3rd ODI: Smriti’s century in vain; Australia clean sweep India 3-0

Perth, Dec 11 (IANS) Opener Smriti Mandhana’s ninth ODI century went in vain as Annabel Sutherland’s blistering 110 and Ashleigh Gardner’s 5-30 helped Australia beat India by 83 runs and secure a 3-0 series sweep at the WACA Stadium on Wednesday.

Pushed into batting first, openers Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield put on a stand of 58 runs before Arundhati Reddy turned the game on its head by extracting seam movement in her first spell of eight overs, which saw her take out the duo, Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney to pick a career-best 4-27.

But Arundhati didn’t get much support from India's other bowlers and fielders to tighten the grip on Australia. Annabel, who was dropped on 12, made a brilliant 110 off 95 balls under scorching Perth sunshine – hitting nine fours and four sixes - before being run out on second-last ball of the innings, as Australia made 298/6.

She also got support from Ashleigh Gardner making 50 and skipper Tahlia McGrath making 56 not out. In reply, despite Smriti making a classy 105 off 109 balls, the rest of Indian batting line-up never stood up to the occasion and were bowled out for 215 in 45.1 overs, as Ashleigh picked 5-30.

Georgia and Phoebe hit eight boundaries between themselves, before Arundhati gave a good twist in the tale. She castled Georgia with a superb inswinger, and then got extra bounce to carry a faint edge of Phoebe behind to Richa Ghosh.

More trouble followed Australia as Arundhati produced a beauty which clipped the top of Ellyse’s off stump and then found some swing away to catch Beth’s outside edge. From 78/4, Annabel and Ashleigh stitched a 96-run stand for the fifth wicket, whose standout aspect was them hitting Deepti Sharma and Minnu Mani out of the bowling attack.

Just after Ashleigh reached her half century, her attempt to slice Deepti didn’t pay off as she was caught at backward point. But Annabel marched forward to get her half century in 59 balls and accelerated from there, while sharing a 122-run stand with Tahlia for the sixth wicket.

Though she fell just after reaching her century, which came by whacking Deepti over mid-wicket for six, Annabel ensured Australia reached another mammoth total, even as Arundhati grabbed the best figures by a visiting bowler against Australia in women’s ODIs in this century.

A target of 299 against Australia was always a tall ask, but Smriti was at her elegant best to keep India in the hunt by hitting 14 fours and a six in her three-figure score. She also shared a 118-run partnership with Harleen Deol for the second wicket, before the latter fell in a caught and bowled dismissal to Alana King.

Despite Harmanpreet Kaur chipping to mid-on off Annabel, India looked very much on song to complete the chase. But once Gardner was brought back for her second spell and castled Smriti, she ran through India's fragile middle and lower order to pick a superb five-wicket haul, as the visitors’ chase fizzled out to end their short tour without a win.

Brief Scores: Australia 298/6 (Annabel Sutherland 110, Tahlia McGrath 56; Arundhati Reddy 4-26) beat India 215 (Smriti Mandhana 105, Harleen Deol 39; Ashleigh Gardner 5-30, Megan Schutt 2-26) by 83 runs

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