Highlights India vs Australia 1st T20I at Mumbai, Women's Tri-nation series, Full Cricket Score: Visitors win by 6 wickets

Poor display by India in all departments

Another complete display of dominance by the Australians on this tour. Despite India starting well with the bat, they never put their shoulders down. Looking at how Mandhana, Mooney and Villani, batted, it goes on to show that Indian batters did not bat well on a placid wicket. 153 was always going to be difficult to defend but Indians disappointed yet again in the field, displaying silly mistake in the field. The only positive for India was Jhulan Goswami who looked at her lethal best, picking 3 for 30 and somewhat keeping India in the hunt. But it was not enough to stop India getting embarrassed yet again by 6 wickets in the first T20I.

Lanning, Australian captain: Mooney and Villani did a great job in the powerplay. It gave us more balance. We will be back again for a big game against England tomorrow. The momentum can be carried forward.

Harmanpreet Kaur, India captain: Jhulan is always good with the ball, always good to play with her. We were 30 runs short. Needed to set a good target. Mandhana batted really well but there was no one else to bat with her.

Australia Women 156/4 after 18.1 overs (Lanning 35, Haynes 12)

Dhar continues and the first deivery itself is a gift. Lanning gleefuly accepts it. Cuts it to the third man fence and that’s full points in the bag for Australia. 

Australia win the first match of the tri-series by 6 wickets.

FOUR! Short and wide from Dhar and Lanning cuts for a boundary to third man and that’s the victory for Australia.

Australia Women 152/4 after 18 overs (Lanning 31, Haynes 12)

Poonam Yadav to bowl the next over. Lanning wanted to win it with one stroke. Dances down the track and hits Poonam over mid-on. Four! Two runs needed. A single off the last ball. The scores are level with two overs to go.

FOUR! Lanning jumps down the track to the first delivery of Poonam Yadav’s over and gets a boundary at long-off. That almost carried over the ropes and sealed the game.

Australia Women 147/4 after 17 overs (Lanning 26, Haynes 12)

Dhar returns. Bowling round the wicket. Starts off with a very wide delivery. A very poor day in the office fo0r her. Had her radar going totally wrong. Haynes gets a four at mid-on. Very harmless-looking bowling this! A couple of singles and Australia need 6 runs off 18 balls.

Goswami is back on the field but think it is too late for her as well to make a match out of this.

The spectators are leaving Brabourne with the result all but a formality.

FOUR! Haynes clears the front foot and heaves away a delivery from Dhar over mid-on and into the fence.

Australia Women 139/4 after 16 overs (Lanning 24, Haynes 6)

Rodrigues comes into the attack. Five runs off the first two balls. India looking a bit out of steam. MMis-field at point and a couple conceded, when it should have been a dot. A four four off the fifth ball and 11 runs off that over. 14 runs needed off 24 balls.

FOUR! Easily done by Lanning. Gets to the pitch of the ball, opens the face of the bat and threads the gap at point.

Meanwhile India has fought back well to just about keep themselves in. Rachel Haynes have walked in before Perry with Lanning still out there. India need wickets for a turnaround.

Goswami has one over remaining, hopefully everything is okay for her to bowl.

Australia Women 128/4 after 15 overs (Lanning 16, Haynes 2)

Harmanpreet Kaur into the attack. Taken for runs. Six and a four for Lanning. Kaur’s gentle medium pacers had to go for runs. Not a great move to bring herself on when India are looking desperately for wickets. Big 12-run over. Australia just 25 runs away from victory.

SIX! Lanning comes inside the line of the ball goes big and over fine leg for a maximum.

FOUR! Lanning shuffles across the stumps and swats away a delivery from Kaur to the backward square leg boundary.

Australia Women 116/4 after 14 overs (Lanning 5, Haynes 2)

Poonam Yadav sends back the free-stroking Villani. Rachael Haynes comes in and nearly gets involved in a mix-up with Lanning. A vicious googly off the last ball nearly got the better of Lanning. Four runs off that over.

OUT! Poonam Yadav foxes Villani with a change in pace. The Australian batter was early in her shot and chips it back to the bowler, who jumps high to grab the catch and takes out the non-striker in her follow through too. 

