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Aussies complete India series with T20 win

3 minute read

Australia have defeated India by 14 runs in the third and final women's Twenty20 international on the Gold Coast to take out the multi-format series 11-5.

MEG LANNING.
MEG LANNING. Picture: Morne de Klerk/Getty Images

Australia have completed their multi-format series against India with a 14-run victory in the third women's Twenty20 international on the Gold Coast.

Having set the India a target of 150 to win Sunday's match at Metricon Stadium, the tourists reached 6-135 in reply, ensuring Australia claimed the series 11-5.

Opener Smriti Mandhana threatened to make the run chase interesting with a half-century, but when she fell for 52 off 49 balls with just over five overs to play, her team's hopes went with her.

India captain Hamanpreet Kaur (13 off 16) was caught by opposite number Meg Lanning off the bowling of teenage quick Annbel Sutherland (1-13) in the following over to hammer the final nail in the coffin.

Medium-pacer Nicola Carey, who snared the key wicket of Mandhana, was the pick of Australia's bowlers with 2-42 although her final over went for 21 with Richa Ghosh ending the innings with a late flurry to finish unbeaten on 23 off just 11 deliveries.

Spinners Ash Gardner (1-22) and Georgia Wareham (1-15) were the other wicket-takers for the hosts, on a day when star allrounder Ellyse Perry didn't bowl.

Earlier, a half-century to Beth Mooney lifted Australia to 5-149 after they were sent in by Kaur.

With Alyssa Healy (4), Lanning (14), Gardner (1) and Perry (8) all failing, Mooney was the one bright light in the Australian top order, scoring 61.

Lanning's dismissal was memorable for all the wrong reasons for the Australian skipper, hitting her own stumps as she attempted a late cut off left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2-37).

Just as Australia appeared to be in trouble when Perry's dismissal left them 4-73, for the third time this series Mooney was aided in setting the total by allrounder Tahlia McGrath.

The matchwinner in Saturday's second T20I, McGrath belted an unbeaten 44 and was named player of the series after the win.

The 25-year-old was one of several players to step up in the campaign in the absence of Megan Schutt and Jess Jonassen, while experienced batter Rachael Haynes also missed the latter half of the series.

"The scoreline probably suggests that we ran away with it towards the back end of the series but I think it was a much tighter contest than that," Mooney said.

"I think India were exceptional at times during that series and really tested our depth within this Australian side.

"It was great to see the depth come to the fore with those younger players debuting and T-Mac obviously debuting in T20 cricket four years, five years, after her ODI debut and looking like she'd been doing it for years.

"It's a really exciting sign for what's to come in this summer of cricket."

Australia's focus now switches to domestic duties with the WBBL starting on Thursday before hosting England in the women's Ashes in January.

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