The Indian women’s cricket team drew a pink-ball Test against Australia three years back on this day (October 3) at the Carrara Oval. It was the first time in 15 years that the two teams went head-to-head in a Test match. The match might have ended in a draw but India had certainly outplayed the hosts across all departments.
Mithali Raj could have been more fearless when India had an opportunity to declare with a 242-run lead ahead of tea on Day 4. The visitors, however, continued for a few more overs and set a target of 272 runs. Australia managed 36 runs at a loss of two wickets before stumps.
India made a positive start to the one-off Test, with Smriti Mandhana registering a brilliant hundred in the first innings. The other Indian batters used the foundation well and wrapped up with 377 runs.
Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma later scored a gritty half-century while Shafali Verma, Punam Raut and Mithali Raj made some crucial contributions.
The day-night Test was interrupted several times on the first two days. For Australia, Ellyse Perry, Stella Campbell and Sophie Molineux each picked two wickets. The Indian pace unit, spearheaded by the legendary Jhulan Goswami, stole the show on Day 3.
Australia were four wickets down at 119 when Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner took over the charge. The duo stitched an inning-reviving 89-run partnership before Gardner returned to the pavilion with 51 runs. Perry remained unbeaten at 68 but wickets kept falling at the other end.
Pooja Vastrakar fetched a three-wicket haul for India. Among the other bowlers, debutant Meghna Singh, Deepti Sharma and Jhulan Goswami picked two scalps each. Australian captain Meg Lanning chose to declare after producing 241. It was no doubt a shocking decision as the hosts were still 136 runs behind India’s first-innings lead.
Smriti Mandhana failed to survive long in the first innings. The Southpaw was dismissed at 31 while her opening partner Shafali Verma struck 52 runs off 91 balls. Punam Raut also had a good outing and scored an unbeaten 42. Australia had only 15 overs to bat at the end of Day 4.
Mandhana was named the player of the match for her valiant century in the first innings.
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