355-7)
Not Charani’s best delivery – a full toss at Wareham’s legs, but she can’t do much with it and just sends it straight to Smriti for a simple catch.
WICKET! McGrath c Kashvee b Charani 2 (Australia 353-6)
McGrath shuffles over to the offside to give herself space for a big pull shot, but she doesn’t get all of it and Kashvee takes a great catch to send her on her way.
45th over: Australia 353-5 (McGrath 2, Mooney 86)
Gardner’s wicket on the first ball of the over brings the other vice captain, McGrath, to the crease. She gets off the strike with a single straight away, which is disappointing for India, to not allow Renuka to build up pressure on the new batter. The next ball is a wide and Mooney decides not to chase that one and just let it roll through to the keeper. On the final ball of the over, Mooney smashes a four straight down the ground, to turn a good over from Renuka back in Australia’s favour.
WICKET! Gardner b Renuka 4 (Australia 345-5)
Renuka strikes on the first ball of her last over, bowling it full and straight, yorker length, to knock out middle stump.
44th over: Australia 345-4 (Gardner 4, Mooney 81)
Deepti continues after her wicket last over. Mooney runs a couple of quick twos – Gardner picking up where Sutherland left off with running hard to turn dots into ones and ones into twos. Late in the over Deepti goes very wide to try to evade Mooney. Mooney could have left it alone as it easily would have been a wide, but she’s chasing everything down today and slashes it away for a single.
43rd over: Australia 337-4 (Gardner 2, Mooney 75)
Renuka comes back into the attack and gets the new batter on strike on the second ball, but she can’t apply the pressure too hard, with Gardner able to dash away for a single to get off the mark immediately. There’s more caution in the Australian batting after the loss of that wicket – they don’t want to lose wickets in clumps. Late in the over, Mooney finds the ball she’s been waiting for, gently cutting it through deep backward point for four.
42nd over: Australia 328-4 (Gardner o, Mooney 68)
Deepti is back into the attack and as they have all series, the batters go aggressively after her. Mooney starts with a two, then brings out her sweep shot again for a four. Next ball she drives it down to deep backward point and splits the fielders with precision, managing to run three as they chase it down. Sutherland holes out on the last ball of the over, to bring Gardner to the crease.
WICKET! Sutherland c Rana b Deepti 23 (Australia 328-4)
Sutherland looks to smash one straight down the ground for six, but Deepti gets her hitting low on the bat and Rana is safe under the high ball, taking the catch easily.
41st over: Australia 317-3 (Sutherland 22, Mooney 58)
Sutherland starts Rana’s over with a lovely and very gentle reverse sweep down into the pockets of the ground for two. She rotates the strike and Mooney brings out a regular sweep for four. Australia have passed the highest ODI total at Bellerive Oval now and Sutherland is keen to really smash that record by a lot, getting down sweeping for four on the final ball of the over.
40th over: Australia 305-3 (Sutherland 15, Mooney 53)
Mooney starts the over aggressively, having passed the milestone, but Charani has cover in the deep and it’s just a two. Next ball, she finds a single to bring up the 300 for Australia – a huge score considering there are still 10 overs remaining. Sutherland plays one in the air and it looks like a chance for a catch, but Deepti can’t get there and to add insult to injury, she over runs it and it trickles over the boundary for four.
39th over: Australia 297-3 (Sutherland 10, Mooney 50)
Rana resumes after her big breakthrough last over and Sutherland finds a single straight away. While the big hitting of Healy has gone, India will find it hard to apply any dot ball pressure with these two at the crease, as they are both great athletes and will be able to drop and run to turn dots into ones. Sutherland gets her first boundary with a drive past long on, before getting Mooney back on strike with her half century imminent. She gets there with a single as Australia close in on the 300 mark.
38th over: Australia 289-3 (Sutherland 4, Mooney 48)
Charani is back into the attack – she has been expensive today, but with a relatively new batter at the crease, now might be her chance to strike. Mooney places a nice scoop and with a quicker runner at the non-striker’s end picks up three runs from it. Charani misses her line to Sutherland, but gets the benefit of her not being a set batter and she just works it away for a single. It’s a much better over from Charani.
37th over: Australia 282-3 (Sutherland 1, Mooney 44)
Mooney starts the over with a customary single to get her captain back on strike. Healy then shuffles over to the offside and deposits it over the boundary once again. She then gets a bit cute with an attempted reverse and Rana finally gets her wicket, bringing Sutherland to the crease. Sutherland defends her first ball, then decides to up the ante and attempts a lap, but she can’t get bat on ball. She finishes with a more traditional flick off her pads for a single to get off the mark.
