Australia v India Women's Cricket World Cup semi-final – Jemimah Rodrigues leads India to record-breaking victory

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A scintillating knock from Jemimah Rodrigues led India to record the highest successful chase in women's ODI history, as India beat Australia to reach the Women's World Cup final. The two already faced off in the tournement's group stage with the Aussies winning by three wickets, so India were out for revenge and the chance to take on England's conquerors for the big prize.

Highlights: England fall to ODI series defeat as New Zealand cruise to five-wicket win

Video credit: TNT Sports

India pulled off a record-breaking run chase, as they beat Australia by five wickets to reach the final of the Women’s World Cup.
From a platform of strength set by Phoebe Litchfield's 93-ball 119 and Ellyse Perry's 77, Australia faltered at the back end of their innings and posted 338 when a target towards 400 looked on the cards at one stage.
It was still an imposing figure, requiring the highest chase in women's ODI history, but it proved well within India’s grasp in Mumbai.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur made 89 to offer superb support to Jemimah Rodrigues.
Rodrigues made 127 off 134 balls to guide India to victory over the defending champions with nine balls to spare.
Australia will reflect on some sloppy passages of play in the field; Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath dropped sitters to hand lives to Rodrigues, and she cashed in to guide her country to a meeting with South Africa in the final on Sunday.
"It feels like a dream and it has not sunk in yet," an emotional Rodrigues said when picking up the Player of the Match award. "I did not think about it. It meant so much to win this match for India.
"Today was not about my 50 or 100, it was about making India win.
"I cannot take credit for anything. I did not do anything [on my own]."
Paying tribute to the fans in Mumbai, Rodrigues said: "Each and every member [of the crowd] who chanted, cheered and believed, and for every run they were cheering, that pumped me up."
Australia captain Healy said: "It was a good contest in the end. We will probably reflect that we did it to ourselves a bit. It is probably the first time I've felt we’ve done that.
"We did not finish off with the bat, did not bowl that great and dropped a lot of chances. So to hang in there into the second last over, so we can take something from that but ultimately outdone in the end."
India 341-5 - overs bowled 48.3
INDIA WIN! Rank full toss from Molineux and Amanjot slaps it through cover for four. Amanjot lofts the next ball down the ground for two. Amanjot backs away and cuts the third ball of the over for four and India are home with nine balls to spare. What a run chase. What an innings from Jemimah, but Australia will rue their errors in the field and not getting over 350 from a solid platform.
India 331-5 - overs bowled 48
Healy shows why she is one of the best wicketkeepers in the game. Sutherland sends it miles down leg but Healy saves what would have been a certain four wides. Two balls later, Jemimah gets out the scoop and races to the fence for four. Another four through backward point and it’s down to single figures. 8 off 12.
India 316-5 - overs bowled 47
Short and wide with fielders up on the off side is criminal from Molineux and Jemimah slaps the first ball for four. Molineux comes back superbly and it’s 23 needed off 18.
India 310-5 - overs bowled 46
India are now at the stage where they can see the winning line and can knock the ball around, but Richa tried to play the big short and departed.
WICKET - Richa c Garth b Sutherland. Pace off does the trick as Richa tries to go over short third but does not get enough on it and Garrth takes a simple catch.
India 305-4 - overs bowled 45
Richa with a huge six over midwicket off Gardner, and she follows up by slapping the ball to square leg for four. Pressure is mounting on the Australia bowlers (and fielders). 34 needed off 30.
India 291-4 - overs bowled 44
DROP! Healy turns to Sutherland and a huge moment as Jemimah cloths one to mid-off but McGrath does not even get a hand on it. An absolute sitter goes down. Does Jemimah have nine lives today? Richa gets a thin edge and it flies past Healy for four. The crowd are starting to believe. 48 needed off 36.
