Mandhana’s bat shines in Australia, gives answer to McGrath’s team at home

New Delhi. Smriti Mandhana has become the first female cricketer to score 4 ODI centuries in a calendar year. She scored a century in 103 balls in the third and last ODI of the series against Australia at WACA, Perth. This is the ninth ODI century of Mandhana’s ODI career. he/she hit 14 fours and one six in his/her century innings. The Indian team is chasing the target of 299 runs set by host Australia. Mandhana has created history. She has become the first woman cricketer to score 4 centuries in a calendar year in women’s ODI cricket.

Smriti Mandhana is the batsman who has scored the most centuries in women’s ODI cricket for India. Earlier, Mithali Raj had scored the highest century in ODI for India. Mithali has 7 centuries in her name in women’s ODI. Mithali had scored these centuries in 211 innings while Smriti scored nine centuries in 91 innings. Talia McGrath is captaining the Australian team.

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Australia scored 298 runs for 6 wickets
Earlier, after a brilliant spell by Indian fast bowler Arundhati Reddy, Australia scored 298 runs for 6 wickets with the century of Annabel Sutherland. Arundhati (26/4) bowled the best of her career and took four wickets of Australia in quick succession, taking the team’s score to 78 runs for four wickets. Sutherland (110 runs in 95 balls, nine fours, four sixes) then took over the innings by adding 96 runs for the fifth wicket with Ashleigh Gardner (50) and 122 runs for the sixth wicket with captain Tahlia McGrath (56). India won the toss at the WACA ground and decided to bowl first, after which Phoebe Litchfield (25) and Georgia Voll (26) gave the team a good start by adding 58 runs in 10.1 overs for the first wicket.

Sutherland adopted an aggressive approach from the beginning
Arundhati, playing her 5th ODI, however, gave a double blow to Australia by dismissing both the openers within four balls in the 11th over. Arundhati bowled Shatkaveer Voll of the previous match on an inward swinging ball, while left-handed batsman Lichfield was caught by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh on an outswinging ball. Arundhati then bowled all-rounder Ellyse Perry (04) and then got Beth Mooney (10) caught by Richa, due to which Australia’s score increased from 58 runs without wicket to 78 runs for four wickets. Sutherland and Ashleigh then took over the innings. Sutherland adopted an aggressive approach from the beginning. She targeted the spinners and hit two fours and a six on Deepti Sharma in the 40th over.

Ashleigh-Tahilia took the score closer to 300
Deepti broke this partnership by getting Ashleigh caught by Meenu Mani in the 34th over. Ashleigh faced 64 balls and hit five fours. After this, Sutherland got a good partner in the form of captain Tahilia and both of them scored runs quickly and took the team’s score close to 300 runs. Sutherland completed her century by hitting a six over mid-wicket on Deepti in the last over of the innings but was run out after that.

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