Women’s ODI: Deepti Sharma’s five-fer restricts Aus from scoring 300-plus
Mumbai: Deepti Sharma’s five-fer helped India to restrict Australia to 258/8 as the 300-run total was well within their sight after Phoebe Litchfield and Ellyse Perry cracked their back-to-back half-centuries in the second ODI of three-match at the Wankhede Stadium here on Saturday.
The tourists were ambling on nicely as Litchfield and Perry stitched a 77-run partnership for the second wicket, but India fought back by snapping up the latter.
Soon after Perry was given marching orders by Deepti Sharma at 117/2, Australia were reduced to 219/8. Deepti scripted the Aussie downfall as she finished with a five-fer.
Deepti produced wickets whenever Australia batswomen tried to accelerate and finished with figures of 5/38 in 10 overs. The star bowling-allrounder is one short of picking up her 100 ODI wickets and became the first Indian women bowler to take five wickets in an innings against Australia.
After Deepti’s good work, India gave away runs in the death with Alana King slamming an unbeaten 28 off 17 balls.
Earlier, Litchfield and Perry were in their element and got their runs at a very good pace as they cracked their back-back-back fifties. Litchfield scored a cautious 63 from 98 balls, while Perry belted a 47-ball 50 runs.
Alyssa Healy was dismissed for 13 by Pooja Vastrakar in the 10th over. Beth Mooney was the third wicket to fall for 10, and Phoebe was fourth.
Tahlia McGrath made 24 runs, Ashley Gardner 2, Annabel Sutherland 23 and Georgia Wareham 22.
Kim Garth remained unbeaten with Alana after scoring 11 runs.