Australia recover from stunning delivery to seal series win over India - Sydney Morning Herald

Australia recovered in a nervous run chase, blown open by one breathtaking delivery, to claim a thrilling series win against India on Saturday night.

In a Twenty20 match where Ellyse Perry became Australia’s most-capped female cricketer across all formats, Australia restricted India to 9-118, despite a rearguard 10th-wicket partnership of 37, before finishing off the job in the final over with four wickets in hand.

With a 7-5 points lead in the series heading into the fixture, Australia needed just one victory from their final two T20 matches.

After some early hiccups, they required 25 runs off the final three overs before a brilliant late cameo by No.6 Tahlia McGrath (42 from 33 balls) in her maiden T20 international innings got Australia over the line with five balls remaining.

However, the moment of the match came with the second ball of Australia’s run chase.

Shikha Pandey’s ball to dismiss Alyssa Healy was one of the great deliveries by a pace bowler.

Tahlia McGrath rescued Australia’s run chase.Credit:Getty

The 110.6 km/h delivery started well outside off and swung in a little before a huge deviation off the seam caught Healy by surprise and beat her all ends up while trying to dig it out at the last minute.

As off-cutters go, it will be mighty hard to find a more unplayable delivery. Commentators Lisa Sthalekar and Brad Hodge struggled to remember anything like it, while clips of the ball went viral on social media within minutes.

“Pretty special delivery that one,” McGrath said. “We stopped, turned around, watched it about four times [in the dugout]. It probably isn’t a good idea when you keep watching it on repeat.”

Captain Meg Lanning added: “There was a fair bit of swing around. Even just seam off the pitch as well, which is a little strange given how good the wicket was the other night but I guess it brings the bowlers into the game and it was exciting for everyone. It was nice to be able to fight our way through that.”

India’s 10th-wicket stand and Pandey’s five-star delivery changed the complexion of the match but Australia’s composure when it mattered most set up an unassailable series lead before Sunday’s third T20 match that is now effectively a dead rubber.

Panic appeared to sweep through the Australian camp after Healy’s dismissal. Beth Mooney couldn’t manage a run in the second over, while Lanning looked tentative as Australia crawled to 1-16 after four overs.

Tahlia McGrath and Georgia Wareham celebrate victory.Credit:Getty

Just as Australia began rebuilding, they lost three crucial wickets - Lanning (15), Ash Gardner (1) and Perry (2) - in quick succession to be 4-46 after 9.1 overs.

Australia’s required run rate only climbed above eight an over when the team needed 25 runs from three overs.

However, four boundaries in six deliveries turned the match in Australia’s favour before McGrath scampered through for a single with scores level.

Perry, who made her national debut in 2007 as a 16-year-old, overtook Alex Blackwell in the record books by playing in her 252nd match for Australia.

Earlier, the visitors lost three wickets in their power play, courtesy of a fine spell by opening bowling Tayla Vlaeminck (2-18 from three overs), and struggled to kickstart their innings by slumping to 5-52 in the 10th over.

It was in sharp contrast to their fast start on Thursday night when they motored to 4-131 from 15.2 overs before rain prevented a result.

Two run-outs didn’t help their cause and aside from a very tough dropped catch by Gardner, the Australians were sharp in the field, particularly Perry in the outfield.

Australia squeezed India via scoreboard pressure, and a constant flow of wickets looked to have hampered any chance of posting a competitive total.

However, India recovered from 9-81 to post 9-118 after their 20 overs, with Pooja Vastrakar crunching an unbeaten 37 from 26 balls and No.11 Rajeshwari Gayakwad walking off the field without a run to her name.

Their 37-run stand was the second highest 10th-wicket partnership in women’s T20 international history. It was bettered only by a 44-run stand from Costa Rica pair Wendy Morales and Amelia Arias in a match against Belize in 2019.

Despite losing momentum at the death of India’s innings, Australia’s class with the bat shone through.

“A pretty special win tonight and extra special to wrap up the series,” McGrath said.

“Motty [coach Matthew Mott] said to me before I went out, to play straight and get myself in. The wicket played a little bit trickier than we initially thought [it would]. I was in two minds as to whether I try and keep the run rate as close as possible or try and get a big over. Luckily it came off in the end.”

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2021-10-09 11:49:43Z
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