80th over: India 275-7 (Deepti 3, Vastrakar 1) McGrath, suncream smeared across her nose, bustles in, on the brink of tea. A maiden. Will Australia take the new ball?
India v Australia: women’s one-off Test, day two – live
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WICKET! Jemimah c Sutherland b Gardner 73 (India 274-7)
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WICKET! Yastika lbw Gardner 1 (India 265-6)
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WICKET! Harmanpreet lbw Gardner 0 (India 261-5)
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Lunch - India 193-3, trail Australia by 26 runs on first innings
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WICKET! Smriti Mandhana run out (Gardner) 74 (Australia 147-3)
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WICKET! Sneh Rana b Gardner 9 (India 140-2)
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Preamble
79th over: India 275-7 (Deepti 3, Vastrakar 1) A fourth wicket for the excellent, tireless Gardner. The end of a gorgeous innings from Jemimah – a very full ball that she couldn’t control.
Drives, on bended knee, elegantly, but uppishly, and Sutherland is waiting in the covers. Jemimah drops her head in frustration.
78th over: India 273-6 (Jemimah Rodrigues 73, Deepti 2) Gorgeous from Jemimah, angled away over short mid-wicket for four.
77th over: India 269-6 (Jemimah Rodrigues 69, Deepti 2) Jemimah attempts two sweeps and misses both off Gardner – convinced the sweep is not a great idea on this pitch. That being said, Jemimah has two fifties in two Tests, and I …don’t.
76th over: India 268-6 (Jemimah Rodrigues 68, Deepti 2) A bowling change as McGrath comes on for Garth. No sweeties for the Indians. McGrath’s last ball jumps up and raps Deepti on the finger. Magic spray comes out.
75th over: India 268-6 (Jemimah Rodrigues 68, Deepti 2) The clever wonks on the television have worked out that the bounce is 10cm lower at the Wankhede than at the DV Patil stadium for the England Test. But not every ball. QED, batting is more tricky here and you don’t want to have to chase too many in the fourth innings. One off Gardner’s over.
74th over: India 267-6 (Jemimah Rodrigues 68, Deepti 1) Daybreak is creeping into Manchester, wearing a dull grey cloak. It’s 31 degrees currently in Mumbai and Garth looks hot as she rustles in. A couple of singles.
73rd over: India 265-6 (Jemimah Rodrigues 67, Deepti 0) Apologies to India, whom I seem to have cursed since I took over from Jim at drinks – they’ve lost three for five in less than three overs. The lead still only 46.
An ill advised sweep, inelegant, hit on the back pad half way up the thigh. Given out on the field, Yastika reviews, but it would have hit low on the off stump.
72nd over: India 264-5 (Jemimah Rodrigues 66, Yastika 1) Off the field, Harmanpreet stares through a glass darkly, with folded arms. Garth, whose radar was a bit off at the start of the innings, is all bustle and on point this time around.
71st over: India 263-5 (Jemimah Rodrigues 65, Yastika 1) Gardner reels into her 26th over, huge breakthrough – Australia have turned it around since drinks. Do drop me a line this December 22, send the OBO your best mince pie, summer cocktail tips.
Wickets a go go! Harmanpreet pushes forward, misses, and is hit just above the ankle on the front pad. Given out on the field, and DRS shows umpire’s call. Gardner roars in delight and Harmanpreet shuffles away.
70th over: India 260-4 (Rodrigues 63, Harmanpreet 0) A wicket from nowhere! Though Ghosh nearly fell earlier in the over when she spooned the ball to mid-on but Perry seemed to lose it in the air and it fell safely to ground. The lead 42, India will want nearly 200 I reckon, as they have to bat second on this pitch.
69th over: India 258-3 (Ghosh 50, Rodrigues 63) Great work Jim, wishing you and the toddler relaxing times under those warm white Christmas tree lights (she’d still be asleep if they were coloured). Australia’s goose being lathered with butter and generously seasoned here, as Jemimah Rodrigues eyes up Jonassen and powers for six, before divining her through covers for four next ball.