WICKET! Healy b Rana 158 (Australia 281-3)
Healy is clearly feeling invincible and attempts what looks like a reverse sweep to a full toss and it crashes into the stumps and she has to go. There’s a quick check to make sure it’s not a no ball, but it’s given the all clear.
36th over: Australia 276-2 (Healy 154, Mooney 43)
Mooney gets down sweeping to start Kashvee’s over and finds a gap past long on for four, then cuts one to the other side of the field for another four next ball. She then rotates the strike to Healy, who steers it well to short third for a single to bring up her 150 from just 95 deliveries, becoming just the sixth batter with multiple 150+ ODI scores. Healy isn’t done yet, leaning back and driving it past deep extra cover, where it bounces over the rope.
Updated
35th over: Australia 261-2 (Healy 149, Mooney 33)
Renuka is back into the attack after that little break, as we move into the final third of Australia’s innings, with the home team absolutely flying at the moment. It’s a good start to the over for Renuka, with a couple of dots, but then a misfield from Deol lets Mooney rotate the strike and Renuka has to bowl to Healy, who is full of confidence and seeing the ball so well. Renuka misses her line, with a full toss straying down the leg side – fortunately she has cover in the field and it’s just a single. It’s a good over from Renuka in the end, just five runs from it.
34th over: Australia 256-2 (Healy 146, Mooney 31)
Kashvee returns to the attack, she got the early wicket of Litchfield, so will be hoping she can be the one to break this partnership. Mooney starts with a two, then gets the memo from Healy that she’s probably the one who should be on strike right now and just jogs a run on the next ball to get her captain back into the action. Healy lifts one up over Jemimah in the infield and then against the odds, it sails past the outfielders as well for yet another boundary. Drinks are on the field now.
33rd over: Australia 247-2 (Healy 141, Mooney 27)
Deepti continues, trying to find something to break this partnership. She does well to limit the boundary damage for much of the over, with just singles and a two from the first four balls. However Healy has had enough of hitting it around and slog sweeps for six again, followed by a sweep past fine leg for four.
32nd over: Australia 232-2 (Healy 128, Mooney 25)
Healy keeps up the pace against Charani, getting on strike and immediately getting a little inside out shot for another four. Charani tries to adjust, but she gives Healy too much width and she drives one past deep backward point for four, then cuts the next to a similar area for another four. Charani is trying everything she can, but Healy has really upped the pressure on her and pulls out a slog sweep for six and another cut shot for four – an absolutely massive over from the retiring captain.
31st over: Australia 209-2 (Healy 106, Mooney 24)
Mooney comes down the pitch to Deepti early in the over and the shot looks a little loose, but it falls safely for a single to bring Healy on strike on 97. It just takes her one shot to bring up the century from there – she gets to bring out her favourite pull shot, hitting it well for four to bring up the 100. She’s in a good rhythm now, cutting it over to the other side of the field for another four next ball.
30th over: Australia 198-2 (Healy 97, Mooney 22)
Healy is coping just fine with her calf cramps, smashing two fours in the first three balls of Charani’s over – pouncing on the deliveries that aren’t quite hitting the line and length – bringing her within touching distance of her century. India make some adjustments in the field as she approaches the milestone.
29th over: Australia 188-2 (Healy 88, Mooney 21)
Deepti continues – her last over wasn’t her best, but Harmanpreet is backing her in to turn it around. I’m just keeping an eye on Healy, as she seems to be dealing with a bit of cramping in her legs at the moment. It doesn’t stop her working one very nicely down to third for a well-run two, which brings up the 50-run partnership between these two. Healy takes a break to stretch and it looks like definitely her calves that are cramping.
28th over: Australia 184-2 (Healy 85, Mooney 20)
Well after Rana had Mooney completely pinned down for the past few overs, Mooney is able to turn that pressure around and with a slog sweep past long on for six from the first ball of the over. A few balls later and Healy wants in on the action, with a powerful drive for four and then a pull shot for another four, which she doesn’t quite middle, but it manages to split the fielders nonetheless. An expensive over from Rana – 15 coming from it.
27th over: Australia 169-2 (Healy 77, Mooney 13)
Mooney looks for something innovative at the start of the over to try to boost her strike rate. She shapes to lap, then adjusts her bat slightly for the delivery Deepti bowls and guides it down through fine leg for four. Deepti is able to adjust and puts the brakes on for most of the over, but on the last ball she misses her length completely and it’s a full toss right on the knee roll and Healy pulls it away for four. There’s a catching chance there, but it would have been a spectacular catch if they’d pulled it off.
