Megan Schutt and Georgia Voll inspire Australia to comfortable win over India

Megan Schutt and Georgia Voll were the standout performers as Australia took a 1-0 lead in its three-game women’s one-day international series against India.

Debutant Georgia Voll was determined to “finish the job” with the bat as an Australian team inspired by a five-star performance from pace bowler Megan Schutt beat India by five wickets at Allan Border Field.

Schutt finished with the superb figures of 5-19 off 6.2 overs on Thursday night as India’s decision to bat first after winning the toss backfired, with tourists bowled out for just 100 in the first match of a three-game one-day international series.

In reply, Queenslander Voll, who opened the innings in the absence of injured skipper Alyssa Healy, made an unbeaten 46 off 42 balls on debut as Australia cruised to 5-102.

Voll’s opening partner Phoebe Litchfield (35 off 29 balls) also made a key contribution with the bat as Australia later overcame the cheap dismissals of Ellyse Perry (1), Beth Mooney (1), Annabel Sutherland (6) and Ashleigh Gardner (8) to claim victory in the 17th over.

Georgia Voll plays a shot during her debut innings of 46 not out for Australia. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“When we lost a few wickets, I had to stay there and finish the job,” said Voll, who was dropped when she was on 27 by Indian wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh.

“It was pretty special that I was able to be there at the end.

“It was nice to run out there on my home ground and finish it like that. It’s super special to have my family here.”

Voll’s performance with the bat was complemented by the five-wicket haul of Schutt, whose performance was hailed by teammate Kim Garth, who chipped in with 1-20 off eight overs.

“We bowled incredibly well as a unit, and credit to Megan Schutt,” Garth said.

“Everybody knows what she can do and she just keeps showing up and doing it time and time again.”

The Australians, who were captained by Tahlia McGrath, gained an early ascendancy, with opener Smriti Mandhana dismissed for just three in the third over, edging behind to Mooney off the bowling of Schutt to leave the tourists at 1-9.

Schutt grabbed her second wicket just a few overs later, reducing India to 2-19 with the dismissal of Priya Punia (8), who skied an attempted drive to backward point, where Gardner took the catch.

Megan Schutt celebrates her five-wicket haul at Allan Border Field. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

India tried to mount a revival before losing a third wicket with the score on 42 when Harleen Deol (19) was caught at mid-on by Sutherland off the spin bowling of Gardner.

Sutherland then did some damage with the ball when she trapped India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur (17) LBW to reduce India to 4-62 in the 19th over.

The prized wicket of Brisbane Heat star Jemimah Rodrigues (23) was the next to fall, with Garth delivering a superb leg-cutter that hit the top of off-stump as India slumped to 5-89 in the 27th over.

A brilliant piece out-fielding from Georgia Wareham further dented India’s hopes in the next over.

With tourists attempting a second run after Ghosh had skied a shot to deep mid-wicket,

Wareham pounced with a one-handed pick-up and a subsequent direct hit that caught Deepti Sharma (1) agonisingly short at the bowler’s end.

It left the Indians at 6-92, and wickets continued to tumble as they eventually succumbed in the 35th over with only 100 runs on the board.

Bowling all-rounder Sophie Molineux wasn’t considered for selection due to a left knee problem that also forced her to miss four games in the Melbourne Renegades’ triumphant WBBL campaign,

Molineux is also no certainty to be fit for Sunday’s second game of the series, also in Brisbane.