India v Australia, 3rd women’s ODI live: Meg Lanning and Co notch up comprehensive 97-run win
Live updates from the third ODI between India and Australia at Vadodara.
India have lost the ODI series already but will look for the points on offer in the third and final match against Australia as part of the ICC Women’s Championship.
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Next up for Team India: The T20I tri-series with Australia and England in Mumbai, from March 22 to 31.
‘The last time I saw such a crowd in home for women’s cricket was in 2003. It’s been such a big change since,” says Raj after the match. Massive props to the crowd and Baroda Cricket Association for the filled stadium and support.
Not a result they would have liked but as the captain said, there is a lot to improve and India has a lot of youngsters.
No surprise there as centurion Alyssa Healy is the Player of the Match for her record 133 off 115.
Player of the Series goes to Nicole Bolton, who won the Player of the Match in the last two matches.
That’s it then, Australia win by 97 runs and claim the ODI series 3-0, gaining precious ICC Championship points.
A dominant, all-round from Australia on Indian soil as different players contributed at different times.
Wicket! Vastrakar is caught by Nicola Carey on 6 off 17. Ekta Bisht won’t come in to bat as she injured her hand while bowling. So that’s the match then, India all out on 235 in 44.4 overs.
End of Over 40, India 225-8: An action-packed Batting Powerplay comes to an end with 29 runs for India and three wickets for Australia.
End of over 39 India 221/6 Verma was dealing with boundaries and her cameo comes to an end through a stunning catch from Meg Lanning. Schutt finally gets a wicket. The Indian keeper was going after the pacers but the Australian skipper’s diving effort to her left saw the end Verma’s stay at the crease.
S Verma c Lanning b Schutt 30 (35)
End of over 37 India 207/5 Same story...Australia are simply not allowing India to dictate terms whatsoever. Sharma has also got herself in a bit of a tangle with her scoring rate after looking good in the early part of the innings. As I type, Verma slog-sweeps Jonassen over tbhe ropes for a SIX.
End of over 35 India 196/5 Jonassen and Gardner continue to give nothing away, flighting the ball and taking the pace off it. Deepti stepped out in a hope to clear the infield but luckily for the her, the ball fell in front of the fielder. Batting powerplay coming up – India’s final hope to even make a match out of this.
End of over 33 India 190/5 The spinners are establishing their strangelehold on the Indian batters. We wonder if sending Pooja ahead of Verma would have made more sense. At the moment, the equation is getting out of hand for India. Just 11 runs have come from the last four overs and that includes a wicket too. Deepti is waging a lone fight.
End of over 30 India 182/5 And...there goes another one. Mona Meshram tries to hit her way out of trouble. Everything she has tried today has not worked whereas Gardner’s fortunes have been somewhat of a contrast. It was a simple catch to Carey at deep mid-wicket.
M Meshram c Carey b Garner 1 (4)
End of over 29 India 179/4 It was a disappointing outing for Mithali Raj, who struggled to get going. It was a clever ploy from Jonassen, who kept chipping away with a slew of dot balls. That ultimately led to Mithali stepping out and trying to go for a big heave over mid-wicket. Haynes at short-mid takes a fine low catch, managing to cover her hands underneath the ball.
Mithali Raj c Haynes b Jonassen 21 (38)
End of over 26 India 170/3 Deepti Sharma is using her feet and is finding the gaps. She hit two of them in the last three overs while Mithali is happy rotating the strike. The Australians are keeping the boundaries in check but the Indians are also playing smart cricket, rotating the strike at regular intervals.
End of over 24 India 157/3 The boundaries have dried up and the onus is on Mithali Raj to bat through the innings. Deepti Sharma survived a close leg-before shout from Carey’s bowling. Australia won’t mind this phase. Meg Lanning has deployed slow bowlers from one end.
End of over 22 India 147/3 Healy can do no wrong today and Australia won’t be wrong in thinking they are in a dominant position now. Harmanpreet was bogged down by Carey, and was caugth behind trying to go for a full-blooded cut. Healy made the catch look so easy but it was anything but. The ball took a massive deviation after finding the edge of Harmanpreet’s bat.
Harmanpreet Kaur c Healy b Karey 25 (26)
End of over 21 India 146/2 The partnership is closing in on fifty and Harmanpreet is slowly but surely stepping on the accelerator. She played a wonderful paddle shot to the fine leg boundary, taking on Schutt and getting into position early.
End of over 20 India 141/2 Wellington was a little bit ragged and India cashed in. First, she allowed Harmanpreet to drive on the up, gifting her a rank full toss. This was followed by five wides. 12 runs from it.