26th over: Australia 158-2 (Healy 72, Mooney 7)
We’ve passed the halfway point in Australia’s innings now and they’re shaping up for a score over 300 if they can keep their heads and not collapse from here. A misfield lets Mooney off the hook and releases the pressure on the first ball of the over – it should have been another dot, but it gets through Kashvee and runs away for four. Rana doesn’t let it get to her and continues to cramp Mooney up and bowling a very uncomfortable length to her.
25th over: Australia 153-2 (Healy 72, Mooney 2)
Healy starts the over with another boundary – a thick outside edge from Renuka’s bowling to pick up four through third. She slightly changes the angle of her bat next ball with a similar result – a four down through deep backward point. That brings up the 150 for Australia and they are cruising quite nicely at the moment. Renuka tightens up with four dots to not to let the over get too much away from India.
24th over: Australia 145-2 (Healy 64, Mooney 2)
Healy gets the scoring moving again with a nice drive for four early in Rana’s over, then sweeps for a single. Mooney is having more trouble with the bowling, a very low strike rate for her so far.
23rd over: Australia 140-2 (Healy 59, Mooney 2)
Healy is back on strike to Renuka after watching the events of the last over play out from the non-striker’s end. She sees off a dot and a wide before running a quick single to give Mooney the chance to get off the mark. Eventually she manages it with a drop and run and an overthrow lets her turn it into two.
22nd over: Australia 136-2 (Healy 58, Mooney 0)
Rana gets Voll at the start of the over to bring Mooney to the crease. There’s an appeal from Richa for caught behind on Mooney immediately, but it’s pretty clearly missed the edge of her bat and Rana shakes her head at the keeper. Mooney plays defensively as she gets her eye in and it’s wicket maiden for Rana.
WICKET! Voll c Deol b Rana 62 (Australia 136-2)
Rana strikes on the first ball of the over – Voll attempts another drive down the ground, but Rana gets some turn and gets Voll’s bottom edge, meaning she can only hit it straight to Deol for an easy catch.
21st over: Australia 136-1 (Healy 58, Voll 62)
Kashvee starts her seventh over well, keeping Voll on strike and eating into that strike rate a little with three dots. She finds a gap on the fourth ball of the over and manages to rotate the strike to Healy. Can Kashvee keep it tight for the over and start to introduce some pressure back to the Australian batters? She does a good job, just three off it in the end.
20th over: Australia 133-1 (Healy 57, Voll 60)
Voll comes dancing down the pitch to Charani on the first ball of the over to play yet another lovely straight drive back over the bowler’s head for a one bounce four. Charani adjusts her length and gives away only a couple of singles, but then Voll cuts it past deep extra cover for another four, making it an expensive over for Charani and bringing up the 100 run partnership for Healy and Voll.
19th over: Australia 122-1 (Healy 56, Voll 50)
Kashvee is back with some pace bowling again after that period of spin. She nearly gets Voll on the first ball, but Harmanpreet doesn’t get forward to it enough and puts down the catch. Voll gets off strike next ball and Healy picks up where she left off, opening the face of the bat and guiding it past deep backward point for four. Voll tries to dart off for a single to get her 50 late in the over, but Healy wisely sends her back. Next ball, she finds some space with her pull shot and brings up the milestone.
18th over: Australia 115-1 (Healy 51, Voll 48)
A single from the first ball gets Healy over the line for a half-century in final ODI – very special moment for her. Voll takes some inspiration and drives the next one straight down the ground for a one bounce four. Charani recovers well and hits a better length for the next couple of balls to restrict the batters to dots and ones. Even a misfield at point on the last ball of the over is stopped in the deep to keep it to a single.
17th over: Australia 107-1 (Healy 49, Voll 42)
Rana creates a chance on the first ball of the over, getting Voll’s top edge. Jemimah pulls out a brilliant, full-length dive, but she can’t get there and it’s a let off for Voll. There’s an appeal on Voll at the end of the over for lbw, but the umpire turns them down and they decide not to review. Drinks are on the field now.
16th over: Australia 103-1 (Healy 47, Voll 40)
Deepti continues and the batters are looking a little more aggressive to her bowling now, but she’s hitting her line and length better today than she has in previous games, so they’re only managing ones and twos against her so far. However, on the final ball of the over, Healy finds a gap in the field with a well-timed cut shot and brings up the 100 for Australia.
15th over: Australia 96-1 (Healy 43, Voll 37)
Rana comes back into the attack from the other end and after starting with a couple of dots, she gets Healy swinging and there’s almost a catching opportunity, but the ball just clears the infield. Next ball, Healy finds the gap she’s looking for and picks up another four.
