Wonder women: India record maiden women’s Test victory against Australia

MUMBAI, December 24

India registered their first victory against Australia in a women’s Test match today following their comprehensive eight-wicket win in the one-off contest at Wankhede Stadium.

A significant first-innings lead of 187 had put India in the box seat and they needed only 75 runs to clinch the contest after bowling out Australia for 261 in the touring side’s second innings.

They lost opener Shafali Verma and No. 3 batter Richa Ghosh, but Smriti Mandhana anchored their chase with an unbeaten 38, sealing India’s memorable victory with a four shortly after the lunch break.

Playing more than one Test at home for the first time since 1995, there was hardly a moment when the team put a foot wrong.

The Harmanpreet Kaur-led India had beaten England by 347 runs — the highest victory margin in terms of runs in women’s Test cricket — in a one-off Test in Navi Mumbai earlier this month. In 40 Tests, India now have seven wins and six defeats, while 27 have been drawn.

“It’s the reward for all the hard work we have done for so many years,” Kaur said after India’s first victory against Australia in 11 Tests since the teams first clashed in the longest format in 1977. “Hopefully after these two wins, we will get to play many more Test matches in the upcoming years.”

Earlier, India claimed the last five Australia wickets for just 28 runs after the tourists had resumed their second innings on 233/5.

Seamer Pooja Vastrakar trapped Ash Gardner lbw before off-spinner Sneh Rana, who was chosen Player of the Match for her seven-wicket haul, dismissed Annabel Sutherland (27) and Alana King off successive deliveries. Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad claimed the last two wickets to hasten Australia’s collapse.

“What an amazing experience to come over here and play Test cricket,” Australia captain Alyssa Healy said. “It’s not easy to win over here, we’ve found that out. We’d love to play a couple more (Tests) to make it really interesting.”

The teams will now play three ODIs and an equal number of T20Is. — Agencies

‘Relentless’ India

Australia’s first-ever loss to India in women’s Tests is not even a “blip” and next year’s T20 World Cup remains their ultimate goal, said captain Alyssa Healy. “It is a format where we are not overly familiar with conditions. We would love to see more and it would create a real contest over three games,” she said. Healy credited India’s “relentlessness” with the ball. “One-off Test, India playing in their home conditions, you’d expect them to be heavy favourites. Their relentlessness with the ball stood out to me,” she said. Healy said Australia’s squad has undergone a lot of change but they are comfortable with where they are currently placed. “Ultimately, the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh next year is a real carrot for us,” she said. PTI

Scoreboard

Australia 1st innings 219

India 1st innings 406

Australia 2nd innings

B Mooney run out (Ghosh) 33

P Litchfield b Rana 18

E Perry c Bhatia b Rana 45

T McGrath b Kaur 73

A Healy lbw b Kaur 32

A Sutherland c Bhatia b Rana 27

A Gardner lbw b Vastrakar 7

J Jonassen b Gayakwad 9

A King b Rana 0

K Garth b Gayakwad 4

L Cheatle not out 0

Extras: (b 10, lb 3) 13

Total: (all out, 105.4 overs) 261

FOW: 1-49, 2-56, 3-140, 4-206, 5-221, 6-233, 7-251, 8-251, 9-260

Bowling O M R W

Renuka Singh 11 4 32 0

Pooja Vastrakar 11 1 40 1

Sneh Rana 22 5 63 4

Deepti Sharma 22 7 35 0

Rajeshwari Gayakwad 28.4 11 42 2

Jemimah Rodrigues 2 0 13 0

Harmanpreet Kaur 9 0 23 2

India 2nd innings

S Verma c Healy b Garth 4

S Mandhana not out 38

R Ghosh c McGrath b Gardner 13

J Rodrigues not out 12

Extras: (b 8) 8

Total: (2 wickets, 18.4 overs) 75

FOW: 1-4, 2-55,

Bowling O M R W

Kim Garth 5 1 19 1

Ashleigh Gardner 9 2 18 1

Tahlia McGrath 2 0 14 0

Jess Jonassen 2.4 0 16 0

Player of the Match: Sneh Rana