68th over: India 247-3 (Ghosh 50, Rodrigues 53) The lesser spotted Kim Garth returns to the fold for her fifth over of the innings. A huge appeal and review to a ball that looks to my mind like it is sliding way down the leg side. I have been awake since 3am though so it could well be plumb… nope, Australia burn a review with a bit of a desperate punt on that one, wouldn’t have hit another set.
Fifty to Richa Ghosh on debut! What a moment for the youngster, a scampered single to mid off sees her to the half ton. Her team celebrate keenly and Jemimah gives her a mid pitch hug.
Time for a drink and for me to skulk off. Tanya Aldred is settling into the OBO armchair to take you through the rest of the day. Goodbye!
67th over: India 247-3 (Ghosh 49, Rodrigues 53) Jonassen replaces Gardner. India looking to score off nearly every ball now. A clip to midwicket brings up the 100 partnership for this pair. They’ve snuffed the life out of Australia in the last two hours with excellent strokeplay and proactive defence.
66th over: India 245-3 (Ghosh 48, Rodrigues 52) King drops short and is smashed away by Jemimah. Australia looking very weary all of a sudden. And again! That’s FIFTY for Jemimah Rodrigues, a second in Test match cricket in just her third knock. This has been a sparkling effort.
Back-to-back fifties 🌟
— Women’s CricZone (@WomensCricZone) December 22, 2023
Jemimah Rodrigues has taken to Test cricket like a duck to water. Second fifty in her 3rd innings.#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/6UzkkY0lRS
65th over: India 234-3 (Ghosh 46, Rodrigues 43) The indefatigable Ash Gardner continues. Ah, that might make her a bit more erm fatiguable… a decent ball on the stumps is swept away with surgical precision to bisect the fielders on the leg side. Jemimah and Ghosh’s partnership is up to 87 runs. Wounding for Australia.
64th over: India 230-3 (Ghosh 46, Rodrigues 39) Full toss from Alana King - who comes on to replace McGrath – Ghosh doesn’t miss out and finds the boundary at long on. Close! Nice reply from King who fizzes a leg break past the edge of both bat and stumps, just missing both by the width of a caterpillar’s eyebrow.
63rd over: India 223-3 (Ghosh 40, Rodrigues 38) Ghosh goes past Rodrigues in the runs with a fine cover drive for four. Smidge too full from Gardner and on it in a flash. India now lead on first innings, every run from now will hurt that little bit more for the visitors.
62nd over: India 218-3 (Ghosh 36, Rodrigues 37) Tahlia McGrath hustles in, thick block of zinc smudged across face which sort of reminds me of when REM’s Michael Stipe used to get the Farrow&Ball out.
Everbody Hurts Tahlia, A short ball is cut away for four by Ghosh.
61st over: India 213-3 (Ghosh 32, Rodrigues 36) Gardner. Rodrigues. Sweep. Single.
In a quiet moment… have we all seen this? Thoughts? Storm in a gatorade bottle or pig-headedly daft from Tom Curran? I’m inclined towards the latter.
60th over: India 212-3 (Ghosh 32, Rodrigues 35) Four dots from McGrath. Make that five. The maiden is elusive though as Jemimah flicks off the hip from the last to tick the scoreboard over and keep strike for the next.
59th over: India 211-3 (Ghosh 32, Rodrigues 34) A sweep straight off middle stump from Jemimah elicits a loud groan from Ash Gardner. Don’t miss those! Ghosh is looking to be a bit more attacking of late – she throws her hands at a length ball and squirts it away behind square for a couple.
58th over: India 208-3 (Ghosh 30, Rodrigues 33) McGrath looks slightly innocuous, Ghosh decides she’s ripe for blitzing down the ground but the batter doesn’t time it and has to settle for a couple. The deficit drops to just eleven runs. Eleven.
57th over: India 205-3 (Ghosh 28, Rodrigues 32) Just a single, a Jemimah Rodrigues sweep shot. Christmas tree lights (warm white, sorry Tanya!) twinkle as there’s a whiff of dawn starting to break here in south London.
