Ellyse Perry bowled her best spell of the season before more time was lost
India 276 for 5 (Deepti 12, Taniya 0*) vs Australia
Perry claimed her first wicket of the multi-format series in what was her best spell of the season to date – although she had been denied twice earlier, once when she overstepped to give Mandhana a lifeline and then when Beth Mooney dropped Raj – and shortly before the storm Raj was run out by Annabel Sutherland.
Mandhana, who resumed on 80, was given a reprieve off her second ball of the day when she drove a full toss from Perry to point where Mooney took what appeared to be a fantastic one-handed catch diving to her right. But any debate over whether it was clean was rendered moot when replays showed Perry’s no-ball.
She continued to pick off boundaries, taking her tally to 22 alongside a six, the best of the ones after three figures being a drive wide of mid-off against Georgia Wareham who was finally given her first bowl on debut in the 60th over.
Ashleigh Gardner continued to offer Australia the most control – her spell in the session reading 11-6-12-1 – and she made the breakthrough when Mandhana was lured into driving to short cover.
With Mandhana departed, India had two batters together – Raut and Raj – whose natural game is a more sedate tempo. Raut continued along in her own bubble until the moment that got people talking while Raj played herself in as the new ball loomed.
Sutherland had been impressive with the old ball but, when given the first chance with the new one, a wayward over cost 11 shortly before the dinner break.
Shortly after the resumption Raj got her life on 23 when she edged Perry into the gully where Mooney shelled Australia’s fourth catch of the innings in what has been another fielding display below their high standards. However, Mooney made amends by taking a tougher chance when left-hander Yastika Bhatia, who had settled nicely on debut, was squared up by Perry’s movement with the outside edge carrying low.
Raj had played in a very controlled manner but her stay was ended by a direct hit from Sutherland after she had set off for a single to midwicket, been sent back and slipped a little. It what is likely to be her final Test, she will hope for one more innings.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