End of over 19 India 129/2 After a sedate start, Mithali gets a move on with a deft cover drive drive that reaches the fence. Harmanpreet has built some momentum with a couple of boundaries. Importantly, the experienced duo are keeping the required run rate below seven and are rotating the strike.
End of over 16 India 111/2 The crowd has gone quiet after the fireworks from Rodrgiues and Mandhana. Senior batters Harmanpreet and Mithali Raj are at the crease. The vice-captain pounced on a lose delivery from Wellington on leg stump. The onus is on Raj and Harmanpreet to carry on the momentum. The double-wicket blow has dented the going rate too.
End of over 13.5 India 101/2 There goes another one and it’s Mandhana this time. She was culpable of swatting the ball across the line, missing it in the process and is adjudged lef. Just like her opening partner, the southpaw is distraught after being dismissed. But what a knock it was.
S Mandhana lbw b Gardner 52 (42)
End of over 13.4 India 101/1 Mandhana gets to her fifty with a pull shot that pierced the gap between fine leg and deep mid-wicket. The boundaries continue come thick and fast and the Australians continue to be in a spot of bother.....and Rodrigues is dismissed after cracking back-to-back boundaries, Haynes with a stunning catch. What a knock from the teenager. What a partnership!
J Rodrigues c Haynes b Gardner 42 (41)
End of over 11 India 79/0 Carey is welcomed with a powerful cut shot that races to the fence, beating the off-side field. India continue to get a boundary every over. The over goes from bad to worse with four wides. Another productive over for India – 10 from it.
End of over 10 India 68/0 Now Perry suffers the onslaught. Mandhana once again goes over the top, back over the bowler’s head and the ball rolls to the fence despite Wellington making a desperate dive. That was followed by a delicate cut shot, which beat short third man. Perry continues to test Rodrigues with the short ball.
End of over 9 India 59/0 Finally, Mandhana gets one past the off-side and it’s a gorgeous cover drive off a lose delivery outside off stump from Schutt. But the Australian pacer was on target during the rest of the over, bowling a stump-to-stump line and not allowing the batters to free their arms.
End of over 8 India 53/0 Rodrigues skies another one but luckily, it was out of Healy’s reach. It was a sharp bouncer from Perry, who has the youngster in a touch of bother. Mandhana then decides she has had enough and lofts Perry over mid-on, the ball reaches the ropes and that brings up India’s fifty. Outstanding stuff this. On the off-side, though, Mandhana still continues to have trouble finding gaps.
End of over 7 India 48/0 Finally, there is some respite for the Australians, who give away only two from the seventh over. Schutt this time dragged her length back a little bit and Mandhana was unable to work the ball past the congested off-side field.
End of over 6 India 46/0 Jess Jonassen comes into the attack and she can’t stop the flow of boundaries either. The right-left combination is starting to throw the bowling attack off gear. Mandhana played a terrific cut shot to beat the off-side field, which was packed. Rodrigues swept the left-armer in the last ball of the over the to the deep mid-wicket fence.
End of over 5 India 36/0 Young Rodrigues is taking the bowlers on and she makes her own luck while trying to loft a slower delivery from Schutt. Once again, she gets back-to-back boundaries. The first one just about managed to beat the leap of Wellington at mid-on. The second four was a classy flick from the hips that beat the dive of short-fine. Rodrigues keeps strike.
End of over 4 India 27/0 Gardner strays in line and length and Mandhana isn’t missing out this time. First, she plays a crisp cover drive and then cashes in on a wide delivery outside leg stump, sweeping it to the fence. Rodrigues and Mandhana take two quick singles to end the over.
End of over 3 India 17/0 Mandhana gets in on the act by coming out of her crease and lofting Schutt over the head of mid-off. The ball beats the fielder’s chance and rolls into the boundary rope. Huge roar from the crowd. The southpaw tries to go big again and Lanning from mid-on made a massive dive but couldn’t hold on it. It was one-handed and she dived full length. As Mel Jones from the commentary box rightly put it, “That would have been the catch of the year”.
End of over 2 India 11/0 Solid comeback from Australia as Gardner’s spin forces Mandhana to play from the back foot. With a packed off-side field, the opener found it hard to find gaps as Gardner kept pitching it slightly full from a good length. Just two singles from the over.
End of over 1 India 9/0 Jemimah survived a close leg-before shout in the second ball of the first over. The appeal was turned down with the ball missing leg stump. The teenager ends the over on a high, whipping back-to-back boundaries in front and behind square as Schutt errs in length. The crowd is on its feet and this is exactly the start India were looking for.
India open with Jemimah Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana. Meghan Schutt to start proceedings.
Australia finish at 332/7 from 50 overs Finally, the Indians are put out of their misery and the final ball results in a wicket; Harmanpreet bowling Carey with a yorker. The last over was other expensive one with Beth Mooney rubbing salt to the wounds of India’s miserable morning session. This is Australia’s highest total against India, home or away. For the hosts to avoid a whitewash, they need another Harmanpreet blinder from the World Cup semi-final and need atleast three other solid performances at the top of the order. This was Australia at their dominant best and it’s scary to think that when it was one of those rare days when Bolton, Lanning and Perry missed out.
N Carey b Harmanpreet 17 (15)
End of Over 49, Australia 321/6 Beth Mooney shows her class, picking Meshram apart for 20 runs in an over. She scored three consecutive boundaries through a pull, slog sweep and a conventional sweep. She also picked up a couple of twos in the over and ended Meshram’s misery with a calculated chip over the bowler’s head.
End of Over 48, Australia 301/6 Australia cross the 300 mark but India have contained the visitors through their part-timers – Mona Meshram and Jemimah Rodrigues, who bowled an economical over each. Another chance was put down by Verma, who has also endured a horrendous afternoon.
OUT! End of Over 46, Australia 289/6 Respite for India as the big-hitting Ash Gardner departs. The Australian tried slicing a full delivery but couldn’t keep it down, hitting it straight to Yadav at backward point. Carey gets off the mark but cutting her BBL teammate to the third man fence. Nonetheless, it was still an expensive over from Harmanpreet, 10 from it.
A Gardner c Yadav b Harmanpreet 35 (20)
End of Over 44, Australia 271/5 The runs keep on coming and so do the chances. There were drop catches off back-to-back deliveries from Harmanpreet Kaur. Australia are punishing anything that is wide outside off stump. Verma missed another simple opportunity behind the stumps and Vastrakar at point allowed the ball to burst through her hands.
End of Over 43, Australia 258/5 Ash Gardner now gets in on the act, cashing in on some poor bowling from Yadav. First she cut a full toss and swept aggressively to the deep mid-wicket fence. The boundaries keep on coming.
OUT! End of Over 41.1, Australia 242/5 One more goes and it’s a huge wicket! Miscommunication between Haynes and Mooney sees both batters at the same end of the pitch. Clean pick up and throw from Veda and Verma whips off the bails. This is exactly the break the Indians were looking for.
R Haynes Run Out 43 (39)
OUT! End of Over 41, Australia 242/4 That’s the end of Healy. What knock it was. She rode her luck too but it ran out of it while trying to go for one boundary too many. Healy tried to take on Yadav by going down the track. Substitute fielder Veda Krishnamurthy made it look very easy at long on, getting into position early and showing safe hands. The Australian dressing room welcome Healy with a standing ovation. Beth Mooney is the new batter at the crease.
A Healy c Veda b Poonam Yadav 133 (115)
End of Over 40, Australia 235/3 It doesn’t matter who is bowling at the moment, the boundaries keep on coming. Healy and Haynes are testing the fielders too with their running between the wickets, which has been exceptional. The partnership is closing in on 100. Ekta Bisht had to walk off the field after splitting her webbing of the fingers while going for a catch.
End of Over 38, Australia 218/3 Oh boy! How does one do against Healy in this kind of form? Pandey comes back and is taken to the cleaners – four consecutive fours in the first three balls; she is just toying with the bowling. Whenever the pacer pitched it up, she went over the top. Even a yorker length delivery reached the fence as she angled it perfectly behind gully. There was yet another catching opportunity that went begging for the hosts after Sharma’s lunge from the last ball of the over only got her fingertips.
End of Over 37, Australia 200/3 Boundaries continue to flow thick and fast for the Aussies. The duo have brought up a fifty run stand in no time at all. With the batting powerplay on, one can only expect more boundaries. India have to bank on their spinners to do the job here.
End of Over 35, Australia 177/3 Healy and Haynes are motoring along and this is hurting India. A big score is on the cards unless the hosts can get a couple of quick wickets. Vastrakar has been all over the place today and has been easy pickings for the Australian batters. She continued to be either short or gave width. Batting powerplay taken.
End of Over 34, Australia 188/3 First ODI century for Healy She played a lazy, half-hearted shot off Yadav and her chip nearly landed in the palms of Deepti Sharma at short cover. She then got to 99 with a pull shot and got to the three-figure mark with a cut. Her teammates are on her feet. Haynes is also going strong and got her first boundary with a lovely looking drive that beat the chase of mid-off.
End of Over 32, Australia 163/3 Healy moves into the nineties while Mona Meshram’s nightmare on the field continues as a misfield leads to a boundary. Rachel Haynes knocking it around for singles to start with. Drinks taken.
End of Over 29, Australia 147/3 Shikha Pandey finally brings an end to a breezy 79-run stand between Perry and Healy. Finally, some neat work behind the stumps from Verma but Healy continues to go strong and has had no trouble bringing up the odd boundary. The Australian keeper has already brought up her highest ODI score and at this rate, can get to the 150 mark.
E Perry c Verma b Pandey 32 (60)
End of Over 23, Australia 124/2 Australia continue to build momentum and Healy and Perry are playing risk-free, smart cricket. They are getting the odd boundary but are rotating the strike with considerable ease. It’s been a period of toil for Indians, with the ball and on the field.
End of Over 21, Australia 112/2 More missed opportunities as Healy survives once again after coming down the track. She was completely outfoxed by a googly from Poonam Yadav but once again, the ball beat Sushma Verma’s hands. The partnership is closing in on fifty and is beginning to hurt India.
End of Over 20, Australia 108/2 Pace has been brought back in the form of Vastrakar and now Perry is looking far more comfortable at the crease. The young Indian pacer needs has been a trifle wide with her length but she nearly had a wicket to her name when Healy pulled a short one but Mona Meshram at deep mid-wicket could only parry the ball over the ropes for a six. That was a straightforward one. Once again, India are let down by their fielding.
End of Over 18, Australia 93/2 Australia still struggling to get going by that has not affected Healy, who has got to a fluent half-century, taking only 47 balls to get to the landmark. Immediately after the drinks break, Smriti Mandhana produced a spectacular effort to chase down what looked like a certain boundary and stop the ball from reaching the boundary rope.
End of Over 16, Australia 84/2 Spin from both ends deployed by Raj and the scoring rate continues to be under check. Perry is still struggling to find her feet while Healy has crossed 40 at close to a run-a-ball. Harmanpreet Kaur was given the ball and she conceded a boundary off a wayward wide delivery on leg stump. Healy was the scorer. India need to break this partnership quickly.
End of Over 14, Australia 68/2 India have put the brakes on the scoring after Lanning’s wicket but more sloppy work on the field might cost them. Ellyse Perry could have made her way back to the pavilion too but Sushma Verma could not hold on to bat-pad opportunity off Deepti. There was an opportunity for a stumping too. Perry is struggling to get going and has just three runs from 17 deliveries.
OUT! End of Over 10.3, Australia 64/2 Meg Lanning c Mithali Raj b Deepti Sharma 18 (14) Huge wicket this for India. Lanning and Healy were getting runs at the rate of knots. The boundaries were coming thick and fast for the Aussies. Deepti Sharma was brought back by Mithali, who leads the way with a sharp low catch, lunging forward. Another disappointing outing for Lanning.
End of Over 8, Australia 48/1 Huge over this for the Aussies, who bring up three boundaries and a six from it. Pandey, after a good start lost her line completely and was taken to the cleaners by Meg Lanning and Healy. The wicket-keeper smashed a six over long-on. There was a catching opportunity in the last ball of the over after Lanning failed to keep her flick on the ground. Mona Meshram at deep mid-wicket had made up significant ground but eventually grassed it. The ball rolled to the fence too.
End of Over 7, Australia 29/1 Pooja Vastrakar is brought on and Healy plays a crisp straight drive to bring up a boundary. Meanwhile, Meg Lanning took no time to adjust to proceedings with a classy cut shot off Bisht. Healy is still far from her fluent best, though. As was the case in the first two games, the Indians have been sloppy on the field so far.
OUT! End of Over 5.4, Australia 19/1: Finally, a failure for Bolton. She was off to a fine start but Mithali Raj’s ploy to attack with spin pays off. As soon as Bisht was brought on, Bolton started stepping out. This time, she scooped the ball straight back to the bowler, who held on to the ball despite a minor fumble. India have the wicket they wanted.
Nicole Bolton c & b Ekta Bisht 11 (18)
End of Over 3, Australia 11/0: Shikha Pandey has a different new ball partner in spinner Deepti Sharma today, as India look to ensure the runs don’t flow in the Powerplay. But the pacer has had far better returns so far with only two runs in her two overs so far.
Australia win the toss and elect to bat first at Baroda.
Two changes for the hosts, Jemimah Rodrigues, Mona Meshram included in India’s playing XI .
Here are the teams:
Hello and welcome to The Field’s live updates for the third and final ODI between India and Australia.
Mithali Raj and Co have lost the series after going down in the first two matches but have a lot to play for in the last match, with points on offer as part of the ICC Women’s Championship.