Villani c and b Poonam Yadav 39(33)

Australia Women 112/3 after 13 overs (Lanning 3, Villani 39)

Goswami to bowl out. In for her 4th over. She gives India a much-needed break sending back the dangerous-looking Mooney. India have a glimmer of hope. Mooney will be cursing herself for falling just short of a well-deserved fifty. Captain Meg Lanning is the new batter in. Good running off the last ball gets Australia a couple. A good, tight over. Only four runs and a wicket in that over.

OUT! Finally a wicket for India and it’s Goswami again giving India the breakthrough. Mooney tries to go over mid-on but doesn’t get the height. Caught.      

Beth Mooney c Shikha Pandey b Goswami 45(32)

Australia Women 108/2 after 12 overs (Mooney 45, Villani 38)

Poonam Yadav comes back into the attack. The Australians are looking totally unhurried. Five runs taken with the minimum of risks.

Australia Women 103/2 after 11 overs (Mooney 43, Villani 35)

Patil continues. Four for Mooney off the fifth ball. Comes down the pitch and goes over exra cover. Superb placement. No chance for the fielder in the deep. 100 up for Australia and they edge closer.

FOUR! Mooney dances down the track again and chips that delivery from Patil over extra cover and into the fence.

Australia Women 95/2 after 10 overs (Mooney 37, Villani 33)

Goswami returns to the attack. Villani shuffles down the track and across the stumps and is hit on the pads. the Tania Bhatia bit untidy behind the stumps gives away an extra run. Big heave by Mooney. Misses completely. That could have easily hit the edge of her bat and either carried to the ‘keeper or gone on to her stumps. The last ball is hit straight like a ramrod over the bowler’s head and into the fence. Nine runs off that over and the Aussies march on. They need 58 off 60 balls now with loads of wickets in hand. Very much under control.

FOUR! Full from Goswami and Mooney goes dead straight back over the top.

Australia Women 86/2 after 9 overs (Mooney 31, Villani 32)

Patil comes back into the attack. Three runs off the first three balls. Mooney comes down the track and swats the next ball away to long-on. Good diving stop by Patil off her own bowling prevents a run for the Australians. A single to Villani at backward square leg and that’s the over.  India will have to find a way to separate this pair.

Australia Women 81/2 after 8 overs (Mooney 30, Villani 28)

Rumeli Dhar into the attack. Starts off with a wide. Hit for three boundaries in that over by Villani. Half-century partnership between these two Aussie batters –  52 off 34 balls. Sixteen runs off that over.

Match slipping out of India’s grasp rather quickly.

India desperately need a wicket and they have thrown the ball to senior bowler Rumeli Dhar.

Mooney and Villani have batted sensibly, keeping the required rate under control.

The fans have gone quiet with the mood slowly changing.

The next two on for Australia are captain Lanning and Perry, got to say it is their match to lose.

FOUR! The third boundary of the over as Villani cuts it past point utilising the width on offer.

FOUR! Low full toss on Villani’s legs and she helps herself. Boundary at backward square leg.

FOUR! A short of a length delivery from Dhar and Villani pulls over backward sqaure leg. The ball rolls over the ropes beating a diving Mandhana.

Australia Women 65/2 after 7 overs (Mooney 30, Villani 13)

Poonam Yadav into the attack with her leg-breaks. Tossed up first delivery. Mooney jumps out and drives to long off for one. Mooney then employs the reverse sweep to get a boundary. The last ball from Poonam has a lot of air. Villani had to wait for ages for it to arrive. Driven for one. Eight runs off that over.

FOUR! Reverse sweep from Mooney and she picks the gap at third man.

Australia Women 57/2 after 6 overs (Mooney 24, Villani 11)

Patil with the next over – the last of the powerplay. A run out chance off the third delivery. A desperate dive from Mooney saves her in the end. Villani sweeps the next ball for a boundary and then a quick three runs. Very aggressive running by the Aussies. Ten off that over.

FOUR! Villani shows her skills now. Sweeps the fourth delivery of Patil’s over to the deep mid-wicket fence.

Australia Women 47/2 after 5 overs (Mooney 22, Villani 3)

Pandey back into the attack. Some sloppy work in the field and a poor delivery gives the Australians a couple of boundaries. There is a third boundary in the over too. A fine late cut by Mooney. Fourteen runs off that over.

