Gold Coast, Oct 2 (Cricket news) Veteran seamer Jhulan Goswami struck twice to reduce Australia to 69 for two at tea after India declared their first innings at 377 for eight on the third day of the rain-marred women's day/night Test here on Saturday.
India got the timing of declaration right considering that batting is most difficult in the second session of a day/night Test with pink ball owing to factors related to light.
Australia recovered nicely after losing Beth Mooney early as the duo of Alyssa Healy (29) and skipper Meg Lanning (32 batting) not only steadied the ship but also played some exquisite shots.
However, shortly before the break, Goswami delivered for the visitors with her magnificent bowling.
After softening Healy with a few short stuffs, Goswami bowled a length ball, got it to move just enough for the batter to nick it to the waiting hands of wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia.
This was after the 38-year-old fast bowler cleaned up Monney's stumps with one that came back at the left-handed opener, even as the batter looked to flick it on the leg side.
For India Deepti Sharma made a fine 66, finishing as the team's second best scorer, a day after opener Smriti Mandhana's magnificent maiden hundred in the format.
Earlier in the day, India dug in deep, instead of going for quick runs, to reach 359 for seven at dinner.
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.
Taniya made 22 off 75 balls, while Vastrakar made 13.
At the dinner break, Deepti Sharma was batting on 58.
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.
Meanwhile, Sharma, who started the day on 12, got to her second Test fifty with a sweep behind square, reaching the landmark in 148 balls with the help of five boundaries.
Ellyse Perry gave the 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 in 145 overs (Smriti Mandhana 127, Deepti Sharma 66; Sophie Molineux 2/45, Stella Campbell 2/47, Ellyse Perry 2/76).
Australia 1st innings: 69/2 in 24 overs (Meg Lanning 32 batting; Jhulan Goswami 2/19).
Also Read : Rain plays spoilsport again after Mandhana's magnificent ton
News Source : PTI
