Harmanpreet, Jemimah, Poonam lead India A to series whitewash

India A have clean swept their Twenty-20 series against Australia A by registering a 38-run win over their opponents. Batting first, India A posted 154-8 on the board. They then bowled out Australia A for 117.

India A won the toss and elected to bat first. It was however, Australia who had the upper hand at the beginning of the innings. They managed to dismiss both Indian openers in single digits, leaving India struggling at 18-2. The Indian innings was rescued by youngsters Jemimah Rodrigues (38 off 29) and Taniya Bhatia (13 off 17), who stitched together 52-run third-wicket partnership.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur then hammered 41 runs off 27 balls, and Deepti Sharma chipped in with a valuable cameo of 18 off nine. This lifted the teams total to a competitive 154-8.

With the ball, Molly Strano and Maitlan Brown both picked up two wickets each, for Australia A. Tahlia McGrath and Amanda-Jade Wellington also chipped in with a scalp each. Australia A put in an impressive effort in the field as well, executing two run-outs.

Chasing, the tourists' got off to a shaky start and were unable to recover. Opener McGrath was dismissed off the fifth ball of innings, by Pooja Vastrakar. Fellow opener Georgia Redmayne (19 off 15) and Naomi Stalenberg (26 off 19) then consolidated to build a 37-run second-wicket partnership. However, once the wicket of Stalenberg fell, a collapse ensued. No other batter, apart from Heather Graham (20 off 22), reached double-digits as the Indian bowlers made regular breakthroughs. This led to Australia A being bundled out in the last over, for 117, falling 38 runs short of the total.

Poonam Yadav starred with the ball, finishing with figures of 3-23. Vastrakar and Anuja Patil claimed two wickets apiece, while Sharma and Radha Yadav chipped in with a scalp each. Of the 10 wickets to fall in the innings, seven were taken by spinners.

India A whitewash the Twenty-20 series and they will be well-pleased with their efforts. The players representing India 'A' were all their regular internationals who, ahead of the World Twenty-20, were probably hoping to get some games under their belt especially after their proposed series against the West Indies was cancelled. The team will take confidence out of their wins and will be hoping to continue their winning ways in the much-anticipated event, that will be held in the Caribbean.