FOUR! Shortish slower ball and a late cut from Mooney. The ball runs away to the backward point fence.

FOUR! Waist-high full toss from Pandey and Mooney helps herself. Picks it up and collects a boundary at backward square leg.

FOUR! Mooney drives that delivery from Pandey and a mis-field the Indians lets the slip and the ball rolls away to the boundary.

Australia Women 33/2 after 4 overs (Mooney 9, Villani 2)

Anuja Patil comes in with her off-breaks. She had played a brilliant innings with the bat, can she replicate that performance with the ball now? Round the wicket to Mooney. Fields on her own delivery and throws at Mooney’s stumps. Direct hit. Mooney was just a bit lethargic to get back to her crease. This decision would go upstairs. Did she get her foot back into the crease in time? Touch and go. Mooney had almost walked off, thinking she hadn’t. Replays give her some relief though. Mooney stays. Almost a catch and then a near-run out. The Australians need to compose themselves. Two runs and a lot of mayhem in that over.

How dearly did India miss the services of Jhulan Goswami. What a Rockstar she is! Keeping it the straight and simple. A senior spectator sitting next to me thinks Jhulan needs to be held back for couple of overs. Harmanpreet will be tempted to give her strike bowler one more over though.

Australia Women 31/2 after 3 overs (Mooney 8, Villani 1)

Goswami continues. Two fours and a wicket. It is edge-of-the-seat stuff at the Brabourne Stadium. A sharp incoming delivery to rattle Gardner’s stumps. Elyse Villani is the new batter at the crease. Australia going at 10 runs per over.

OUT! Goswami does it again. Hit for two boundaries and comes back with a Jaffa to hit the middle stump again. Australia 29/2 in the 3rd over.    

Gardner b Goswami 15(8)

FOUR! Gardner goes past backward point this time. She opens the face of the bat to get the placement.

FOUR! Slashed by Gardner and over the cover-point. Hammered.

Australia Women 21/1 after 2 overs (Mooney 8, Gardner 7)

Shikha Pandey to bowl the next over. A couple of boundaries in that over. The first a lofted shot over mid-off and the next a pull past mid-wicket. Eleven runs.

JHULAN GOSWAMI IS BACK AND HOW!

Hits the top of the middle stump and the ball continues its path to the boundary, the ropes are unable to stop it either. Finally a ball boy picks it up and returns it to the third man fielder.

Goes on to show with the pace with which she is bowling.

More people have come in and are filling the stands for the second innings.

FOUR! Pulled by Mooney. And that’s in the gap through mid-wicket.

FOUR! Full from Shikha Pandey and Gardner goes over extra cover and collects her first boundary.

Australia Women 10/1 after 1 over (Mooney 4, Gardner 1)

The first over of the Australian innings is a very eventful. A couple of fours and it looked Australia will again be making short work of this target as they did in the ODI series. But then Goswani shows her class. A beauty of a delivery to get rid of Healy. Absolute peach to get the Australian opener’s middle stump disturbed. And the veteran is ecstatic, and might as well be!

Bowled’Em! Goswami gets the ball moving sharply in and it whistles through the huge gap between Healy’s bat and pad and crashes on to her stumps. Australia one down for 9 in the first over. Gardner sent in.    

Alyssa Healy b Goswami 4(2)

FOUR! Healy goes over mid-off now. Hit with authority.

FOUR! Mooney moves outside leg, makes room and smashes the 2nd ball of the innings past mid-off for Australia’s first boundary.

The Australian openers are out in the centre. Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy in the middle and veteran Jhulan Goswami bowls the first over.

India Women 152/5 after 20 overs (Krishnamurthy 15, Pandey 1)

Schutt to bowl the last over. Shikha Pandey joins Krishnamurthy at the centre. A six and a four for Krishnamurthy gives the Indian innings the push it required. Eleven runs from that over. India end at 152/5 which never looked possible when they lost three wickst for one run. Won’t be a walk in the park for Australia. Game on!

SIX! Krishnamurthy steps out and blasts that full toss over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

FOUR! Krishnamurthy hits it towards long-on. The ball is in the air and the Australian fielder went for the catch, missed it and the ball rolled away to the fence.