India 284-4 - overs bowled 43
Jemimah pulls out the reverse and it is a beauty as it goes over McGrath at short third for four. Gardner comes back well but it’s still eight off it. 55 needed off 42.
India 276-4 - overs bowled 42
Jemimah brings up her century to a huge roar from the crowd. 100 off 115 balls. Schutt’s sixth ball is a wide and it proves costly as Richa smashes the extra delivery over long-off for six. 12 off the over. 63 needed off 48/
India 264-4 - overs bowled 41
Healy turns to the spin of Gardner. Deepti slog sweeps over backward square for four. A couple of balls later she is heading back to the pavilion. Jemimah called Deepti through for a single but she was slow to respond and was out by a foot. She was looking so good having cruised to 24 from 17 balls.
WICKET - Run out. Deepti is short of her ground as Healy takes off the bails. A huge breakthrough for Australia.
India 257-3 - overs bowled 40
Schutt is back for Australia, but even the great swing bowler is not immune to pressure as she spoils her set with a wide and then a no-ball for a high full toss which leads to a free hit. Deepti is caught at long-off from the free hit but comes through for a single. Molineux with another brilliant stop at backward point as Schutt gets away with eight off the over. 10 overs to go and the target is 82 in 60 balls.
India 249-3 - overs bowled 39
As in the previous over, Deepti finds the boundary off the first ball, lofting King down the ground for four. Molineux does brilliantly at short fine to save three runs with a fantastic diving stop. Dew is starting to form on the ground and could make fielding a tad more difficult.
India 241-3 - overs bowled 38
Deepti clubs the first ball of Sutherland’s over over wide of long-on for four. The scoreboard is in favour of Australia at the moment, but it is still an excellent surface for batting. A good comeback from Sutherland after the first ball, with three singes.
India 234-3 - overs bowled 37
India’s hopes likely rest on Jemimah, who will have the keep up the scoring pace as Deepti gets a feel for conditions. King gets through her eighth over, and it’s a good one for Australia with four coming off it.
India 230-3 - overs bowled 36
Sutherland strikes a huge blow for Australia with Harman heading back to the shed. Deepti Sharma joins Jemimah at the crease. Left-hand, right-hand combo now for India.
WICKET! Kaur 89 c Gardner b Sutherland (India 226-3)
Gardner catches Kaur, out for 89, off Sutherland's bowling. A mistimed short ball sees Gardner sprinting in from the boundary to dive in for an excellent catch. 89 off 88 for the captain.
India 226-2 - overs bowled 35
Australia call for a LBW review on Jemimah. The umpire initially said not out, and there's no contact on Ultraedge. The ball pitches in line but is projected to clear the wickets after it bounced, so that is not out.
Kaur then tempts the fielder with a looping shot into the air that missses two fielders and strikes the boundary for four.
Jemimah is down with cramp now, with four more singles from the over.
India 218-2 - overs bowled 34
Kaur is on 83, while Jemimah has one more. The captain looks like she will overtake soon.
India 212-2 - overs bowled 33
DROPPED! Healy puts down a sitter from Jemimah, who loops a shot straight into the sky. A nightmare for the wicketkeeper as she drops a routine catch. Kaur then strikes a boundary as the partnership reaches 150.
India 201-2 - overs bowled 32
India move past 200 as Jemimah gets to 82 from 88, and at Australia's stage of this innings, they were 207-2. However, they were then left hampered by regular wickets. Kaur is 68 from 75.
India 198-2 - overs bowled 31
A mammoth six from Kaur almost reached the second tier of the spectators. India are starting to pull away on the worm and if Australia don't take wickets soon, they could be in trouble.
India 189-2 - overs bowled 30
Kuar swipes a huge, lofting six with a sweet off drive. The handbrake is off.
India 179-2 - overs bowled 29
The win predictor gives Australia about a 72% chance of winning. They keep the scoreboard ticking over as they look to avoid any dot balls, with Kaur bringing up her half-century, her 22nd.
