Mumbai: Pooja Vastraka claimed 4-53 and Sneh Rana 3-56 as India Women bowled out Australia for 219 runs in their first innings on the opening day of the only Test of the multi-format series which started at the Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday.
Australia’s first innings, which lasted 77.4 overs and 305 minutes, was boosted by a superb counter-attacking half-century by Tahila McGrath (50 off 56 balls), who hammered the fastest Test half-century by an Australian in women’s cricket off 52 deliveries.
Of the other Australian batters, Beth Mooney scored 40 and skipper Alyssa Healy 38 while Kim Garth contributed an unbeaten 28 off 71 balls lower down the order, raising vital partnerships with Jess Jonassen (19 off 61) and Lauren Cheatle (6) as Australia went past the 200 runs mark.
Landing the ball around the good length spot repeatedly, Vastrakar, who claimed her best figures of 3/23 in the second innings of the previous Test against England at the DY Patil Stadium last week, moved the ball both ways and used the early juice in the wicket to trouble the Australian batters.
Bowling in four spells, three of them from the Garware end, Vastrakar claimed one wicket from the Tata End in his first spell and then claimed the all-important wicket of Beth Mooney from the Garware end in her second spell on the stroke of lunch.
With the 24-year-old pacer from Madhya Pradesh looking to India’s best bowler of the day, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur used her judiciously, bringing in her to break the rhythm of the Australian batters.
Sneh picked the key wicket of Tahlia McGrath, getting her to flick uppishly to midwicket, Alana King (5) and Lauren Cheatle (6).
Pooja Sharma, the star of India’s 347-run triumph against England with a 9/39 haul at the DY Patil Stadium last week, claimed two wickets for 45 runs, including the key wicket of Alyssa Healy.
Though the Indians bowled superbly and used the assistance in the wicket to good effect, they could have restricted Australia to fewer runs if they had not dropped four catches in the field.
Brief scores:
Australia 219 all out in 77.4 overs (Tahlia McGrath 50, Beth Mooney 40, Alyssa Healy 38, Kim Garth 28 not out; Pooja Vastrakar 4-53, Sneh Rana 3-56, Deepti Sharma 2-45) against India.
(IANS)
