Commonwealth Games 2022 Women’s Cricket: Grace Harris and Ash Gardner snatch victories
It was an amazing effort by both teams but Australian women held their nerves in the opening match of the 2022 Commonwealth Games Cricket competition against India played at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Friday.
Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and decided to
bat first. It was an aggressive start as Smriti Mandhana put pressure on
Australian bowling with positive strokes while Shafali Verma looked cautious.
Mandhana fell chasing a wide delivery caught by Healy to give a breakthrough for the Australian team. Ash Gardner bowled steady lines and lengths not allowing
Indian batters to score runs easily especially Yastika Bhatia and Verma. At the
end of the first six overs, Indian women made 35 for 1.
After the field restrictions, Shafali Verma showed intent to keep the pressure on the Australian bowling. Verma lived a charmed life as
Healy missed a golden stumping chance. Bhatia was run out in a mix-up as Verma did
not respond. Bhatia and Verma added 43 runs for the 2nd wicket.
Shafali Verma kept the pressure on the Australian bowling
with lovely shots along with Harmanpreet Kaur looked in decent touch. Jess
Jonassen provided the much-needed breakthrough getting rid of Verma via review
for caught behind. The umpire called not out but on review, it was overturned to
out as it hit the gloves. The Australian bowlers kept it tight not allowing
Indian batters to score runs easily while Harmanpreet Kaur looked in decent touch.
Jonassen struck twice in the same over dismissing Jemimah Rodrigues
and then Deepti Sharma to derail India’s innings. Harmanpreet Kaur provided
some impetus with lusty blows and completed fifty off 31 balls. Megan Schutt struck
twice in the last over but thanks to Kaur’s and Shafali Verma's knocks, Indian
women posted 154 for 8.
Renuka Thakur bowled a dream spell grabbing the big wicket
of Healy providing a simple catch to Deepti Sharma at slips. Meghana Singh
struggled with her rhythm bowling loose deliveries. Renuka Thakur then took the
wicket of Australian captain Lanning as Radha Yadav took a lovely catch at backward
point.
Thakur then stunned the Australian team grabbing Mooney in the same over taking the inside edge onto the stumps. Tahlia McGrath showed against
Rajeshwari Gayakwad with lovely shots. Thakur then produced a peach to get rid
of McGrath to leave the Australian team in deep trouble. At the end of the first six
overs, Australian women scored 41 for 4.
Indian team rocked the Australian batting line-up with
another big wicket of Haynes providing an easy catch to Radha Yadav. Grace Harris
and Ash Gardner put enough pressure on Radha Yadav and Gayakwad not allowing
them to settle.
Meghna Singh was bought into the attack and grabbed the big
wicket of Harris with another good catch by Harmanpreet Kaur at mid-off. Harris
and Gardner added 51 runs for the 6th wicket. Deepti Sharma took a
sharp return catch to dismiss Jess Jonassen to leave Australia on the backfoot.
Gardner and Alana King kept the pressure on Indian bowling
with lovely shots. King and Gardner smashed 15 runs in Meghana Singh’s over to
shift the momentum in favor of Australia. Gardner completed fifty off 34
balls. King and Gardner ensured that Australia won the match by 3 wickets with 7
balls to spare. King and Gardner added unbeaten 47 runs for the 7th
wicket.
Australian women 157 for 7 in 18.5 overs ( Gardner 52*,
Grace Harris 37, Renuka Thakur 4/18, Deepti Sharma 2/24) beat Indian women 154
for 8 ( Kaur 52, Jess Jonassen 4/22) by 3 wickets.
Garris and Gardner help Australia snatch defeat from victory
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