India 174-2 - overs bowled 28
India move ahead on the D/L system, which indicates how they have started to step up the scoring. Nine off the over with Jemimha on 75 from 76 now.
India 165-2 - overs bowled 27
Just two off Gardner's over there to keep things under control India need 174 from the remaining 138 balls.
India 163-2 - overs bowled 26
Some top fielding from Alana King to stop a boundary. However, some smart running between the wickets and a wide is followed by a clip off the legs for a four leg byes, which brings a brief discussion over a potential appeal for an LBW. There is no review taken. Kuar then flicks strongly for four for to bring up the century partnership
Australia are still in control here. Saying that, there could be some sparks to come later in the over. However, there is plenty of drama left to come. As the bowling side, they need to step up the pressure.
India 149-2 - overs bowled 25
Jemimah is 63 off 68 and Kaur 40 off 53. As steady as this is, four off Gardner's over sees them drift further behind the required run rate.
India 144-2 - overs bowed 24
A boundary for Jemimah off the first ball of the over, guided behind her to gully, and a couple more singles follow.
India 138-2 - overs bowed 23
Steady progress for the pair hear as they trundle towards a decision. They probably have a few more overs to go before they decide to get more aggressive, but that might miss the chance of scoring well with two batters who are well set.
India 132-2 - overs bowled 22
Jemimha is on 54, Kaur 32. If the pair of them get through the next couple of overs at a steady rate they can catch up with Australia's worm.
India 124-2 - Overs bowled: 21
Jemimah moves onto 54 for her first consecutive ODI half-century in two innings, which is as sweet to India as Eau de Rose, and I obviously don't have to tell any of you that.
India 107-2 - Overs bowled: 18
India keeping things ticking with singles after a flurry of wide bowls by Molineux. Steady enough from Rodrigues and Kaur, but of course, they have to keep up a decent run-rate with 339 their target.
Drinks break: India 86-2
But it should have been a third wicket for Australia just moment ago. A big let-off for Harmanpreet Kaur as a real blunder of a fumble by Healy allows Harmanpreet to get back before the bails are dislodged.
India 73-2 - Overs bowled: 12
India moving along at a decent pace here, with Rodrigues looking comfortable. Lots of work to be done, but India have not buckled under the weight of the task.
HUGE wicket for Australia (India 59-2)
Garth appealed immediately for a caught behind, a very slight spike down leg side on Mandhana. She seems in disbelief that Australia's appeal was successful, as she reluctantly trudges off in front of a silenced Navi Mumbai crowd.
India 44-1 (Jemimah 8, Smriti 20) Overs bowled: 7
Steady stuff from the two up for India, Smriti gets an excellent six, and looks nailed on for another four if not for the excellent pace and alertness of Perry, who marauds around the boundary and saves two runs by flicking the ball back inside.
INDIA UP TO BAT (18-1)
Verma and Mandhana up for India, and both get up and running. But hang on... we have an umpire review early doors.
Garth goes straight down the middle and it seems to catch Verma out, crashing into leg stump. The review goes in Australia's favour, and Verma makes her way for Rodrigues.
A big hurdle cleared early for Australia.
INNINGS OVER - AUSTRALIA 338
A great few minutes for India as Garth is comfortably ran out to give Australia 338 all out.
DOUBLE WICKET! Australia 336-9 Overs bowled: 49.3
The slightest of edges and a great catch from Ghosh sends King out, and a wicket for Sharma.
Sharma then immediately gets another, bowling Molineux for 0.
GARNER OUT FOR 63
Australia's guiding light is run out after notching back-to-back sixes. With her side at 331-7, she has done enough damage to ensure it is the highest batting total recorded at the competition this year.
GARDNER HITS HALF CENTURY
A stellar contribution from Gardner, who has almost single-handedly restored some calm with an immense 50.
She's now recorded the third-highest number of runs at the competition with 316 - per Sky Sports.
