A dominant start to the series for Australia, who are playing international cricket after six months. But there was no sign of rustiness, or missing their frontlines bowlers, as a young bowling unit shone on a day Ellyse Perry struggled with the new ball and then the top three each scored half-centuries.

Lessons aplenty for India in what is just the start of the multi-format series. The Indian think-tank experimented with a young and dynamic middle order and some of the gambles paid off, mainly Yastika Bhatia at No 3 and keeper-bat Richa Ghosh lower down. But there is much room for improvement in the very basics, from the seniors as well.

The next ODI is a day-night match on Friday.

Darcie Brown is the Player of the Match for her 4/33 (9 overs). She took the first 4 wickets in the Indian innings, crashing the visitors’ hopes from the very beginning. Well deserved. In a team without Schutt, Vlaeminck, Carey, the 18-year-old pacer stood out and together with Darlingon showed the bench strength Australia have.

Australia beat India by 9 wickets to win the first ODI with 54 balls to spare.
The hosts start the multi-format series with a big win. It’s a record 25th straight ODI victory for Meg Lanning and Co and comes in some style as all top 3 score fifties and rookie bowlers shine. Lots of introspection to do for India before the next match on Fridat

FIFTY for Meg Lanning!
The captain gets to her half-century in 67 balls, with just 4 runs left to win. All three Aussie batters in action today have scored fifties, talk about a dominant show!

Australia 210/1 after 39 overs (Target 226): Rachael Haynes 86 off 95, Meg Lanning 43 off 62

The Indian bowlers have managed to delay the inevitable for a while by restricting boundaries but Haynes and Lanning look untroubled in the middle. Meanwhile, Goswami has actually bowled a bouncer at Haynes!

Australia 192/1 after 34 overs (Target 226): Rachael Haynes 73 off 75, Meg Lanning 38 off 52

Quite the turnaround in terms of runs alone, as India’s slower bowlers and Goswami keep it tight with no boundaries. Only 12 runs in the last 5 overs the massive 40+ runs in the 5 before that. But given how small the target is and the start Australia, this is too little, too late.

Australia 181/1 after 29 overs (Target 226): Rachael Haynes 69 off 68, Meg Lanning 31 off 29

The 50-run stand comes up in just 43 balls as Haynes and Lanning race to the finish line. India tried to bring in Jhulan Goswami to try and break through but seam or spin, both Aussie stalwarts have their eyes set in. Australia need 45 runs more in 21 overs.

Australia 171/1 after 27overs (Target 226): Rachael Haynes 63 off 63, Meg Lanning 27 off 22

Slow middle overs? What slow middle overs? 44 runs have come off the last 5 overs, after the fall of the first wicket. That’s how a top side keeps the momentum going from one batter to the next.

FIFTY for Rachael Haynes.
The other opener is going strong, bringing up her half-century in 55 balls with a neat sweep off Poonam Yadav. Australia 139/1 after 24 overs, need 87 runs from 26 overs.

WICKET! Alyssa Healy is out on 77 off 77.
SIX and OUT as Poonam Yadav finally breaks the opening partnership after 126 runs. She miscues the second loft and is caught by Pooja Vastrakar at mid-off. She misses out on a ton but has set the ton for a big win... and gotten a record for 2000 ODI runs.
Meg Lanning in the new batter in.

Australia 115/0 after 20 overs (Target 226): Alyssa Healy 67 off 72, Rachael Haynes 44 off 48.

Australia’s current run rate – 5.7
Australia’s required run rate – 3.7
Number of wickets India has taken in 20 overs – 0

Says it all at this point, doesn’t it?

Australia 96/0 after 17 overs (Target 226): Alyssa Healy 63 off 64, Rachael Haynes 31 off 38.

Off-spinner Sneh Rana is brought into the attack but can’t stem the flow of runs as Haynes gets a boundary to make it 7 runs in the over.

Australia 89/0 after 16 overs (Target 226): Alyssa Healy 63 off 63, Rachael Haynes 24 off 33.

The Aussie openers are piling on the runs and not much India can do, now bringing in Vastrakar to make it a seam-spin combination. Healy’s strike rate is at 100 and on this pitch, she is looking set for a bigger score.

FIFTY for Alyssa Healy!
The Aussie opener gets there in style, with a lofted four off Deepti Sharma. 53 off 56 balls, Australia 75/0 after 14 overs

Australia 55/0 after 11 overs (Target 226): Alyssa Healy 37 off 44, Rachael Haynes 16 off 22.

Poonam Yadav comes in from the other end and India go all-spin in a bid to break this partnership which is threatening to become very, very dangerous. 3 runs off the over.

