Aussies have a Litchfield day
Mumbai, January 2
India produced an abject batting display after a poor show with the ball to suffer a 190-run loss, their third heaviest, in the third and final ODI as a rampant Australia completed a 3-0 series whitewash at the Wankhede Stadium here today.
189 Litchfield and Healy’s 189-run stand is now the highest for any wicket among all the visiting sides in India in the 50-over format
10 Consecutive wins in away bilateral games for Australia. It is their ninth series win against India and fifth in the opponent’s backyard
Having conceded the highest total ever of 338/7 recorded by any opposition against them, India’s frailties with the bat came to the fore as they were shot out for 148 in 32.4 overs.
None of the Indian batters, who had put up a strong fight in the second ODI, could trouble the Aussies as they marched to their 10th consecutive win in away bilateral games.
For Australia, it is their ninth series win against India and fifth in the opponent’s backyard.
Australia beat India 3-0 in 2018, 3-0 in 2012 and 4-0 in 1984. India also a suffered 0-3 whitewash in 2006 and a 0-5 sweep in 2008 in Australia.
India were rocked twice in the powerplay when Megan Schutt (2/23) cleaned up Yastika Bhatia (6) and then Smriti Mandhana (29) played one straight down to Kim Garth at deep extra cover.
India’s woes compounded when skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (3) was dismissed for her third single-digit score in a row. Looking to sweep Georgia Wareham (3/21), Harmanpreet was beaten by Beth Mooney’s anticipation to quickly move on her left from the first slip to complete the dismissal.
Richa Ghosh (19), coming off a superb 96 in the second ODI, played on to her wickets off Wareham with the Australian leg-spinner once again snaffling crucial wickets.
India’s hopes to take the game deep then suffered a blow in the 20th over when their most consistent batter in the series, Jemimah Rodrigues (25), smashed one straight to Alana King at short midwicket off Ashleigh Gardner.
“I think this ODI series didn’t go well. We tried our best, some of the performances were very good, but some of us need to think about what we need to do. We have T20s in front of us now, so we will keep doing our best,” Harmanpreet said.
The highlight for Australia in the second innings was Phoebe Litchfield’s stunning one-handed catch. She completed a diving effort at cover to dismiss Amanjot Kaur (3) off King.
Earlier, Litchfield continued her rich vein of form with a magnificent century as Australia flayed India.
Litchfield cracked as many as 16 fours and a six to make 119 off 125 balls and put on a record 189-run stand for the first wicket with Alyssa Healy, who also cashed in on the opportunity with an 85-ball 82.
Australia were relentless with the bat and despite Shreyanka Patil’s 3/57, the visitors made merry on a placid wicket that proved to be a batting paradise.
Brief scores: Australia: 338/7 in 50 overs (Litchfield 119, Healy 82; Shreyanka 3/57); India: 148 all out in 32.4 overs (Mandhana 29; Wareham 3/23).