Australia reach 300
Much more settled from the duo of Garth and Gardner, who send their side to 300 from 46 overs. Gardner has already racked up 35 (34).
Australia 289-6 (Garth 10, Gardner 27) Overs bowled: 44.5
Massive six from Ash Gardner, absolutely blasting from Charani, getting right under it to send it soaring over mid-on.
MCGRATH OUT FOR 12
This is relentless stuff from India, who run out McGrath for just 12, and the ≈350 total Australia seemed to be hurtling towards is seriously in doubt.
A mix-up from the batters seems to catch McGrath out, and Rodrigues was alert - Kim Garth now in.
Australia 249-5 (McGrath 6, Gardner 4) Overs bowled: 39.5
Perry is finally thwarted! She misses when going back to Yadav, and the ball takes a nick off the top of the stump.
77 (88) for Perry, and all of a sudden, from 220-2, things are looking a little edgy.
Australia 232-4 (Perry 68, Gardner 3) Overs bowled: 36.5
Apologies for the slight pause there, some updates to bring you.
A tricky couple of overs for Australia as Mooney is dismissed for 24 from 22, caught by Jemimah Rodrigues above her head in the covers. Just moments later, the incoming Annabel Sutherland pops it up and Charani gets the catch to her left.
Australia looking to just settle here after a nervy few moments.
Australia 215-2 (Perry 56, Mooney 22) Overs bowled: 33
Deepti returns and the batters milk her for singles, but you can see they're looking for more and, sure enough, Mooney hauls her last delivery from outside off to the fence at midwicket for four.
Australia 207-2 (Perry 56, Mooney 16) Overs bowled: 32
Offered one back of a length, Mooney hauls to the fence at midwicket for four – she clearly doesn't see any demons in the pitch or magic from the bowler, currently Amanjot. And nor does Perry who, after a single, belts back down the ground for six; 11 off the over, two balls still to come .. both dots. Small comfort for India, but at this point they'll take anything.
Australia 196-2 (Perry 49, Mooney 9) Overs bowled: 31
This is better from India, Mooney taking one over midwicket and Perry bumping to long-off for the single which raises her fifty – an ominous sign with so long still to go in the innings. AS further single follows, the rate now "down" at 6.32.
Australia 193-2 (Perry 49, Mooney 9) Overs bowled: 30
India are squeezing a little, I guess, a tightish over from Amanjot yielding five. But if that's tight, you're struggling.
Australia 188-2 (Perry 46, Mooney 7) Overs bowled: 29
Radha returns, her loosener hauled around the corner by Mooney ... and all the way to the fence for four. Two singles follow, then she looks to glance around the corner, misses, wears it on the pad ... and when the umpires reject the bowler's appeal, India review. I'm not sure why, given we've a slow left-armer bowling around the wicket to a lefty, and indeed the ball pitched outside the line.
Australia 178-2 (Perry 45, Mooney 1) Overs bowled: 28
The good news for India is that Litchfield is out; the bad news is that Mooney is in, and she's off the mark with a drive to cover.
WICKET! Litchfield b Amanjot Kaur 119 (Australia 180-2)
A rare wrong decision as Litchfield again looks to lap behind – with fine leg there, she couldn't have scored more than a single - but she misses and the bowler hits. Thus ends another of the great knocks, played by a future great of the game.
Australia 178-1 (Litchfield 117, Perry 45) Overs bowled: 27
Eeesh, punishment for poor Richa is swift: Perry takes a single, then Litchfield flows six over the top ...then six more, a switch-hit over cover! We are seeing something so, so special, again, and we're obligated to enjoy every second of it because it's not often we see genius – not a word I use lightly of this ilk. Among players playing today, her ability to hit 360 is rivalled by very few – perhaps only by Harry Brook, and if she bats another 10 overs, India will be out of this.
Australia 162-1 (Litchfield 103, Perry 43) Overs bowled: 26
Amanjot replaces Sree and after Perry takes a single, Litchfield swings hard, edges ... and, moving across, Richa can't collect. The ball came quickly, but she had a good look at it and is there specifically to accept chances of that ilk; you don't want to be dropping someone 102 not out off 85 balls. Three singles off the over.
Australia 159-1 (Litchfield 102, Perry 41) Overs bowled: 25
I hate to say it, but it's already very difficult to see how India even compete here, never mind win. Radha, though, sends down a decent over, just two from it – but at halfway, her side are taking a beating. The general rule is that you double the score after 30 overs, but even doubling it now, you'd reckon Australia have too many.
Australia 157-1 (Litchfield 101, Perry 40) Overs bowled: 24
Sree returns and Litchfield welcomes her back to the square by carting her over mid-on for the four that raises her century – off 77 balls, the fastest ever in a World Cup knockout match. She is absolutely delighted and why wouldn't she be? She's already a superstar, ready to destroy records, attacks and worlds.
Australia 152-1 (Litchfield 96, Perry 40) Overs bowled: 23
Both batters have moved their feet nicely, Litchfield from the start and Perry once she settled. But this is a better over from Radha, just three singles from it, and if India can string a few of those together, Australia will force the issue and take risks which might result in that sorely needed wicket.
Australia 149-1 (Litchfield 94, Perry 39) Overs bowled: 22
Litchfield will be thinking of a semi-final ton now, and she goes hard at a wide one from Amanjot, edging four to third man; with five balls still to come, you feel for the bowler. But she comes back well, ceding just a single from her five remaining balls. Nevertheless, the direction of this match appears inevitable: Australia post a monster and India get nowhere near.
Australia 144-1 (Litchfield 89, Perry 39) Overs bowled: 21
Of course, when these sides met in the 2017 semi, Harmanpreet – then a young tyro, now the team captain – played one of the great innings. If things continue as they are, she or someone else will need to do similar; Australia haven't lost a World Cup match since. I actually mentioned it yesterday because Laura Wolvaardt's 169 reminded me of it, a knock you know is epochal even while it's in progress, but back with today, a single and a wide open Deepti's latest over, then Litchfield reverses four to third man; more pressure. And I guess she'll be relieved that the four remaining balls cede just three singles, problem being when a nine-run over constitutes an escape, you're in trouble.
Australia 135-1 (Litchfield 83, Perry 37) Overs bowled: 20
Radha into the attack and Litchfield has a look, then foces over cover, not getting all of it but getting enough, the ball dribbling to the fence. Next ball, though, looks more as planned, a cover drive adding four more, before a second earns two, raising the hunnert partnership in the process. Pressure on the bowler as she comes in for her final delivery, and Litchfield is having none of it, thwacking over mid-off four four more, meaning 14 off the over. that's drinks, and India need a stiff one.
Australia 121-1 (Litchfield 69, Perry 37) Overs bowled: 19
Amanjot replaces Deepti and after two dots, Perry drops and runs, Radha fumbling her pick-up and in the process ruining any prospect of a run out. Oh, but have a look! Litchfield sees one coming so turns face-on, almost French-cricket style, and reverse-laps to fine leg for four! Delightful behaviour! A single follows, and the rate, though reduced at 6.36, is still nasty.
Australia 115-1 (Litchfield 64, Perry 36) Overs bowled: 18
Three dots from Sree, but can she finish the over off? She can, a single apiece making this the driest over of the innings with just two coming from it. The partnership is now 90.
Australia 113-1 (Litchfield 63, Perry 35) Overs bowled: 17
That will have stung India, who needed a breakthrough severely. And after two dots open Deepti's latest over, Perry moves with one directed down leg side, tickling it around the corner for four. Two singles follows, and when a quiet one still yields six, you know you have problems.
REVIEW! NO WICKET!
Yeah, Litchfield rolled wrists over the ball, sending it into the turf, and that is not out. Now that is why we have DRS.