14th over: Australia 88-1 (Healy 36, Voll 36)
Deepti bowls her first over – a surprise after Rana bowled a good first over. However, the Australian batters have really gone after Deepti and perhaps Harmanpreet thinks she can get them taking some risks and pick up a wicket here. Voll takes it easy to start and just picks up a single and then Healy keeps things fairly cautious as well – she doesn’t want to throw away her wicket after a good start in her final ODI. A good over from Deepti in the end, just two singles from it.
13th over: Australia 86-1 (Healy 35, Voll 35)
Some innovation from Voll early in Charani’s over, with Voll getting in position and scooping – it can’t find the boundary, but Voll manages to coax Healy into running three – not bad from the soon-to-be-retired veteran. It brings up the 50 partnership for these two, which they have reached fairly quickly.
12th over: Australia 80-1 (Healy 33, Voll 31)
The first over for Rana now – a very experienced player for the Indian team. Again the batters take some time to size her up, with singles and dots to start the over and as they see how her bowling is playing on the pitch. In fact, dots and singles are all they manage from her over – a good start from Rana.
11th over: Australia 77-1 (Healy 31, Voll 30)
We get our first look at spin for the match, with Charani into the attack for the first time with her left arm orthodox. Voll plays the first one cautiously, before looking for a gap in the field and cutting one away for a single. There’s a little mix up between the batters, with Healy looking for a single and Voll sending her back. Healy makes it back safely and it was the right call from Voll to send her back, as Jemimah was the fielder and it’s probably not advisable to run on her arm. Healy then gets her single and Voll has her eye in, smashing a six straight down the ground.
10th over: Australia 69-1 (Healy 30, Voll 23)
Voll finds a gap down near third at the start of Kashvee’s over, but Kashvee then finds a good line and length to find a couple of dots. Kashvee then strays slightly wide again and Voll cuts one past deep point for four, taking advantage of the fielding restrictions in place for this over. The power play is now complete – it has been a good one for Australia.
9th over: Australia 62-1 (Healy 30, Voll 16)
Voll gets her first look at Renuka as we come towards the end of the power play. Voll gets her first boundary that comes from a deliberate shot, playing the ball late, getting right on top of it and driving it past deep point for four. Renuka tightens up again – she is doing a good job of fighting back after bowling looser deliveries so far today, but just hasn’t managed to snare a wicket.
8th over: Australia 55-1 (Healy 30, Voll 9)
Kashvee continues after taking a wicket in her last over. Healy picks up a single straight away to give Voll the strike for the first time. A thick outside edge from the first ball, but she’s lucky that there are no slips in place and it runs away for four. There’s a dot in there, but then she gets another edge that goes between the slip and gully that were brought in after she edged the last one! She’s having some luck so far in her innings.
7th over: Australia 45-1 (Healy 29, Voll 0)
Renuka really misses her line badly for the first time today and Healy is delighted, driving one past deep point for four, then opens the face of her bat to the next ball and steers it past third for another four. Renuka tightens up her line and the next ball is a dot, then there’s a big appeal for lbw. The umpire isn’t interested, but Renuka manages to talk Harmanpreet into reviewing it. It was a decent shout, because it’s an umpires call and really could have gone either way. Healy gets to keep batting, but India retain their review.
6th over: Australia 32-1 (Healy 16, Voll o)
Both batters seem to be finding Kashvee easier to play at the moment, but that may mean she can lure them into taking a bigger risk against her and pick up a wicket. She has tightened up a lot since her first over going for 11, but she is having trouble pinning them down, with both Healy and Litchfield finding singles with ease. Oh wait, what did I say about her luring them into taking risks? She’s done just that and Litchfield is gone.
Updated
WICKET! Litchfield c Charani b Kashvee 14 (Australia 32-1)
Just as Litchfield was hitting her strides, she has a big slog across the line and gets a top edge on it that flies to Charani for an easy catch.
5th over: Australia 27-0 (Healy 14, Litchfield 12)
Another over for Renuka and she starts with three dots, continuing her tight bowling performance. Eventually Litchfield finds some runs, cutting through the infield and down to deep cover for a well-run two.
4th over: Australia 24-0 (Healy 14, Litchfield 9)
Kashvee resumes, hoping she can bowl a tighter over than her first. Healy aggressively pulls the first ball, but Harmanpreet makes a good save to cut it off and restrict it to a dot. The next two balls are dots as well – it’s a much better start to the over from Kashvee. Eventually Healy manages a little drop and run for a quick single to turn the strike back over to Litchfield. Litchfield does the same – they’re keeping the strike moving well after the first maiden. Healy finds some room on the last ball of the over, hoisting it up and over the field for a four.