Australia 52/0 after 10 overs (Target 226): Alyssa Healy 35 off 40, Rachael Haynes 15 off 20.

Spin brought in by India as Deepti Sharma comes into the attack after the big last over. The 50-run partnership comes up in the 10th over as Haynes gets her first boundary.

Australia 46/0 after 9 overs (Target 226): Alyssa Healy 35 off 40, Rachael Haynes 9 off 14.

Pooja Vastrakar comes into the attack and Alyssa Healy decides to attack her bowling. 16 runs off the over, including three straight boundaries – with a cracking six sandwiched in between.

Australia 28/0 after 7 overs (Target 226): Healy 18, Haynes 9

Now intent from Haynes against Goswami, pulling through midwicket. Good fielding effort to stop it to three runs but this is now more than a solid start for Australia.

Australia 24/0 after 6 overs (Target 226): Healy 17, Haynes 6

Another boundary through square leg for Healy, this was not even that short from Meghna. She plays that shot so well.

Australia 17/0 after 5 overs (Target 226): Healy 11, Haynes 5

Another boundary for Healy in that Goswami over. India have not let the hosts get off to a flier but they need wickets here before Healy or Haynes get into their groove.

Australia 12/0 after 4 overs (Target 226): Healy 7, Haynes 4

Meghna continuing to operate in a nice channel outside off for Healy.

Australia 11/0 after 3 overs (Target 226): Healy 7, Haynes 3

Crunch! Short of length from Goswami, sits up nicely for Healy and it is smacked through square leg. What slow outfield?

Australia 4/0 after 2 overs (Target 226): Healy 3, Haynes 1

As far as first deliveries in international cricket go, that was a gem from Meghna Singh. Lovely length, shaping away late, great carry... Healy beaten. And outside edge late in the over, falls short of slip.

Australia 2/0 after 1 over (Target 226): Healy 1, Haynes 1

Tidy as ever from Goswami to start. Hint of early swing but not too threatening. Debutant Meghna Singh from the other end.

Australia need 226 to extend their world record win streak to 25 matches. India need a near perfect bowling-fielding effort to prevent that from happening. Can Jhulan Goswami provide early breakthroughs?

Vinayakk Mohanarangan: Well short of what India would have wanted at the start of the innings, given some of Australia’s generosity especially. But more than what they would have expected after the 35-over mark. Need a near flawless bowling/fielding effort now to stand a chance. A assured Yastika Bhatia on debut, Richa Ghosh showing her value in the middle order, Pooja Vastrakar playing a couple of lovely shots signalling her intent the positives for India. And I know this debate can get tediously extreme at times and I have more than backed her approach in the past but did feel Mithali Raj slowed down too much today. Going less than 50 for most of her innings is not ideal especially when there is not a collapse happening around her. Given what the think-tank has been saying about scoring 250, minimising dot balls... even if she did not have to go ballistic, even 20 more runs for the amount of balls she faced (61 off 108) would have made a difference. (Might still not be enough ultimately against this Aussie team but still, the process needs to be better there).

Innings break: Australia need 226 runs for 25th ODI win on the trot.

India finish on 225/8.

On a good day for debutantes from both sides, ODI newcomer Richa Ghosh’s handy 32 off 29 revives India’s innings in the death overs.

Lots to be said about India’s batting in the first innings, even as Mithali Raj scored her fifth straight fifty while Yastika Bhatia shone on debut. But for now they have been taken close to a target that gives the bowlers something to play at, thanks to the 45-run partnership between 17-year-old Richa Ghosh and 38-year-old Jhulan Goswami.

Join us in a bit for Australia’s chase.

WICKET! Jhulan Goswami is out on 20 off 24.

The veteran is stumped by Molineux after a superb cameo but she has done a great job with the bat and will soon be out with the new ball in hand after giving herself and India a decent target to defend, at the very least.

End of Over 49, India 221/7. Richa Ghosh 30 off 27, Jhulan Goswami 19 off 22.

The first SIX of the Indian innings comes from Jhulan Goswami in the 49th over! The second also comes in the over Tahlia McGrath Richa Ghosh goes high and big. 17 RUNS OFF the penultimate over, talks about a late, late flourish. The Bengal teammates have taken India so close to the mark of 250 and batting the full 50 overs; something that didn’t look likely until very recently.

End of Over 48, India 204/7. Richa Ghosh 22 off 25, Jhulan Goswami 10 off 18.

Take that back, says Richa Ghosh! Back-to-back boundaries off Sophie Molineux for the young keeper makes it a rare big over for India with 11 runs coming off it. This also brings up the 200 for India.

End of Over 47, India 193/7. Richa Ghosh 13 off 22, Jhulan Goswami 8 off 15.

