The first ODI of the 3 match series between India women and Australia women, which is part of the ICC Women’s Championship, was played in Vadodara today.
Harmanpreet Kaur captained the team in place of Mithali Raj and won the toss and decided to bat first. Australia women bowlers took full advantage of the conditions early morning removing Mandhana (12), Rodrigues (1) and Kaur (9) for cheap.
Punam Raut hit 37 and Sushma Verma hit 41 to steady the ship. Pooja Vastrakar scored her first ODI fifty (51 off 56 balls with 7 fours and 1 six) to take India to a respectable total. India ended up making 200 in their allotted 50 overs.
Jess Jonassen was the pick of Australian bowlers, as she picked up 4/30 and Amanda-Jade Wellington picked 3/24.
Australia had 201 to chase and they did it in style. Opener Nicole Bolton scored an unbeaten century to anchor the innings. She scored 100* in 101 balls with 12 fours. Alyssa Healy scored 38 in 29 balls and the duo added 60 runs in 9.1 overs.
Meg Lanning hit 33 in 38 balls, but Ellyse Perry calmed the nerves down with 25*, as Australia women reached the target with 8 wickets in hand. Shikha Pandey picked up the only wicket taken by a bowler, which was also her 50th ODI wicket.
BRIEF SCORES:
IND-W 200 (P VASTRAKAR 51; J JONASSEN 4/30) lost to AUS-W 202/2 (N BOLTON 100*, A HEALY 38) by 8 wkts.