India Women 141/5 after 19 overs (Krishnamurthy 5, Pandey 0)

Kimmince to bowl the penultimate over. Hit for a hat-trick of boundaries by Patil, but Kimmince has the last laugh as she has Patil caught on the deep on the on side. A fine cameo from Patil which gave the Indian innings valuable momentum. Fifteen runs from that over.

OUT! Patil departs tries to force the pace. Caught in the deep. India 141/5 in the 19th over.  

Anuja Patil c Sophie Molineux b Delissa Kimmince 35(21)

FOUR! Hat-trick of boundaries for Patil. Over mid-on and into the fence. Patil is playing a blinder here.

FOUR! Mis-field from the Australians and Patil gets another boundary.

FOUR! Patil employs the scoop again and collects another boundary.

India Women 126/4 after 18 overs (Krishnamurthy 4, Patil 21)

Perry tests Patil with a short ball. That was almost near the batter’s throat. Swatted away by the batter and that’s a six. Then a hammer blow over mid-on for a boundary. And then a scoop to fine leg for a boundary. Fourteen runs off that over.

The crowd has found their voices with Anuja Patil striking some lusty blows and the scoop left the spectators in awe.

The chants of ‘Indiaaaa! Indiaaa!’ are doing the rounds.

In for an exciting finish to the innings.

FOUR! Patil is cheeky this time and just helps that ball to the fine leg fence.

FOUR! Patil goes over long-on. Back of a length and Patil takes full toll.

How good has Ash Gardner been!!

Two for 22 in her four overs today with a maiden in it. Continued her fantastic form in India with the 20-year-old scalping three wickets in the last One Day.

SIX! Perry to Patil. Short ball and Patil swats it away for a maximum. Much-needed runs.

India Women 112/4 after 17 overs (Krishnamurthy 4, Patil 7)

Gardner to Krishnamurthy. Four singles off the first four ball. Not enough for India to set up a fighting total. Krishnamurthy looks to give the kitchen sink off the next ball. Doesn’t get proper connection. Patil comes down the track and drives the last ball on the off side. Six singlesd off that over.

India Women 106/4 after 16 overs (Krishnamurthy 1, Patil 5)

Schutt returns to the attack. A four for Patil ad that’s all that was there to talk about really in that over. India will be really unhappy if the don’t get 150 at least. But nearly 50 runs in the last four overs, and with the innings being dented the way it has, it looks a far cry. They will do well to get to 130.

FOUR! A full length delivery from Schutt and Patil drives with an angled bat. Past point and into the fence.

India Women 102/4 after 15 overs (Krishnamurthy 1, Patil 1)

Perry comes back. Gets the short ball going and accounts for Rodrigues, and then the big one – Kaur, also to a short ball. Veda Krishnamurthy and Anuja Patil suddenly have a job on their hands. They have to repair the Indian innings. It is something which one never thought would have to be said even a few overs back when Mandhana was blazing away. Two runs and two wickets in that over. India in trouble.

The crowd goes silent after back to back wickets of local girl Jemimah Rodrigues followed by Harmanpreet Kaur. But that was some excellent bowling from Perry, she has persisted with the short ball throughout this tour and bowls the effort ball again to first get the 17-year old and then induce a mistake from the captain.

The short ball plan has worked wonderfully for her and Australia.

At one stage 160 looked possible, with this double-break India will need to reassess the total they want to put up. Onus on Veda Krishnamurthy to help hosts get to a competitive score.

OUT! Kaur departs now. India are imploding here after a bright start provided by Mandhana. This is becoming a very negative trend now. India 100/4 in the 15th over.  

Harmanpreet Kaur c Sophie Molineux b Perry 13(16)

OUT! Rodrigues goes, falling to a short ball. Well-planned by Australia, but the young Indian batter will be mighty disappointed. India 100/3 in the 15th over.   

Rodrigues c Gardner b Perry 1(3)

India Women 100/2 after 14 overs (Kaur 13, Rodrigues 1)

Gardner back into the attack. Taken for a boundary off the first ball by Mandhana, but then has her revenge as she gets the Indian opener caught at mid-on. Jemimah Rodrigues comes in. Five runs from that over.

OUT! Mandhana departs against the run of play. Fine catch by Molineux at mid-on. India 99/2 in the 14th over. 

Mandhana c Sophie Molineux b Gardner 67(41)

FOUR! Mandhana waits one her crease and lets that ball from Gardner arrive and cuts it late past backward point.

India Women 95/1 after 13 overs (Kaur 13, Mandhana 63)

Molineux in for her second over. Mandhana gives the charge on the first ball itself and lofts it over mid-wicket. But there is protection in the deep. Molineux had Mandhana in a bit of bother on the fourth ball, as the Indian opener almost chopped the ball back onto her stumps. Five runs off that over.

India Women 90/1 after 12 overs (Kaur 11, Mandhana 60)

Kimmince comes back. A couple of boundaries in that over for Indian captain Kaur – one a deft touch on the leg side and another a slice past backward point. Ten runs off that over.

FOUR! Another boundary for Kaur. This times she opens the face of the bat and goes past backward point.

FOUR! Kaur gets her first boundary. Turned a delivery off her legs and to the fine leg fence.

India Women 80/1 after 11 overs (Kaur 2, Mandhana 59)

Jonassen back into the attack. Pulled away for another boundary nby Mandhana. She is looking unstoppable. Four singles apart from that boundary in that over.

FOUR! Bit short from Jonassen. Mandhana rocks back and pulls over square leg and into the fence.

India Women 72/1 after 10 overs (Kaur 0, Mandhana 53)

Gardner gives Australia the first breakthrough as Raj is stumped. Some fightback from the Aussies, but frankly Raj looked rusty. Certainly so in front of the Mandhana who has been going hammer and tongs. But there is no respite for the Aussies as another big-hitter Harmanpreet Kaur comes in. Wicket-maiden.

OUT! Raj jumped out to that ball from Gardner. The ball is pushed wide. Raj misss and Healy does the rest behind the wickets. Raj is stumped. India lose their first wicket for 72. 

Raj st Alyssa Healy b Gardner 18(27)

India Women 72/0 after 9 overs (Raj 18, Mandhana 53)

Perry continues. Mandhana drives for a boundary, and then gets a six to reach her half-century. She walked down the track there before the ball was delivered and picked it up and went over backward square leg. Twelve runs from that over.

The only one scoreboard (the one that needs to be changed physically) available at the ground is afar and the spectators finding it difficult to read it. But fortunately with the matches being broadcasted and streamed online few people have found a way to keep themselves updated and the others are relying on them.

You get a feeling of cricket played back in the day with crowds relying on radio commentary for the same.

Meanwhile a group of young girls are in the stadia with banners, flags and a lot of enthusiasm with them. Mandhana’s terrific pull for the six is given a standing ovation.

SIX! Mandhana gets to her fifty with a maximum. Pulled it over backward square leg. Fifty off 30 balls.

FOUR! Perry continues. Mandhana drives uppishly past exra cover and that’s her ninth boundary.

India Women 60/0 after 8 overs (Raj 17, Mandhana 42)

The debutante Molineux into the attack. Mandhana hits her for two consecutive boundaries. Using her feet wonderfully well. Goes over the bowler’s heqad and then threads the needle past extra cover. Dances down to the next ball too but can’t find the gap on the on-side. Raj comes down the track on the last ball and tries an attacking shot too. Straight to mid-on. Ten runs from that over.

FOUR! Mandhana then comes down the track again and places it perfectly. Wonderful timing. Collects a boundary at wide mid-off. That’s stunning from Mandhana.

FOUR! Miolineux to Mandhana and the Indian opener dances down the track and hits it over the bowler’s head. What a shot.

India Women 50/0 after 7 overs (Raj 16, Mandhana 33)

Perry into the attack with her medium pace. A couple for Raj off the first ball and then a single off the fourth ball, which brings up India’s 50. Raj looks a sedate, classical batter looking to accumulate runs, while Mandhana is a tempestuous hitter of the new generation. They are complementing each other.

India Women 47/0 after 6 overs (Raj 13, Mandhana 33)

Kimmince to Mandhana. No run off the first ball and then a boundary. Past backward of square on the leg side. Two more runs off that over. Bi9t of a shout for LBW on the last ball, but the ball had taken the edge of Mandhana’s bat before hitting the pad. No harm done.

FOUR! Kimmince continues and Mandhana continues to collect the boundaries. Pulls it past backward square leg and into the fence.