Jhulan Goswami gets a boundary but only 5 runs off the over as India fail to make a final push. In the previous over, the ball raced to the boundary and Darcie Brown pulled off a great save... but India ran just one run for it. The little things....

End of Over 45, India 185/7. Richa Ghosh 12 off 19, Jhulan Goswami 1 off 6.
Not good reading for India at the final stage of the innings. Two wickets in the last 5 overs and just 13 runs. They are nowhere close to the mark if 250 the coach had spoken about. Can the ODI debutante and veteran inject some late momentum into the innings?

WICKET! Sneh Rana is out on 2 off 11.

Bowled! Debutante Hannah Darlington has her second straight wicket and India are in danger of not batting through 50 overs here. India 178/7 after 43 overs.
Jhulan Goswami is the new batter in.

WICKET! Pooja Vastrakar is out on 17 off 29. India 172/6.
Is this the start of the infamous Indian collapse? The pace-bowling all-rounder is dismissed while going for a mistimed flick, offering another easy catch to the Aussies. Hannah Darlington has her first wicket.
Sneh Rana, who impressed with the bat in England, is in next.

End of Over 40, India 172/5. Pooja Vastrakar 17 off 28, Richa Ghosh 2 off 7

Ten overs to go and India has two young, big-hitting, lower-order and slightly inexperienced cricketers on crease. 17 runs off the last 5 overs, with the big wicket of Mithali Raj.

WICKET! Mithali Raj is out on 61 off 107.
Just when she was looking good to accelerate, Mithali Raj is stumped by left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux. Misreads the ball and comes down the track, Alyssa Healy’s quick gloves do the rest. After building up another fifty-plus knock, she is not able to see through the end, and at a time when the rest of the batting is largely inexperienced.
ODI debutant Richa Ghosh is in.

End of Over 37, India 164/4. Mithali Raj 60 off 104, Pooja Vastrakar 14 off 20.

Mithali and Vastrakar look to be building a promising stand.

Vinayakk Mohanarangan – Mithali Raj has scored fifties in 5 consecutive ODI innings for the 2nd time in her career. (Has the overall record at 7). Only Charlotte Edwards and Ellyse Perry (she’s done it thrice) have achieved this feat apart from Raj.

FIFTY for Mithali Raj!
The captain’s fifth straight and 59th half-century comes off 93 balls but it is Pooja Vastrakar’s heroics on the next two balls that should get the eyeballs. Lofts the ball straight for two runs and then smacks a short ball on bounce into the boundary. More of that needed for India.

WICKET! Deepti Sharma is out on 9 off 19. India 134/4
Darcie Brown gets a fourth straight wicket. The right-left ploy India were probably going for does not work. Neither does Sharma’s plan to accelerate. A short ball, miscued completely and an easy catch at square leg. Mithali Raj gets a boundary on the penultimate ball to move to 45 but there is a long way to go in this match.
Pooja Vastrakar is the new bat in.

End of Over 30, India 128/3. Mithali Raj 40 off 84, Deepti Sharma 9 off 18.

Deepti Sharma gets her first boundary, signaling some intent. Her arrival seems to have jarred Mithali into being a bit more proactive as well, perhaps, as she swings a little more freely.

WICKET! Yastika Bhatia is out on 35 off 51. India 115/3.

Darcie Brown comes back into the attack and strikes at once – her third straight wicket of the match. Make that a wicket maiden.
Yastika Bhatia’s debut knock comes to and end, with a relatively soft dismissal as she chips straight to Rachael Haynes at point. And just after getting her second boundary of the match.
Deepti Sharma is the new bat in.

End of Over 25, India 108/2. Yastika Bhatia 29 off 45, Mithali Raj 35 off 77.

17 runs in the last 5 overs as the Australians continue to bowl tidy and the Indians look content with singles and doubles. The spinners in tandem have been taken off, Georgia Wareham now has pacer Hannah Darlington from the other end.
Meanwhile, the 100 comes up in the 23rd over for India.

End of Over 20, India 91/2. Yastika Bhatia 24 off 36, Mithali Raj 24 off 56.

Mithali Raj, after facing more than 50 balls, gets her first boundary off the innings and that brings up the 50-run stand between the two. (53 off 89) This is also the first boundary since the eighth over, much needed. The two need to find the ropes more often with spinners bowling in tandem.

End of Over 18, India 84/2. Yastika Bhatia 23 off 34, Mithali Raj 18 off 46.

Spin from both ends as Sophie Molineux comes into the attack. The partnership between Bhatia and Mithali nears the 50-run mark and we wait to see it hit a new gear as things settle in.

