Brain fade costs Mooney as Aussies fight for survival in India

Australia’s all-conquering women’s cricket team is fighting to keep itself in the one-off Test match against India after a Beth Mooney brain fade and some untimely dismissals left the game hanging in the balance going into the final day on Sunday.

The Aussies will resume at 5-233 Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, with talented all-rounders Annabel Sutherland and Ashleigh Gardner at the crease and the bowlers to come in the first Test match in India between these teams for almost 40 years.

Annabel Sutherland and Ashleigh Gardner will hold Australia’s hopes of building a defendable score when play resumes on the final day of the Test match against India. Credit: Getty

After trailing on the first innings by 187 runs, Australia have already batted for 90 overs in their second innings to build a slender 46-run lead, and coach Shelley Nitschke has not ruled out the possibility her team could flip the game on its head when the fourth and final day kicks off at 3pm (AEDT).

“If we get up to 150-200 [run lead], we’re right in this game,” Nitschke said.

“We know how well they bat in their home conditions and we still have to bowl really well if we can put a target on the board.”

After a disappointing performance on day one when they were bowled out for 219, Australia’s batters showed determination and patience in their second dig, but the golden arm of India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has put her team in the box seat to score their maiden Test win over Australia.

Sutherland (12 off 67 balls) and Gardner (seven off 23) resisted Kaur and the other Indian bowlers for more than 10 overs before stumps on day three.

They will need to make the most of their starts if the Aussies are going to push on and secure the type of lead Nitschke is seeking before giving their bowlers the chance to test the Indian batters on a deteriorating pitch.

Despite the improved performance in their second inning, the Aussies will be ruing the fact a number of their batters made promising starts on day three without going on to build a match-defining score.

After an embarrassing first innings mix-up that saw her opening partner Phoebe Litchfield dismissed without facing a ball in the first over of the match, Mooney was the first to go in the second innings.

Beth Mooney is run out in the Australia’s second innings of the Test match against India in Mumbai on December 23, 2023.Credit: Twitter

This runout was all her fault.

She had breezed to 33 (off 37 balls) and the Australian score was on 49 when she defended the ball in close. Showing a complete lack of awareness, she wandered from her crease, allowing debutant Richa Ghosh at silly point to throw the stumps down at close range before she had even thought about grounding her bat behind the crease.

Two overs later Phoebe Litchfield (18) was bowled attempting to reverse-sweep off-spinner Sneh Rana.

The impressive Tahlia McGrath (73) anchored Australia’s second-innings fightback, sharing in strong partnerships of 84 with Ellyse Perry (45) and 66 with captain Alyssa Healy (32) before Harmanpreet (2-23) struck twice in the third session.

Harmanpreet Kaur bowling for India on day three of the women’s Test match.Credit: Getty

“We had a pretty big deficit to make up, so we’re not where we’d like to be, but I thought today our batting was more what we want it to be,” Nitschke said.

“Tahlia McGrath in both innings was outstanding and applied herself well.”

Perry looked in fine touch before tickling off-spinner Rana down the leg-side to wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia shortly before tea.

New vice-captain McGrath, who crushed 50 off 56 balls in Australia’s meagre first-innings, completed twin half-centuries with a more measured knock in the second dig.

McGrath survived two lbw decisions – given out twice, both overturned on review – the second from Harmanpreet’s first delivery of the match.

Three balls later, she was gone, inside-edging onto her stumps.

Healy, in her first match as permanent skipper, reined in her natural attacking instincts but none of her spunk.

The rival captains clashed briefly when Healy charged down to hit the ball back to Harmanpreet, who aggressively fired it back in the direction of the Aussie skipper.

Sutherland plays a sweep shot as Australia builds a slender lead over India.Credit: Getty

Healy, in trying to protect herself, used her bat to deflect the throw and the ball scooted to the boundary.

Harmanpreet argued for obstructing the field, but the umpires instead awarded Healy with a four.

India had the last laugh though, with Healy out lbw on the next ball after missing an attempted sweep.

Sutherland survived two confident lbw shouts before scoring – trapped plumb in front but surviving when India opted not to review, before later overturning an out decision.

Earlier in the day the tourists finally broke a frustrating 122-run partnership – India’s highest ever for the eighth wicket – between Deepti Sharma (78) and Pooja Vastrakar (47) as the hosts posted 406, their highest total against Australia.

This is the first test match these teams have played against each other in India since 1984, and the home side has never beaten Australia in a women’s Test.

AAP

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