Leg-spinner Priya Mishra wrecks hosts as India A finally win

Mackay (Australia), August 18

Rookie leg-spinner Priya Mishra grabbed five wickets while Tejal Hasabnis and Raghvi Bist scored half-centuries as India A thrashed Australia A by 171 runs in the third and final One-dayer here today.

India A finally achieved success after having lost five successive games — three T20s in Brisbane and two One-dayers here — in the six-match white-ball series.

India A scored 243/9, thanks to middle-order batter Tejal’s 66-ball 50 and Raghvi’s 64-ball 53 before 20-year-old Delhi cricketer Priya took 5/14 to dismiss Australia A for just 72 runs for a massive win.

Playing in only her first match of the tour, Priya dismissed opener Maddy Darke (22) and top-order batter Tess Flintoff (20) as the home team was left reeling at 52/4 in the 15th over of the chase.

She then destroyed the middle order, taking the wickets of Nicole Faltum (2), Kate Peterson (1) and Nicola Hancock (0) as the hosts were dismissed in 22.1 over. The one-off unofficial Test will be played in Gold Coast from August 22.

Earlier, a 104-run partnership between Tejal and Raghvi helped India A overcome a shaky start, which saw them reeling at 43/3 in the ninth over.

The duo, which has stood out in the series for its batting, then carried the team to 147 before Tejal was dismissed in the 28th over. Raghvi too followed suit before Sajeevan Sajana (40) and captain Minnu Mani (34) took the team beyond the 200-run mark.

Brief scores: India A: 243/9 in 50 overs (Raghvi 53, Tejal 50, Sajana 40, Minnu 34; Brown 3/39, Knott 2/26); Australia A: 72 all out in 22.1 overs (Priya 5/14, Minnu 2/4). — PTI