3rd over: Australia 18-0 (Healy 9, Litchfield 8)
Renuka continues her spell and gets her first shot at Litchfield. The first ball is ruled wide, so not the ball she would have been hoping for. She adjusts her line well next ball and Litchfield can’t do anything but defend. She continues to target the stumps and bowl very full and you can feel Litchfield starting to get frustrated. Unfortunately for Renuka, she slightly misses her length and it lets Litchfield get all that frustration out with a six on the second last ball of the over.
2nd over: Australia 11-0 (Healy 9, Litchfield 2)
Kashvee opens the bowling from the other end – she was certainly the pick of the bowlers for India on Friday. However, Litchfield is keen to get going and finds a gap in the infield immediately, driving it through cover for a single. And that has inspired Healy into action as well, she cuts it well for four – the first boundary of the match. Litchfield chases after a wide delivery and cuts it into the deep late in the over – she picks up a single, but it might provide India some hope that they can lure her into more risky shots and pick up a boundary. Healy finishes the over with another four.
1st over: Australia 0-0 (Healy 0, Litchfield 0)
Renuka takes the new ball for India, with Healy on strike in her final ODI. There’s quite a bit of wind around and it assists the ball moving in towards Healy and she starts defensively. She strikes it more aggressively next ball, but with the same result, just a dot. It’s a good start for Renuka. We have a pause midway through the over because a bail has blown off – probably a good indication of how windy it is in Hobart! It’s a maiden for Renuka – a very good start for India.
The teams are on the field and we’re ready to go. The Indian team gave Healy a guard of honour as she entered the field – a nice touch.
Remember you can send me an email during today’s game if you have any thoughts to share! Today I’m interested to hear your opinions on the upcoming Test – who do you think both teams will select for that all important match? Drop me a line and let me know – the link is at the top of the page.
Cricket Australia have provided an update on Kim Garth:
Kim continues to make positive progress in her rehabilitation from a quadriceps injury and is tracking well in her recovery. However, with preparation timelines for the upcoming Test match now tight, she has not yet resumed bowling. She has returned home and will rejoin the squad in Perth as she continues her rehabilitation.
A full Test squad update will be provided following tonight‘s final ODI.
It has also been confirmed that Megan Schutt’s exclusion from the team today is due to illness.
So a few changes to both teams compared to game two. The notable one for Australia is Lucy Hamilton making her international debut. She was presented ODI cap 151 by Alyssa Healy before the match. Georgia Wareham also comes into the eleven for this match, with Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown making way for the two new inclusions.
India have opted to make three changes from the team that last took the field in Hobart. They have brought in Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana and Renuka Singh, with Amanjot Kaur, Vaishnavi Sharma and Kranti Gaud dropping out of the eleven for this final ODI.
Updated
India XI
1. Smriti Mandhana
2. Pratika Rawal
3. Harleen Deol
4. Harmanpreet Kaur
5. Jemimah Rodrigues
6. Richa Ghosh
7. Deepti Sharma
8. Kashvee Gautam
9. Sree Charani
10. Sneh Rana
11. Renuka Singh
Australia XI
1. Alyssa Healy
2. Phoebe Litchfield
3. Georgia Voll
4. Beth Mooney
5. Annabel Sutherland
6. Ash Gardner
7. Tahlia McGrath
8. Georgia Wareham
9. Nicola Carey
10. Alana King
11. Lucy Hamilton
India won the toss and elected to bowl
As predicted, Harmanpreet won the toss and decided to flip things around and bowl. She says the pitch looks drier today and she thinks their spinners will do a great job on it.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the third ODI between Australia and India. Australia have already clinched the ODI leg of the series with wins in the first two games, but the whole multi-format series is still very much up for grabs after India won the T20 leg. With only the Test remaining, can India draw the series level? Or will Australia’s ODI dominance in this series continue?
It was interesting to note that both previous ODI tosses were won by Harmanpreet Kaur for India and both times she elected to bat. If she continues her great run of winning the toss, I’d expect her to bowl first this time and try to restrict Australia to a relatively low total and go for the chase.
The Australian camp has been plagued with injuries, with Kim Garth, Ellyse Perry and Sophie Molineux all unavailable for selection. However, the depth of the squad has been on show for them, with everyone who has been selected in this ODI series so far able to shine under pressure.
The toss is immeinent and we will find out soon who both teams have selected in their eleven for today, so let’s get into it.