End of Over 15, India 72/2. Yastika Bhatia 20 off 29, Mithali Raj 12 off 39.

The two Indians continue to rebuild slow and steady. Ellyse Perry is back into the attack and has a much better showing with the slightly older ball. In her next over, Mithali Raj cops a blow on her helmet and the physios check on her before resuming play.

End of Over 12, India 57/2. Yastika Bhatia 10 off 16, Mithali Raj 6 off 29.

Ashleigh Gardner comes into the attack as spin is introduced. Only 2 runs of the over to Mithali.

End of Over 10, India 51/2. Yastika Bhatia 10 off 14, Mithali Raj 3 off 18.

The 50 comes up at the end of the Powerplay. India has gone through the full gamut in the first 10 overs, with Australian bowlers and fielding taking charge of the game early. Mithali has dropped anchor while Bhatia is being the run scorer. Onus on these two to keep the scoreboard ticking with their contrasting styles after the two early wickets.

End of Over 8, India 45/2. Yastika Bhatia 8 off 8, Mithali Raj 1 off 12.

Bhatia cracks her first boundary of international cricket, already looking good in a crunch situation. Important partnership with her captain for the debutante.

The spotlight shines brighter now on the big gamble taken on the middle order as India slip from 30/0 after 3 overs to 39/2 after 7 with both openers out.

End of Over 7, India 39/2. Yastika Bhatia 3 off 5, Mithali Raj 0 off 9.

Mithali Raj, in at No 4, has played 9 balls already. Dropping anchor after two quick wickets.

Wicket! Smriti Mandhana is out on 16 off 18.

Rachael Haynes, a livewire on field who has pulled off two brilliant, diving saves at the boundary, gets a low catch at point and both Indian openers are back in the hut in just over 5 overs. Darcie Brown strikes again!

End of Over 3, India 33/1.

Surprise, surprise. Debutante Yastika Bhatia is in at No 3. She was impressive in the warm-up game, batting at No 4.

Wicket! Shafali Verma is out on 8.
Darcie Brown strikes in the fourth over and the dangerous India opener falls to the short ball again. Caught behind while after mistiming the ball and walks back on 8 off 10.

End of Over 3, India 30/0. Shafali Verma 8 off 8, Smriti Mandhana 12 off 10

Another wayward over from Perry and India make merry – 16 runs off the over. A stunning save at the boundary from Rachel Haynes denies Mandhana a boundary on the second ball, but Mandhana gets her first four with a crisp flick through square leg. Five wide follow and it’s a pricey over.

End of Over 2, India 14/0. Shafali Verma 8 off 8, Smriti Mandhana 3 off 4

Darcie Brown to share the new ball and she bowls a much better line to Mandhana, allowing only singles.

End of Over 1, India 10/0. Shafali Verma 8 off 6, Smriti Mandhana 0 off 0

A terrific start for India. Shafali Verma gets off the mark on the second ball, driving with ease for a four through covers. The teen defends well a couple of balls later and gets her bat on a short ball to get a boundary over the keeper’s head. Not the best of lines from an erratic Ellyse Perry.

National anthems done, here we go!
Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma to open for India, Ellyse Perry has the new ball.

TEAM NEWS: 

Australia XI: Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy (wk), Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Hannah Darlington, Darcie Brown

India XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, Mithali Raj (c), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Meghna Singh, Poonam Yadav

— via Cricket Australia

India team news: Most intriguing call is arguably Richa Ghosh being selected as the wicket-keeper. She has done alright in the shortest format with the gloves but taking over from the near flawless Taniya Bhatia will not be easy. But batting wise, a potential game-changer in the middle order for a team trying to up the ante in the scoring department. Meghna Singh has been preferred over Shikha Pandey, interestingly, despite the veteran reportedly fit and available for selection. The think-tank sees her skillset to be suitable for Aussie conditions. And with Harmanpreet Kaur unavailable at least for the first ODI, the left-hander Yastika Bhatia has been drafted in ahead of the likes of Punam Raut and Jemimah Rodrigues.

TEAM NEWS: Debuts handed on both sides...

Three ODI debuts (and two international debuts) for India. Yastika Bhatia, Richa Ghosh (already played T20Is) and Meghna Singh will make their 50-over international bow. On the home side, a special day for Hannah Darlington.

TOSS NEWS: Australia have won the toss and elected to bowl first against India

05.00 am: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the first One Day International on India’s tour of Australia. Meg Lanning and Co will be looking to extend their world record winning streak to 25 and hoping to stop them in their tracks would be Mithali Raj and Co.

ODIs Schedule

Sep 21: First ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay

Sep 24: Second ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay (D/N)

Sep 26: Third ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay