AUS-W vs IND-W Pink Ball Test Day 4 Highlights: Rain-marred match ends in draw; centurion Mandhana named Player of the Match

AUS-W vs IND-W Live Score, Pink Ball Test Day 4: Catch live scores, commentary and news from the One-off Test between Australia Women and India Women in Carrara.

Updated : Oct 03, 2021 18:22 IST

The team captains Meg Lanning of Australia and Mithali Raj of India declare a draw during day four of the Test Match between Australia and India at Metricon Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia on Sunday.
The team captains Meg Lanning of Australia and Mithali Raj of India declare a draw during day four of the Test Match between Australia and India at Metricon Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia on Sunday.
lightbox-info

The team captains Meg Lanning of Australia and Mithali Raj of India declare a draw during day four of the Test Match between Australia and India at Metricon Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia on Sunday.

Hello and welcome to Sportstar's HIGHLIGHTS of the Pink Ball Test between Australia Women and India Women in Carrara. This is Lavanya Lakshminarayanan and Dhruva Prasad and we'll be taking you through day 4's play today.
 

 

DAY 4 RECAP

India headed into the fourth and final day of the Test with a shot at producing a result after taking four wickets at stumps on Day 3, with Australia still trailing by 234 runs and needing 87 to avoid follow-on.

However, an 89-run fifth wicket partnership between Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner ate into the little time left in the contest, before the latter perished to Deepti Sharma for a gritty half-century. Some fiery swing bowling from Meghna Singh and Pooja Vastrakar wrapped up the tail and Meg Lanning declared the Australian innings at 241/9 to keep the game alive.

Post dinner, Indian openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana set the foundation again with a 70-run opening stand before the latter was dismissed by a stunner by Gardner on the boundary. Yastika Bhatia soon followed Mandhana back to the hut before Shafali and Punam Raut showed signs of upping the ante. However, the scoring rate wasn't enough as India went to Tea at 106/2, leading by 242 runs. The declaration finally came seven overs into the final session with Australia needing 272 with just over thirty overs left.

Jhulan Goswami cleaned up Alyssa Healy early with eight on the board for Australia before Beth Mooney and Lanning dropped anchor to settle for the draw. Mooney perished to Vastrakar in the tenth over, but it was too little too late as the 15-over mark approached, after which a maximum of an hour of play was possible. At drinks, the captains shook hands and called it a draw, seeing in no merit in delaying the inevitable.

The draw meant both teams earned two points each, as Australia maintained a 6-4 lead in the multiformat series.

The T20I leg of the tour gets underway with the first of the three-match series to be played on October 7.

Standings in the multi-format series

 

Player of the Match: Smriti Mandhana (127 & 31)

 

Captains Mithali Raj and Meg Lanning shake on it and it is a draw.

AUS 36/2 (15 overs): Another maiden, this time from Gayakwad. This is the last over before Drinks and we could see a decision on calling play off.

AUS 36/2 (14 overs): Maiden from Vastrakar.

AUS 36/2 (13 overs): Rajeshwari Gayakwad in for some spin bowling. Just two from the otherwise quiet over.

AUS 34/2 (12 overs): FOUR! Lanning opens her stance and pulls it away to the midwicket boundary.

AUS 30/2 (11 overs): One leg-bye. Maiden over from Goswami. Australians clearly avoiding further hiccups before the inevitable draw.

AUS 29/2 (10 overs): OUT! Mooney pulls on a surprise back of the length delivery from Vastrakar, gets the top edge and safely taken at deep square leg. Beth Mooney c Gayakwad b Vastrakar 11(28b 1x4 0x6). The yet-to-be dismissed Ellyse Perry comes in. 

AUS 26/1 (9 overs): FOUR! Lanning finds the gap behind point off Goswami's fullish length.

AUS 22/1 (8 overs): One for Mooney, driving forward to cover. Mandhana dives, saving at least a couple there. Lanning punches past point for one more.

AUS 20/1 (7 overs): Goswami gets Lanning's inside edge and the skipper almost chops it on to her stumps. No runs from the over.

AUS 20/1 (6 overs): Vastrakar introduced into the attack. Coming over the wicket, Vastrakar beats Mooney by angling it across off. FOUR! What a rebuke! Takes a step forward to execute an exquisite cover drive for four runs.

AUS 16/1 (5 overs): Punched off the backfoot by Lanning for two through covers.  Jhulan keeps it tight.

AUS 14/1 (4 overs): Lanning beaten on front-foot defense outside off by Meghna. Lanning gets runs as she drives gracefully through covers for three. Mooney plays through covers for two runs.

AUS 8/1 (3 overs): Slightly back of length and leading edge off Mooney but drops in vacant area in front of cover. OUT! Goswami gets Healy again. Healy chops it onto her stumps. Alyssa Healy b Jhulan Goswami 6(5b 1x4 0x6) . Skipper Lanning defends the last three balls to end the over.

AUS 7/0 (2 overs): Meghna Singh to hunt alongside Goswami. Short and wide outside off to Healy who pulls it over mid-on for four. Healy off the strike with a drive on off-side. Mooney off the mark, drives to mid-off and steals a single.

AUS 1/0 (1 over): Goswami to Healy and the latter gets a single straightaway.  One from it as Goswami is aiming the channel area and beating Mooney routinely.

AND THE DECLARATION IS FINALLY HERE.

With just about thirty overs left in the match, this might be coming a little too late. India scored at over 3.5 runs an over in its second innings after openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana set the tone with a 70-run opening stand. Expecting a result from this rain-marred Test was always going to be a far cry. As India takes the field, the spotlight will be on pacers Jhulan Goswami and Pooja Vastrakar to give Indians a few more smiles before the inevitable draw manifests.

135/3 (37 overs): FOUR! Raut steps out to Gardner, fielder at long-on fumbles and it's a four.

IND 130/3 (36 overs): Full from Wareham and Sharma sweeps fine for a couple.

IND 128/3 (35 overs): FOUR! Raut slop sweeps a fuller one from Gardner over midwicket.

Wareham gets her first Test scalp!

 

IND 123/3 (34 overs): OUT! Shafali shuffles across and Wareham gets her leg before on leg stump. Shafali Verma lbw b Georgia Wareham 52(91b 6x4 0x6). Deepti Sharma gets off the mark with a single off a full-toss down midwicket.

INDIA 121/2 (33 overs): Full-toss outside off by Gardner and Shafali slaps it down mid-on for one. Raut retains strike with a single down mid-off. 

INDIA 119/2 (32 overs): Wareham into the attack. FOUR! Raut with more intent. She goes down and drives through cover for a boundary. FOUR MORE ! A loose full-toss on the waist asking to be hit and Raut hammers it over midwicket for another four.

IND 111/2 (31 overs): Gardner to resume proceedings. Raut on front foot defence straightaway. Raut steps out to take the ball on the full and pierces it through extra cover for four. Single down fine leg and Raut keeps the strike.

--FINAL SESSION OF THE TEST TO GET UNDERWAY--

IND 106/2 (30 overs) : Shafali goes straight down the bowler's head for a boundary on the last ball before tea. Lanning had the fielders come in for the last ball to entice Shafali into playing the big shot. Shafali obliged and got the result in her favour. TEA!

IND 100/2 (29 overs): Three singles off Gardner and hundred is up for India.

IND 97/2 (28 overs): Moulineux concedes two on the first ball and follows it with five dots. Consistent lines keeping the batters quiet.

IND 95/2 (27 overs): BEATEN! Shafali looks to play across and misses the ball on the full. Raut shuffles across and tucks it to square leg for a single.

IND 93/2 (26 overs): FOUR! Molineux bowls it full on the pads and Raut sweeps towards fine leg as the ball races to the boundary.

IND 87/2 (25 overs): Single each for Shafali and Raut and the latter keeps the strike. Indians are happy to deal in ones and twos against the spinners but that won't quite cut it if they are eyeing a result.

IND 85/2 (24 overs): A couple of twos off Molineux and four from it in total.

IND 81/2 (23 overs): An umpire review for a run out appeal but Shafali comfortably makes her ground and completes two. Raut gets off the mark with a single at mid-on. Six from the over.

IND 75/2 (22 overs): Only one off Molineux and the spinners have dried the runs up. Time is running out and India will need to get a move on or gamble with a premature declaration to produce a result.

IND 74/2 (21 overs):OUT! Gardner knocks Yastika over! Yastika Bhatia b Gardner 3(12b 0x4 0x6). Loud appeal against new batter Punam Raut for a catch at short leg but it's off the pad. Wicket maiden for Gardner.

IND 74/1 (20 overs): Three singles from the Molineux over and Indians are taking some time to get their eye in to spin.

IND 71/1 (19 overs): Spin from both ends as Gardner takes the ball. Just the one from the over as Yastika gets off the mark on the last ball and retains strike. Spin has quietened the pace of scoring, for now.

IND 70/1 (18 overs): Molineux in with spin as Lanning hopes to check the scoring rate. Shafali shuffles and makes room to hit it straight for a single.  OUT! Mandhana sinks to her knees and plays a lofted sweep only for Gardner to complete a stunning dive catch at midwicket. Smriti Mandhana c Gardner b Molineux 31 (48b 6x4 0x6). Yastika Bhatia in.

IND 69/0 (17 overs): FOUR! Full from Sutherland and Mandhana shifts her weight back and drives it powerfully through extra cover for four. Glorious shot.

IND 63/0 (16 overs): FOUR! Short from Campbell and Shafali squirts it between point and gully for four. Three singles and Mandhana top edges one to deep square leg for a single. Eight off it.

IND 55/0 (15 overs): Sutherland in for McGrath. Angles across off and beats Mandhana. Edged and FOUR ! Thick edge off Mandhana's blade and it runs down third for a boundary.  Time for DRINKS.

IND 51/0 (14 overs): Two fours for Shafali and she is really getting a move on. Fifty partnership up for the openers.

IND 43/0 (13 overs): An audacious hit over mid-off for four as Mandhana comes down the pitch to McGrath.

IND 37/0 (12 overs): Four leg-byes as Campbell goes wayward on the leg.

IND 33/0 (11 overs): McGrath comes in from Perry's end. Just the single from the over.

IND 32/0 (10 overs): Campbell replaces Brown. Shafali nudges to backward and gets a single. Mandhana pulls again and Gardner drops a low chance at deep square leg. Gets two!

IND 29/0 (9 overs): FOUR! Back of length from Perry and Mandhana pulls effortlessly for four at deep square leg.

IND 25/0 (8 overs): FOUR! Shafali rolls her wrists and glances it down leg for four. Shafali drives for a single. Six off it.

IND 19/0 (7 overs): Shafali flicks to deep square leg for one as Perry strays on the pads. McGrath saves a four with a dive at mid-off, just one for Mandhana. Shafali retains strike with a single.

IND 16/0 (6 overs): Brown decks it in and Mandhana puts her head out of the way. FOUR! Outside leg, short and Mandhana swivels to loft it over the keeper for four. Inside edge in play there.

IND 12/0 (5 overs): The bounce off the pitch has worn off. Perry digs it in very short but minimal bounce. FOUR! Short again and Shafali gets a thick outside edge past slips for a four.  Shafali makes room on the off and drives through cover to collect two. Solid defense from Shafali.

IND 6/0 (4 overs): FOUR! Loose ball from Brown down the leg and Mandhana whips it off her pads for a four at fine leg. Beaten! Pitches on leg and moves in with Brown coming over the wicket.

IND 2/0 (3 overs): Half-hearted appeal for caught behind. Full outside off and Shafali hits the ground trying to place it behind point. Maiden over from Perry.

IND 2/0 (2 overs): Brown to share the new ball. Shafali drives to backward point and takes a risky single. Mandhana would have been short by a mile with a direct hit.

IND 1/0 (1 over): Perry to Shafali with the new ball. Dot to start. Perry goes short and wide outside off, Shafali leaves.  First runs on the board for India as Shafali guides it to cover for a single.

12:42 IST: Mandhana and Shafali are walking out and will be looking to make a game out of this.

Healy: Why waste the half hour? Let's get in and have a crack at it and make something out of this game. We have to be better with the ball and field. We have the bowling attack to get the 10 opportunities we need. We haven't really had the chance to bowl under the lights so quite a few our bowlers are licking their lips at the opportunity.



SESSION RECAP:

It's been a gripping session of cricket in Carrara. Gardner and Perry continued from where they left off last night and added 65 runs before Deepti Sharma removed Ash Gardner, just after she reached her maiden Test fifty. Australia steadily lost wickets post that, even stuttering at one point to just cross the follow-on mark. The second new ball was taken and pacers made the most of it with four wickets falling after the new ball was taken. Sharma took two wickets, Meghna Singh claimed two wickets and Vastrakar added a wicket to her overnight haul of two wickets before Meg Lanning declared, opening this match up to a fight. India leads by 136 runs. 100-odd quick runs and then putting the Aussies to bat under the lights could just give India a win too! We're stepping away for refreshments too. Join us in a bit for the Indian innings.

AUS 241/9 (97 overs): Just the one run from this Vastrakar over because Meg Lanning has interrupted proceedings to declare the innings. Dinner is taken early. Very impressed with Lanning's appetite for a fight here.

AUS 240/9 (96 overs):
Quiet over from Sharma but Indians finish here with a wicket - the ninth Aussie wicket to fall. Darcie Brown, who has done well to keep her calm all along, is plumb in front. Stella Campbell joins Ellyse Perry. WICKET Darcie Brown lbw b Sharma 8 (18b 2x4 0x6)

AUS 240/8 (95 overs):
Vastrakar into the attack. Perry dispatches a shoulder height ball to the square leg boundary for four. She also managed to nudge out two runs off the pads seemingly for two runs. Good running between Perry and Brown. Very committed. Six runs from the over in total.

AUS 234/8 (94 overs):
Deepti and Mithali are having a very long chat here. Close field- Slip, gully, silly mid-off and silly mid-on. Aggressive as has been the case for this entire match from Mithali Raj. Despite that, Brown negotiates Sharma and flicks one off the pads to square leg for four.

AUS 230/8 (93 overs): Perry is dropped again
, this time by Taniya Bhatia behind the stumps. This is her second lifeline in 11 balls. Two runs from the over for Perry.

AUS 228/8 (92 overs):
Darcie Brown is off the mark with a lovely boundary down cover. This helps Australia avoid the follow-on. PHEW. Relief in the Aussie camp after all the stumbling to get here. Five runs off the over in total.

AUS 223/7 (91 overs):
Vastrakar to bowl now. Perry gets a single. Wareham on strike now and slices this down cover but won't get the boundary. And look who we have here! Shikha Pandey is on the field. Here is what Alyssa Healy said about her. But wait, before that, Vastrakar has removed Wareham! She's edged one moving outward comfortably to Taniya Bhatia. Darcie Brown the new batter. Thing going wrong for Australia with the follow-on mark at finger's reach. Three runs and a wicket here. WICKET Georgia Wareham c T Bhatia b Vastrakar 2 (11b 0x4 0x6)



AUS 220/7 (90 overs):
Georgia Wareham is here and Meghna Singh is taking full advantage of Wareham's nervous energy here. The Indians are bringing up scoreboard pressure. Last 7 overs, just 6 runs for the loss of two wickets. Maiden over this one is as well.

AUS 220/7 (89 overs):
Goswami has given just six runs in eight overs she has bowled this morning. Absolutely brilliant from the veteran pacer. This includes this maiden over.

Three wickets. 12 funs. 9 overs. Indian bowlers have been asking all the right questions here
this morning.

AUS 220/7 (88 overs): Meghna comes in. Perry gets a lifeline as she is dropped in gully by Deepti Sharma. Perry gets a single. Meghna will get her wicket though , as Molineux is trapped in front. Lovely by Meghna here. Australia needs 8 runs to avoid the follow-on. WICKET Sophie Molineux lbw b Meghna Singh 2 (14b 0x4 0x6)

AUS 219/6 (87 overs): Jhulan gets another maiden but not before baiting Molineux. She tries to tempt Molineux to reach for the ball angling away. Molineux is no amateur. She is happy to let them all pass. Goswami follows that quickly with a yorker and Molineux has to grind that out to the offside. That is followed by a beautiful delivery - another outswinger that invites Molineux to drive but seemingly takes an edge and travels to the keeper. No connection though. No harm.

AUS 219/6 (86 overs):
Molineux gets two runs as she snaps the ball off to square leg. Three runs in total off that over from Meghna.

AUS 216/6 (85 overs):
Jhulan is back. And what do we have here? A mix up in the middle! Both batters are in the middle of the pitch almost at the same time, but the ball is slow to come to crease so the duo fall back to safety. Maiden for Jhulan.

AUS 216/6 (84 overs): Meghna Singh continues and gets her first wicket of the match - her first Test wicket and she gets debutant Annabel Sutherland. Gets her with the outswinger and Sutherland knicks it to Bhatia behind the stumps. That brings in Sophie Molineux. WICKET Annabel Sutherland c †T Bhatia b Meghna Singh 3 (20b 0x4 0x6)

AUS 214/5 (83 overs):
Goswami returns. Annabel Sutherland finally gets her first run in Test cricket. After 15 deliveries.

AUS 213/5 (82 overs):
Meghna starts off after the break. Two slips to help her out here. Three runs from this over.

AUS 210/5 (81 overs): Jhulan gets the second new ball
and expectedly bowls a maiden over. Time for drinks.

AUS 210/5 (80 overs): Gayakwad again. Perry gets two runs off her but that wil be all for the over. India can change the ball now.

AUS 208/5 (79 overs):
Two overs to go before India gets a new ball. But before that, there's some reason for cheer as Deepti Sharma has removed Ash Gardner. Sharma tosses this one up to Gardner who holes out to Mithali Raj at mid-off. Low catch, nicely done by the skipper. Sutherland comes in now.  WICKET Ashleigh Gardner c Raj b Sharma 51 (86b 6x4 0x6)

AUS 208/4 (78 overs):
Lest you forget, Ash Gardner is nearing her half century too. She sends Gayakwad's short delivery down cover, beating Vastrakar for a four. She follows that up with two runs down midwicket for her maiden Test fifty. Seven runs in total from the over. The batters are going about this comfortably this morning. No lights, no frights.

AUS 201/4 (77 overs):
Full spin now as Sharma comes in. Perry takes a single to bring up the Australia 200. Two runs in total from this over. Australia inching closer to avoid the follow-on.

If there's anyone who can do it all, it is Ellyse Perry. Take a look at the FIFA World Cup goal she scored back in 2011

 

AUS 199/4 (76 overs): Gayakwad comes in now. Slightly expensive over this from the spinner. After a dot ball start, Gardner square drives for four. Follows it up with a pair of twos. There's a close field for her- slip, silly point and short leg and that helps tighten the end of the over. Eight runs from this over.

AUS  191/4 (75 overs): FIFTY for ELLYSE PERRY.
What a player she is. She is unbeaten in over 500 deliveries in pink ball Tests! She gets to the mark with a four, dispatching a full length ball from Singh to the fine leg boundary. Muted celebrations from Perry. A large part of the job left to be done.

AUS 183/4 (74 overs): Sharma continues from the other end. Quiet over but Gardner punctuates that with a lovely drive down cover for four. Six runs in total from this over. Positive intent from the Australians this morning.

AUS 177/4 (73 overs): Meghna Singh comes into the attack.
Gives away just one run.

AUS 176/4 (72 overs): Oh opportunity for Deepti Sharma
as Gardner is beaten while trying to drive the ball. Bhatia rocks the bails but Gardner is grounded more than safely. Four runs come off that over in total.

AUS 172/4 (71 overs):
Gardner is not to be left behind. With Ellyse Perry going for the shots at the other hand, Gardner joins the party with a lofted shot over mid-on for four . Lovely shot this.

AUS 168/4 (70 overs):
Quiet over from Sharma. One run from it.

AUS 167/4 (69 overs):
Five runs off this Gayakwad over for Australia. Lovely batting from Perry here. Textbook square cut for a boundary from the all-rounder. She's into the 40s now.

AUS 162/4 (68 overs):
A lone run from this over by Deepti Sharma

AUS 161/4 (67 overs):
Gayakwad takes over at the other end. Raj going to spin early. Just the one run from the over but plenty of action. Vastrakar can't hold on to a cut shot from Gardner. Dropped at backward point. Gayakwad then ends the over with an lbw appeal for Perry. There was contact with the bat but there was a pad involved too. All's well. Perry is safe.

Pad first?  Appeal for lbw as Perry plays forward. Certainly took bat as well, hard to tell if it brushed the pad. Replay suggests pad first. Very straight

AUS 160/4 (66 overs):
Deepti Sharma into the attack now. Four runs off the over courtesy a lovely sweep by Ellyse Perry that finds the boundary rope.

AUS 156/4 (65 overs):
Goswami  back, this time to place to stem the run flow. Relatively quiet over besides a frenzied final ball that sees the batters scamper for a run. Intent from Australia to keep things going. Conditions are good to amass runs and these two will do just that.

AUS 155/4 (64 overs):
Vastrakar returns. Ash Gardner dangerously gets a thick inside edge here but this fuller ball finds its way past leg to the boundary ropes.

AUS 151/4 (63 overs):
Goswami back again. As I say I am not here to jinx Perry, Goswami is appealing loudly after beating Perry straight on. No harm done. Just one run from this over.

FUN STAT: Ellyse Perry has faced more than 400 deliveries in Pink Ball Tests and has not been dismissed yet. This is not to jinx the innings. This is the stuff we live to watch.


AUS 150/4 (62 overs): Pooja Vastrakar comes in at the other end and is welcomed by Perry with a boundary down fine leg. Sublime from Perry here.

AUS 144/4 (61 overs): Goswami is given a slip and short leg. Field placements have been attacking from Mithali Raj throughout this innings. Ellyse Perry means business. Every run counts now and the intent is there. She gets a single right away. Three runs from this first over of the day.

And we're back with proceedings on the final day of this Test match. Jhulan Goswami will start us off.
_______________________________________________________________________



In case you missed action on day 3, check out our analysis here:



Okay, so quick look at match scenarios:

  1. 228 : Australia's target to avoid the follow-on
  2. 4-2: The current series lead Australia has. If the sides draw the match, it becomes 6-4, if India wins, it becomes 4-6 in their favour. In the unlikely event of an Aussie win, that scoreline will become an unassailable 8-2
  3. 234: The number of runs Australia trails by
  4. 3: The number of T20Is to be played in this multiformat series

9:15 AM IST: Before we head into proceedings in Carrara for the final time in this Test, let's take a look at that brilliant tussle between Alyssa Healy and Jhulan Goswami.



8:50 AM IST:
Close to 40 minutes left for day 4 to begin. Will India enforce the follow-on? Can Australia build with Perry and Gardner? Can India extract a win out of a game that looks headed towards a draw? So many questions. Just one day to answer it all

 

Day 03 recap:

  • Biggest recap point: Carrara got an entire day of uninterrupted cricket.
  • India started the day on 276/5 with Taniya Bhatia and Deepti Sharma at the crease.
  • The duo got off to a slow start, not exactly ideal given the time left in the match. The strategy seemed to be to tire out the Aussies with the game all but certainly heading towards a draw
  • Deepti Sharma scored a half century
  • Ellyse Perry got her 300th international wicket, making her the only woman to score 5000 runs and take 300 wickets. She has a FIFA World Cup goal to her name too!
  • India declared at 377/8, it's highest score in Women's Tests. This was also the highest  total a visiting side has made when batting 1st in a women's Test in Australia, beating England's 290 at the WACA in 1984.
  • Australia, after spending 140 overs on the field over 2.5 days, got off to a rocky start with Jhulan Goswami removing Beth Mooney early
  • Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning steadied the ship for a while with a 46-run partnership before an engaging over from Jhulan Goswami saw Healy make the long walk back to the pavilion
  • Pooja Vastrakar removed Lanning after which Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath were tasked with rebuilding. The duo stitched a 39-run stand for the 4th wicket before Vastrakar took care of McGrath
  • While Aussie pacers struggled to get anything out of the wicket, bowling under the lights seemed to suit the Indian pace arsenal, with all four Aussie wickets to fall going to them.
  • Australia trails by 234 runs and needs 85 runs to avoid the follow-on.

    Report:
    Highlights:

    Day 02 recap:
  • India started the day on 132/1 with Punam Raut and Smriti Mandhana at the crease
  • Mandhana scored her maiden Test century which came with a bunch of records

    WhatsApp-Image-2021-10-01-at-32637-PMjpeg

     
  • Raut walked after thinking she knicked the ball to the keeper despite the umpire denying the wicket
  • India was at 276/5 when rain interrupted the match yet again. Lightning activity quickly moved to a full-fledged hail storm. A wet outfield meant play was called off for the day
  • With just two days remaining in the Test, India faces the decision of declaration to open up the contest a little more.
  • 108 overs will need to be bowled on the last two days now, with the 30-minute advanced start to make up for delays as was set at the end of day 1
  • Deepti Sharma and Taniya Bhatia will resume for India on Saturday

    MATCH REPORT:
    Highlights of day 2:

Mandhana on her innings:

 

Day 01 recap:

  • Meg Lanning won the toss and chose to field
  • Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put together a 93-run partnership for the first wicket
  • Australian pacers struggled to bowl the right lengths to the openers, especially Smriti. The wicket did not provide the help Lanning anticipated
  • Lone wicket of Shafali Verma falls on day 1
  • Rain washed out two sessions almost entirely
  • India ends day 1 on 132/1 with Smriti Mandhana unbeaten on 80
  • Adjustment: Day 2,3,4 will begin 30 minutes early to adjust overs lost on day 1

Here is a detailed analysis of day 1 and what went right and wrong for both sides:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE SERIES SO FAR: Australia comes into this Test with a 2-1 lead in the three ODIs played in Mackay. The third ODI saw India bring Meg Lanning's side's unbeaten run in the format to an end. 26 consecutive wins in the format is no joke and it rightly took a special performance from the Indians to halt this record run. Read more here:


 


INJURY NEWS:

There are quite a few injury updates ahead of this Test. Harmanpreet Kaur will not play this game due to a thumb injury.  For Australia, Rachel Haynes will sit out not just this Test but the rest of the series due a hamstring injury she sustained during the ODI leg of the series.
 


HERE'S HOW THE POINTS TABLE OF THE MULTI-FORMAT SERIES LOOKS:

 

WHERE TO WATCH

You can catch the one-off Pink Ball Test between India and Australia on the Sony Sports Network. The match will also be streamed live on the Sony Liv app.harm

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment