Players Smriti Mandhana (43 not out) and Shafali Verma (40) looked formidable just before play in Mumbai ended on Thursday. On the fourth ball, though, left-arm orthodox spinner Jess Jonassen trapped her leg before wicket.
The Indian pair, who rocketed at nearly a run-a-ball in their boundary-laced 90-run stand to cut the deficit to 121 runs, duly treated Australia’s seamers with contempt as they consistently missed their lengths.
The home team’s barnstorming progress was eventually checked when Ash Gardner’s finger spin was introduced in the 10th over, with India cruising at 0-64.
Australia’s seamers gave up 77 runs in 12 overs, including wayward Kim Garth, out-of-sorts Ellyse Perry, and debutante Lauren Cheatle.
But in just seven overs, spinners Gardner and Jonassen conceded just 12 runs.
Earlier, new vice captain Tahlia McGrath’s breezy 50 off 56 balls, captain Alyssa Healy’s gritty 38, and Garth’s handy unbeaten 28 led an otherwise disappointing Australian display with the bat in challenging conditions.
Seamer Pooja Vastrakar (career-best 4-53) ripped the tourists’ top and middle apart, ably supported by offspin duo Sneh Rana (3-56) and Deepti Sharma (2-45).
Australia Inside the Australian women’s cricket team’s 1984 India tourfirst 10 deliveries.
are telling hilarious tales from the team’s 1984 debut visit to India as the Australian women begin their tour of that nation.by Vastrakar for four.
Vastrakar, who troubled Australia with her each-way seam movement, removed Beth Mooney (40) on the last ball before lunch before getting rid of Annabel Sutherland (16) and Ash Gardner (11) in The home team’s bar
Storming progress was eventually checked when Ash Gardner’s finger spin was introduced in the 10th over, with India cruising at 0-64 and injuring her right index finger when it was accidentally bitten by one of her pet puppies.
Healy’s departure — bowled attempting to sweep Sharma — triggered Australia’s collapse, which was salvaged late by Garth.
