Reality check for India; Ellyse Perry’s all-round show powers Australia to table-top

Just a day ago, Australia almost pulled off a victory against England going on to tie the match, before losing in the Super Over. On Sunday (February 2), the hosts finally registered their first win of the tourney beating India in the T20I tri-series in Canberra, thanks to an allround show by Ellyse Perry.

The 29-year-old Ellyse Perry, first dismantled the Indian batting with a four-fer which included three wickets in an over, before anchoring Australia’s chase with an almost run-a-ball 47-ball 49 helping the hosts to a not-so-comprehensive, fighting four-wicket win at the Manuka Oval.

Chasing an easy 104, the Australians were dealt with early blows losing both the openers Alyssa Healy (one) and Beth Mooney (six) with 30 runs on board. Ashleigh Gardener (22) too got a start but couldn’t capitalize on that before being bowled by Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2/18).

Despite the small total to defend, the Indian bowlers didn’t lose hope and continued to pressurize the host batters with wickets at regular intervals and sharp fielding. With Jess Jonassen (six) and stand-in-captain Rachael Haynes (nine) back in hut early, there was a sense that India might pull off a victory or might even force a tie.

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But Ellyse Perry had other plans as she continued the momentum at one end gaping boundaries occasionally. She hit Radha Yadav for two successive boundaries in the 18th over to bring the match under control before holing out to Veda Krishnamurthy at long on. Nicola Carey (nine not out) sealed the match with a boundary to take Australia home in the 19th over.

Earlier, India were off to a blistering start with young opener Shafali Verma (five) welcoming Megan Schutt (1/26) with a superb boundary over mid-on before Smriti Mandhana (35) hit another four and a six to make it 15.

However, the joy was short lived as Verma, trying to thrash an angled ball from Ellyse Perry (4/13) on the very first ball of the second over, misjudged it completely to lose her middle stump in the process. Jemimah Rodrigues, too, didn’t last long against Tayla Vlaeminck (3/13). Trying to whip across the line of a good length slightly fuller delivery, the right-hander got a thick edge to third man boundary and was brilliantly caught by Nicola Carey.

Things slowed down, run-rate dropped as Mandhana, along with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, took her time in the middle. While Mandhana was aggressive, Kaur played the second fiddle. The left-hander’s beautiful lofted cover drive off Carey through the line over straight mid-off was a treat to watch.

Just as it looked that the Mandhana-Kaur combo is going to last for a long time, left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen (1/19) accounted for the left-handed opener, who was caught at deep mid-wicket leaving the Women in Blue reeling at 58 for three at the halfway stage. The duo had added 30 runs for the third wicket.

Jemimah Rodrigues ❌

Veda Krishnamurthy ❌

Arundhati Reddy ❌

Tayla Vlaeminck had a brilliant day with the ball.#AUSvIND #T20Triseries pic.twitter.com/BAF3hDGJMJ

— Women's CricZone (@WomensCricZone) February 2, 2020

Although the Indian captain took the mantle from Mandhana, hitting back-to-back boundaries in Georgia Wareham’s opening over, the hosts clawed back into the game superbly, claiming five wickets in 10 balls.

First, it was Ellyse Perry who accounted for big fish Kaur (28) before dismissing Taniya Bhatia and Deepti Sharma, both out for a duck. While the Indian captain was caught at the third man trying an uppercut, Bhatia and Deepti were dismissed in similar fashion - slicing the ball to Beth Mooney at backward point.

Well, this wasn’t all as Tayla Vlaeminck removed Veda Krishnamurthy (8) and Arundhati Reddy (4) in the very next over to leave India reeling at 82 for eight in 14.4 overs. Thereafter the Indians could garner only 20 runs in the last five overs losing one more wicket (that of Radha Yadav for 11) in the process to end at 103 for 9 in 20 overs.

Brief Scores: India 103/9 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 35, Harmanpreet Kaur 28; Ellyse Perry 4/14, Tayla Vlaeminck 3/13) lost to Australia 104/6 in 18.5 overs (Ellyse Perry 49; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2/18) by four wickets. PoTM: Ellyse Perry