India Women 41/0 after 5 overs (Raj 12, Mandhana 28)

Schutt back into the attack and is greeted with two consecutive boundaries by Raj. A rollicking start for India. Fine fightback after the first-over maiden. The two boundaries are all the runs that India manage in that over.

FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries. Steered past point. Opening the face of the bat there, Raj.

FOUR! Raj into the act now. Slices a full delivery past backward point and into the fence.

India Women 33/0 after 4 overs (Raj 4, Mandhana 28)

Delissa Kimmince into the attack. Mandhana collects a boundary off the third ball. Three more runs off that over. India have started well.

FOUR! Mandhana collects another boundary, this time she clears the front leg and goes to the long on fence.

India Women 26/0 after 3 overs (Raj 2, Mandhana 23)

Jonassen in to bowl the third over of the innings. Hammered for a six and two fours by Mandhana. It is raining boundaries. When the stylish Indian left-hander is at the crease there is no respite for the scorers. She goes first past backward square leg and then comes down the track to loft the bowler for a six, then waits in the crease as the bowler pushes one through. Mandhana steers it to the third man fence. Big 14-run over.

Only one stand is opened for spectator viewing at the Cricket Club of India and though being a working day a decent turnaround has turned up for the first T20I of the tri series and Mandhana is clearly giving them an opportunity to make some nice.

Each ball…each run is being applauded.

FOUR! Steered past short third man. A desperate dive at the boundary, but to no avail.

SIX! Mandhana comes down the track and goes over long-off. She is looking dangerous.

FOUR! A sweep past backward square leg. Another boundary for Mandhana.

India Women 12/0 after 2 overs (Raj 2, Mandhana 9)

Gardner with her of breaks to bowl the next over. Mandhana tries to smash the first ball itself. Fine-looking cut. Can’t find the gap past backward point. But the next ball fetches India’s first boundary. Mandhana steps out and goes over the top of extra cover. She collects another boundary in the over with a delicate shot past the ‘keeper. Mandhana has decided to compensate for the maiden last over. Then there is another fierce cut. Two fielders dive at backward point. Some mix-up between the Indians but no harm done.

FOUR! Another boundary for Mandhana. Delicate touch there. Just caressed it to the third man fence.

FOUR! Flighted delivery from Gardner and Mandhana just comes a step down the track and lofts her over extra cover for the first boundary.

India Women 0/0 after 1 over (Raj 0, Mandhana 0)

Raj hits the first four balls to the fielder, tries to tap and run off the fifth, but the fielder at point is quickly on to it. Tidy start for Schutt so far and ends on a high with a fine slower one that has Raj beaten outside her off pole.

Mithali Raj and Smriti Mandhana stride out to the middle under a sparkling Mumbai sun. Who’s going to start proceedings for Australia? It is Megan Schutt. No surprises there. And we are underway as Raj clips the first ball on the leg side of her toes. No run.

Big news for India – Ace pacer Jhulan Goswami is back in the side. Will really bolster India’s attack.

Lanning: The wicket looks really good. Change in format but the basics remain the same. Kimmince gives us a lot of variety. We have played good cricket over the last week or so. 

Harmanpreet: We were looking to bowl first. Need to set a good total on the board now. We are quite confident today and hopefully will play good cricket.

That is a great sign for Women’s cricket in India

Unfair on the spectators?

Australia Women XI: Meg Lanning (c), Megan Schutt, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Jess Jonassen, Alyssa Healy (wk), Delissa Kimmince, Elyse Villani, Sophie Molineux, Rachael Haynes, Ashleigh Gardner

India Women XI: Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Jemimah Rodrigues, Veda Krishnamurthy, Anuja Patil, Rumeli Dhar, Poonam Yadav, Taniya Bhatia(w), Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey

Women’s T20I Tri-series in India: Australia start as favourites, but exciting tournament may suffer due to lack of publicity- Firstcricket News, Firstposthttp://www.firstpost.com

Australia have won the toss and they will field first.

A cracking day in the offing

Hello and welcome to Firstpost of the first T20I between Indian and Australia of the Wome T20I tri-series. Australians are coming into this game with a huge win over the hosts in the bilateral ODI series which the visitors clinched 3-0. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian side will be hoping for a better performance this time around.