Resuming at their overnight score of 276/5, Indian batters led by Deepti Sharma made the Australian bowlers toil hard before India declared at the beginning of the second innings on day 3.
India declared their first innings at 377 for eight on the third day of the rain-marred women’s day/night Test against Australia here on Saturday.
The visitors declared their innings shortly after Deepti Sharma’s dismissal for 167-ball 66-run knock at the Carrara Oval.
Sharma struck eight boundaries to notch her best Test score, a day after opener Smriti Mandhana grabbed the headline with a magnificent maiden century in the format.
All-rounder Sharma got out shortly after the dinner break.
On day 3, India dug in deep, instead of going for quick runs, to reach 377 for eight on the third day of the rain-marred day/night women’s Test against Australia here on Saturday. In reply, Australia lost Beth Mooney early as veteran Jhulan Goswami struck in the seventh over of the Australian inning.
Resuming at their overnight score of 276 for five after rain and lightning had brought a premature end to the second day’s play at the Carrara Oval, the Indians scored 83 runs for the loss of Taniya Bhatia and Pooja Vastrakar’s wickets in the long first session. India added another 18 runs for the loss of one wicket in the second session before Mithali Raj declared the visiting teams innings.
Taniya made 22 off 75 balls, while Vastrakar made 13.
Taniya’s dismissal brought to an end a 45-run stand for the sixth wicket with Sharma that came at a much slower pace than Thursday as the two teams seemed like they would be contend with a draw rater than forcing a result after a significant part of the match was wiped out by inclement weather.
The duo of Taniya and Sharma consumed more than 28 overs to get those 45 runs.
It was Stella Campbell, who dismissed Taniya, caught behind by Alyssa Healy off a back-of-a-length delivery on off stump that moved away, for her first Test wicket.
While they did not lose many wickets, what did not help India’s cause was that the batters could not capitalise on the loose balls on a pitch that looked pretty flat.
Ellyse Perry gave the Australian team another breakthrough when she had Pooja Vastrakar brilliantly caught by Beth Mooney at gully as the batter looked to drive through covers.
This was Perry’s 300th international wicket, even as Sharma went past her previous best Test score of 54.
Brief scores: India 1st innings 377/8 declared in 145 overs (Smriti Mandhana 127, Deepti Sharma 66; Sophie Molineux 2/45, Ellyse Perry 2/76, Stella Campbell 2/47; Aus 1st innings 20/1 in 8 overs, Jhulan Goswami 8/1).
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