Posted by Opening match of the multi-format Australia-India series saw Australia bag the 1st ODI very comfortably with a 9 wicket margin, Australia chasing 225 for a win in 41 overs get to the required and start the summer with a win.
Australia won the toss and opt to bowl, both teams with a debutant each, Hannah Darlington for Australia and Meghna Singh for India.
India put into bat first see a 31 run opening stand that saw curtains with the wicket of Shafali who on a short ball departed nicking one to Healy on 8, Darcie Brown with the wicket. Darcie soon had her second, this time gets Smriti Mandhana walking back on 18. Yastika Bhatia and Mithali Raj do the repair work, get India back in the contest after early setbacks as India went past the 100 mark and the duo stitched up a 77 run partnership that saw curtains with the wicket of Yastika Bhatia on 35, was a fine innings and it was Brown again handing Australia a breakthrough. Deepti was in next and was done with a short ball on 9 by Brown, India were 129-4. Pooja Vastrakar joined a set Mithali Raj who was pacing her innings a bit too slow and soon got to her 5th consecutive half century in ODI and looking to deposit one over the fence saw herself being stumped on 63, Sophie Molineux with a key wicket of the Indian skipper. Pooja walked back for a handy cameo, did have a better intent and it was debutant Darlington with the wicket of Pooja on 17, wasn’t much from Sneh Rana as she walked back for 2 and Darlington knocked the leg stump to have her second. Richa Ghosh and Jhulan Goswami launch a few and managed to get a few to the boundary ensuring India post a 200+ total, Jhulan was the last to depart with 3 balls left in the innings, Jhulan walked back for a fantastic cameo of 20, Richa Ghosh had a slow start but with her shot making she accelerated and finsihed unbeaten on 32(29).
For Australia with the ball, Darcie Brown had an excellent outing as she went on picking 4 in her 9 with economy under 4, couple each for Sophie Molineux and debutant Hannah Darlington. Disciplined bowling, Australia restrict India for a low total of 225-8 in 50 overs.
Australia in reply, put up a cautious start that soon was accelerated. Alyssa Healy first pushed the accelerator as she unsettled a few Indian bowlers early on who never were able to stage a comeback, Australia did well as they dispatched the bad balls and charged down to the Indian spinners. Haynes too wasn’t late to join the action, following the footsteps of Healy; Haynes too pushed the accelerator and the duo got Australia past the 100 mark in 18 overs. With 126 on board Australia lost their first as Healy on 77(77) who was looking to deposit one more over the fence was caught at mid-off, Poonam Yadav with the wicket put curtains on Alyssa Healy fantastic outing. Rachael Haynes soon got to her brilliant half century and Australia despite the wicket didn’t let India take control and kept scoring boundaries to keep India under pressure. 200 was up for Australia in 35 overs and skipper Meg Lanning too got to her fine half century and Haynes with a boundary finsihed the run chase. Australia got to the required in just 41 overs, Rachael Haynes and skipper Meg remained unbeaten on 93 and 53 respectively.
For India with the ball, was a lone wicket that Poonam Yadav bagged. New ball bowlers Jhulan Goswami and Meghna Singh bowled tight lines but weren’t rewarded with a wicket, Pooja Vastrakar and Deepti Sharma looked completely off colour. Sneh Raha and Poonam Yadav lacked control but managed to hold a decent economy.
Clinical win for Australia to get the summer underway and add a win more to their 24* streak of ODI wins. India again disappoint with the bat and with the ball lacked ideas, unaddressed or overheard. 2nd ODI is on the 24th and it will be a decider for India.
Bureau of sports 