India Women Vs Australia Women: Australia seal ODI series after Hobart win
Australia produced a dominant batting display in Hobart to clinch the ODI portion of the multi-format contest, leaving the india women vs australia women series tilted in the hosts’ favour as the teams prepare for the final ODI and a Test in Perth next week. The result matters now because it gives Australia the ODI points and forces India to chase a win in Sunday’s Hobart fixture to level the series before the move to Perth.
Litchfield and Voll’s huge partnership finishes the chase in Hobart
Two young Australian stars, Litchfield and Voll, put on a huge partnership that broke the back of the chase early and put India on the back foot. The pair’s aggressive batting ensured that even after they lost their wickets the job was "pretty well done" for Australia; Voll also reached her second ODI century tonight and was described as superb for Australia.
Voll spoke about the partnership with "close friend Litchfield": "We keep things pretty simple to be honest. She was smashing them down the other end and I took a little while to get going. Once I started feeling the ball nicely I could expand my game a little bit and similar with her. Obviously we complement each other quite well and we just love batting together. "
Pratika and Harmanpreet’s half centuries highlight India’s tempo issues
India did not bat badly: Pratika and Harmanpreet both reached half centuries. Those scores, however, came at a glacial pace when measured against Litchfield and Voll, and India could not continue the momentum built through a good opening partnership after losing key wickets. Observers say this should be a lesson on the strike rates required to match the Australian line-up at its best.
India will be pushing hard to level the series by getting a win on Sunday in Hobart before the teams move to Perth for the Test next week.
India Women Vs Australia Women: series status, points and the multi-format picture
Australia have secured the ODI portion of the series with this win and have pulled ahead in the multi-format series. The Aussies and India have traded wins so far and the multi-format contest was tied at four points apiece earlier, with the hosts playing catch-up after dropping the first and third T20Is.
The wider multi-format balance and the ODI clinch mean Australia carry momentum, while India need a win on Sunday to keep the series level before the teams head to Perth.
Adaptability, Allan Border Field win and fitness updates from Hobart
Ashleigh Gardner had described the opening one-dayer as "kind of a perfect performance" and said adaptability would be Australia’s modus operandi going forward. Gardner praised the bowlers for setting the tone and said the side chased down the total convincingly after the Allan Border Field display, where Australia won by six wickets.
That win at Allan Border Field came despite the loss of Ellyse Perry and Kim Garth to quad injuries for the series. Gardner spoke to reporters in Hobart on Friday about reading conditions and making sure what the team sees is what it plays, noting that Bellerive generally offers a flatter track and that Australia’s bowling attack must be on its toes against India’s star-studded top order.
Harmanpreet’s fitness, Deepti’s assurance and possible changes to XI
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur is expected to be fit for Friday’s second ODI after she sat out the tourists’ fielding innings in Brisbane with a knee complaint. Allrounder Deepti Sharma declared on Friday that the skipper was "fit and fine. "
With Kim Garth and Ellyse Perry out for the series, Australia are likely to stick with a similar XI to the one they fielded in Brisbane, though they may consider calling on Nicola Carey because of her familiarity with Bellerive Oval.
Late overs and the final sequences: Gardner finishes it in the 37th over
The closing overs contained several defining moments. In the 34th over Australia were 239-4 with Sutherland on 6 and Gardner on 10; Deepti resumed and Gardner took a quick single. By the 35th over Australia were 245-4 with Sutherland 8 and Gardner 14, and Charani returned to the attack with just 13 needed. Sutherland found a single with a nice cut shot.
In the 36th over Australia were 248-5 with McGrath bowling and Gardner 15; Gardner took a single to Deepti to start the over, Sutherland flicked one over the keeper for two and then tried to finish the game in one shot, holing out and being caught by the substitute fielder Deol with McGrath there at the end. The match concluded in the 37th over at Australia 252-5 (McGrath over, Gardner 19) when Gardner drove past deep extra cover for four to seal an emphatic win for Australia.