56th over: India 204-3 (Ghosh 28, Rodrigues 31) Alert and nimble running from Rodrigues who has been a bundle of energy since arriving at the crease. Three more added as India chip away and then look to build a first innings lead. They’ll likely have to bat last on this surface and it is already starting to shoot up and down a little.
55th over: India 201-3 (Ghosh 28, Rodrigues 28) Gardner again. Into her twentieth over. She’s been the mainstay around which the other bowlers have rotated. Australia have used eight bowlers now in the innings, only Healy herself, Phoebe Litchfield and Beth Mooney haven’t turned their arm over. A maiden.
54th over: India 201-3 (Ghosh 28, Rodrigues 28) Tahlia McGrath is given the nod by Alyssa Healy. Urgh. She starts with a full bunger that is bunted away through square leg for four by Jemimah. Healy comes up to the stumps, McGrath find her length and a little movement off the seam to close the over with three dots.
53rd over: India 197-3 (Ghosh 28, Rodrigues 24) Gardner into her 19th over of the innings, five dots are spoilt by Ghosh opening the face to the sixth delivery and running the ball away fine for four.
The players are emerging in Mumbai, Ash Gardner is going to start off with the ball.
Lunchtime reading:
52nd over: India 193-3 (Ghosh 24, Rodrigues 24) Jemimah cuts Jonassen to point for a couple and that’s the last action of the morning.
India have added 95 runs for the loss of two wickets. Gardner bowling the resolute Rana and Mandhana gifting her wicket away with a poor bit of cricket after looking regal for her 74. The home side are still calling all the shots at lunch on day two. A dollar for Ellyse Perry’s thoughts right now after she dropped the simplest of all chances to remove Ghosh twenty minutes before lunch.
I’m away for a wee while to palm off the toddler and seek out some caffeine. Back soon for the afternoon session.
Australia get the wicket of Smriti Mandhana, but India are still firmly in control#INDvAUS #RecordBreakingSalaar #Ugramm #Smritimandhana pic.twitter.com/6BSNXwMp7c
— Jarp Media (@Jarpindia) December 22, 2023
51st over: India 191-3 (Ghosh 24, Rodrigues 22) Ghosh is covered head to toe in red earth after that sprawling dive. A handy/annoying (depending on your allegiance – I’m neutral of course) partnership building here for India.
50th over: India 188-3 (Ghosh 23, Rodrigues 20) Nearly the second run out of the morning! Jemimah calls Ghosh through after nudging to midwicket but Alana King is swooping in and fizzing a throw off towards the stumps… Ghosh was gone with a direct hit. Unlike Mandhana, she puts in a full length dive but it wouldn’t have saved her.
49th over: India 184-3 (Ghosh 22, Rodrigues 17) King sends down a lovely looping leggie that catches Jemimah’s splice and balloons up… to the vacant silly mid off. Frustration creeping in for Australia.
48th over: India 182-3 (Ghosh 21, Rodrigues 16) Jonassen is unerringly accurate and whistles through her overs. Just a single off it. We’ve got about ten mins til lunch.
47th over: India 181-3 (Ghosh 21, Rodrigues 15) Alana King replaces Gardner, Ghosh is watchful before unfurling a sweep into the vacant leg side for four. India trail by just 37 runs on first innings.
46th over: India 174-3 (Ghosh 16, Rodrigues 13) Jonassen twirls her way through a maiden, two leg byes the blots on the copybook.
45th over: India 172-3 (Ghosh 16, Rodrigues 13) Gardner continues, the drop still lingering like a bad joke at a funeral. Shot! Jemimah drives a full ball all along the baize to the cover boundary. Salt, meet wound.
44th over: India 168-3 (Ghosh 16, Rodrigues 9) Jess Jonassen replaces King. The Aussies still reeling from that Perry drop. Me too.
The toddler is still very much in the room at this end btw, a few rambunctious renditions of ‘When Santa got stuck up the chimney’ complete with volcanic ‘achooos!’ for good measure. It is 5.38 am.