The Aussies are back in it.
An understrength Australia catapulted back into its multi-format series against India with a commanding One Day International victory at Allan Border Field on Tuesday.
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It extended Australia’s ridiculous ODI winning record at Allan Border Field to 21-0.
The Aussies lost Ellyse Perry and Kim Garth for the 50-over series to quad injuries during Saturday night’s loss to India in the third T20I at the Adelaide Oval, with both remaining in doubt for the one-off Test match in Perth.
But it didn’t stop Australia from dismissing India under par and mowing the total down with six wickets and 70 balls to spare.
SCORECARD: Live scores from the first ODI
Veteran seamer Megan Schutt was parachuted into the XI from outside the squad and she was immediately in the action with a wicket second ball.
The early wickets to Schutt (2-42 off nine overs) and Darcie Brown (1-24 off five) opened the door for Ash Gardner to spin through the middle order.
Gardner captured 3-33 off her seven overs and chimed in with a direct hit run out to close India’s innings at 10-214 off 48.3 overs.
Australia had not lost any of its 20 ODI matches at Allan Border Field coming into Tuesday and made the perfect start to keeping that record intact in the second innings.
The retiring Alyssa Healy kicked off the chase with an exquisite straight drive but would play an unfamiliar anchor role to partner Phoebe Litchfield.
They took the Aussies to 0-55 before Litchfield (run-a-ball 32) and Georgia Voll were dismissed in successive deliveries.
Healy (50 off 70 balls) and Beth Mooney (76 off 79) used all their experience to steady the innings by hitting the gaps.
Mooney ticked past 3000 ODI and 7000 international runs in the space of five risk-free overs.
The duo didn’t begin with boundaries but a lack of pressure forced India to chase wickets and with it came the opportunities for Healy and Mooney to find the rope.
Healy departed with less than half of the total to get but Mooney – alongside Annabel Sutherland (48 not out off 44 balls) – only accelerated Australia towards victory.
Mooney deserved to hit the winning runs but was caught at cover looking to add to her five fours and two sixes, just 11 runs shy of the target.
The win puts Australia back level against India after the rare Twenty20 series defeat with two more ODI matches ahead of the Test match.
— NCA NewsWire
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