September 24
Australia wins the second ODI by five wickets against India. The final over of the match was interesting and Australia won in a dramatic last-ball thriller.
Australia won the toss and scored 274 runs in total.
India’s openers Smrithi Mandhana and Shafali Verma built up good partnership but Australia’s Sophie Molineux broke India’s first-wicket partnership at 74 runs in the first ball of the 11th over.
India lost their second wicket when skipper Mithali Raj (8) was run-out after confusion between the batters who were caught ball-watching.
Smriti (86), who looked set for her fifth ODI hundred, was caught out by Beth Mooney off Tahlia at point when her score was 86.
India’s Richa Ghosh contributed 44, Deepthi Sharma 23 and Pooja 29 runs. Visitors post a healthy total of 274/7, which was the highest against Australia in their last 25 ODI matches.
Chasing 275 to beat India in the second ODI at the Harrup Park, Australia lost 4 wickets in 52 runs. But, Mooney’s superb century and allrounder Tahlia McGrath’s 74 runs helped Australia to reach 275/5 in 50 overs and take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
In the last over of the match, Australia was looking for 13 runs to win the match. It was no doubt, a difficult task. The last over was bowled by Jhulan, the most experienced bowler in the Indian camp. Though she did not concede a boundary, good running between the wickets coupled with a few extras brought it down to three off the last ball.
Jhulan bowled a full toss that went straight to the hands of the square leg and India started celebration. But, upon review, the third umpire decided that the ball was above waist height and called it a no-ball.
Australia further needs two runs off the last ball. Nicola Carey (39*) hit it to long-on and Australia won the match.
Brief scores
India Women 274/7 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 86, Richa Ghosh 44, Pooja Vastrakar 29; Tahlia McGrath 3/45) lost to Australia Women 275/5 in 50 0vers (Beth Mooney 125 not out, Tahlia McGrath 74, Nicola Carey 39 not out; Jhulan Goswami 1/40, Meghna Singh 1/38) lost by five wickets.