WICKET! Litchfield c Kaur b Sree 62 (Australia 107-2)
A reverse-sweep straight to the fielder on the 45, who holds a decent catch, falling forward ... but was it a bump ball?
Australia 107-1 (Litchfield 62, Perry 29) Overs bowled: 15.5
Already, you get the feeling that if they're to win, India will have to bat brilliantly as a team or have someone play the innings of their life. But this is a better over from Sree, just two dingles from the first four balls ... then Litchfield sidewinds down and annihilates six over long off. She is enjoying herself now.
Australia 99-1 (Litchfield 55, Perry 29) Overs bowled: 15
Yeah, thanks for coming. Perry twinkles down to Deepti's first delivery and spanks it back down the ground for six; pressure for the bowler. And, though she avoids series punishment, four singles make this an expensive over. India need a wicket, badly.
Australia 89-1 (Litchfield 53, Perry 21) Overs bowled: 14
Australia won't just let India's spinners bowl, but going at them is fraught with danger. Phoebe Litchfield, though, isn't arsed, coming down and hammering over mid-off to raise an extremely impressive fifty; there aren't many who are this good at 22. Two singles follow, and after a quiet couple of overs, the Baggy Greens are back in business.
Australia 82-1 (Litchfield 48, Perry 19) Overs bowled: 13
It's spin from both ends now as Deepti is introduced, and with six bowlers in her XI, Harmanpreet will fancy herself able to find what works on this track. And at first look, it seems like that might be spin, because this is another decent over, two singles from it and its final delivery inciting Litchfield to reverse; she appears to top-edge to safety, but a replay suggests the ball came off her arm.
Australia 80-1 (Litchfield 47, Perry 18) Overs bowled: 12
Sree replaces Kranti, whose 1-49 off five is also not great, and her SLA looks decent. She loosens herself with one which bamboozles Litchfield, who comes forward and sees the ball zip past her outside edge, feet all over the place. A single to cover follows, the only run from a sorely needed parsimonious over.
Australia 79-1 (Litchfield 46, Perry 18) Overs bowled: 11
Thakur continues – this is her sixth over – and Litchfield takes her first delivery for two through midwicket. Then, after a dot, Litchfield takes a stutter-step, then opens up to clobber over mid-off for four; I wonder if the left/right combo is affecting her line. In comms, though, DK notes that at this level, length should be non-negotiable, and there've been too many slot-balls; a single competes the scoring for the over, and I'd expect that's the end of an expensive spell: 6-0-29-0.
Australia 72-1 (Litchfield 39, Perry 18) Overs bowled: 10
Two dots, then a poor delivery from Kranti and Perry isn't missing out, especially not in the final over of the powerplay; she turns it around the corner to fine leg for four the, donated a full too, she drives down the ground for four more. Nor is that it: given a gentle one outside off, Perry waits for it then guides an expert's back-cut wide of third man and to the rope. This is getting away from India.
Australia 60-1 (Litchfield 39, Perry 6) Overs bowled: 9
Thakur sends Litchfield four testing dots, virtue rewarded with a spawny edge for four – the only runs from the over.
Australia 56-1 (Litchfield 35, Perry 6) Overs bowled: 8
Nice from Litchfield, who breaks wrists to late-cut, bisecting short third and backwards point to earn four; a wide follows. Oh, and then Lshe plays a similar shot, this time directly to point, problem being Amanjot allows it through her; this time, five wides follow, and India are undermining good bowling with rank sloppiness. An inside-edge to backward square-leg adds a further single, and the rate is now 7.00, though it feels like Australia are yet to get going.
Australia 41-1 (Litchfield 26, Perry 6) Overs bowled: 7
Perry edges four, but this is good stuff from Thakur, who's forcing the batters to play and finding just enough movement to discomfit them; all this experience, all this success, and some of the best players in the world are still nervous in a World Cup semi. Two singles follow, but India must exploit the situation before Australia settle.
NO WICKET!
It was indeed going down.
WICKET! Perry lbw b Litchfield 1 (Australia 35-2)
Another one that arcs back in to the right-hander, Healy misses, the ball hits the pad and up goes the finger. Litchfield, though, is sure it's going down, haring down the track to deliver the glad tidings, and I don't think DRS will uphold the eventuating review.
Australia 35-1 (Litchfield 25, Perry 1) Overs bowled: 6.1
A wide opens Thakur's fourth over.
Australia 34-1 (Litchfield 25, Perry 1) Overs bowled: 6
In comes Karanti to unleash a beauty that leaves Perry after drawing her forward; welcome to the match! Perry, though, has seen it all before, nurdling to point for one, then when she backs up after Litchfield defends, Deepti hurls at the non-striker's for no reason ... conceding four buzzers. Ouch. And to compound the oversight, Litchfield then slices over mid-off for four.
We'll resume in four minutes
Hopefully that'll be it with the stoppages.
The covers are coming off
Or in other words, I was wrong.
The covers are coming on
I'm not sure how long the delay might be, but I doubt it'll be a few minutes.
Rain stops play
Gah! There is, though, a reserve day, so we needn't worry too much.
WICKET! Healy b Kranti 5 (Australia 25-1)
Healy looked a little tentative all innings, and she's gone immediately after the pause! She goes after a channel ball that's a little too close to her to drive, it shapes in a little, and she drags it on to her stumps! No one will be more delighted than Harmanpreet, who dropped her in the the third over; she'll have sawallowed her insides there, because Healy is, as we know, an absolute gun.
There's a bit of rain in the air and one of the floodlights goes off
There's a delay while it's sorted.
Australia 25-0 (Healy 5, Litchfield 17) Overs bowled: 5
Healy forces one to deep backward square, then two further singles complete the scoring for the over. I don't imagine the Aussie no 1 expected to be five off 14 at this stage.
Australia 22-0 (Healy 3, Litchfield 16) Overs bowled: 4
A leg bye, then Litchfield hops down so that when the ball arrives on her hip, it's easy for her to help it on its way, around the corner to the fence at fine leg. So back comes Kranti, targeting the corridor, but you can tell the batter doesn't really respect her: she twinkles down again and missed with a huge heave, doing well to avoid imparting an edge.
Australia 17-0 (Healy 3, Litchfield 12) Overs bowled: 3
Now Healy looks to go over the top and i'm not sure if she checks her shot, but she pops up a dolly of a grab for Harmanpreet, running alongside it at mid-off. all she has to do is let it plop into her hands, but instead she prangs it into the turf. That is very poor indeed, I'm afraid to say, and I fear it may come back to haunt her: this is not a batter to whom you give chances. Anyroad up, they run one, then Litchfield, who looks in decent touch, cuts to deep backward pint, where Smriti dives ... but in vain, the ball bumping the rope for four.
Australia 12-0 (Healy 2, Litchfield 8) Overs bowled: 2
Kranti takes the ball from the other end and, after Healy adds a second single, Litchfield uses her feet beautifully to work the space for a cover-drive that brings the first boundary of the innings. Then, following a dot, she waits for the final delivery of the over, lofting it over the infield for four to wide long-off.
Australia 3-0 (Healy 1, Litchfield 0) Overs bowled: 1
If this is half as good as yesterday, we're in for a treat. Healy blocks Thakur's first delivery, then consecutive wides get the scoreboard moving and a shove to cover for one adds a third run. Despite straying twice, a decent start from India's opener.
Renuka Singh Thakur has the ball and away we go!
Teams
India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Amanjot Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, N Shree Charani, Renuka Singh.
Australia" Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Kim Garth, Alana King, Megan Schutt
Morning all
Australia won the toss and will bat. The players are singing their anthems, so let's get on with it!

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