Key events
Australia set target of 299
50th over: Australia 298-6 (McGrath 56, Molineux 2) Sutherland takes command by clobbering a boundary straight over the bowler Sharma’s head, brings up her second ODI ton with a six, then goes over the rope again as Deol drops a catch at long-on and the ball lands over the rope. The centurion is run out trying to edge closer to 300 with one ball remaining as Sophie Molineux skies a slog for two.
WICKET! Sutherland run out 110 (Australia 296-6)
Annabel Sutherland sacrifices herself at the death when trying to run a second that was never likely. But credit to the gun batter for guiding her side to the brink of 300 then all but giving up her wicket. Sutherland finishes with her highest ODI score.
Sutherland reaches a century!
Annabel Sutherland brings up her second ODI ton in the best possible way with a monstrous six over midwicket. The milestone comes from 93 balls with three sixes and nine boundaries. The middle-order powerhouse builds on her history at the Waca!
49th over: Australia 278-5 (Sutherland 93, McGrath 55) McGrath notches a fourth ODI fifty and her first as Australia skipper with a chip to midwicket for two. Another couple from a sweep through square leg off the next ball bring up the 100-run partnership. One more milestone to come, perhaps.
48th over: Australia 271-5 (Sutherland 93, McGrath 48) McGrath and Sutherland are searching for boundaries now but Sharma’s variation in pace and length limits the batters to singles and twos even from a pair of aerial shots. Another costly mis-field on the deep midwicket rope undoes much of the hard work as Sutherland adds a four and moves to within reach of a second ODI ton.
47th over: Australia 261-5 (Sutherland 89, McGrath 42) Arundhati comes on for the last of 10 splendid overs. A mis-field from Sadhu at short fine leg allows Sutherland to pick up a boundary. That might well be 3.5 hours fielding in the heat starting to take its toll but that was harsh on the bowler. Arundhati almost adds another when McGrath swings and misses but the India pacer should be pleased with four top-order batters for 26.
46th over: Australia 255-5 (Sutherland 84, McGrath 41) Spin from both ends as Deepti Sharma is back into the attack. The classy spinner is able to tie down the Australians just as the pair are getting off the leash. Five singles not a bad result against two well-set and potentially destructive batters at this stage.
45th over: Australia 250-5 (Sutherland 82, McGrath 38) The 250 comes up for Australia with five overs remaining and you wouldn’t put it past this pair taking them to 300. McGrath is up and running now picking the gaps in the outfield. With third man free the Australian skipper reverse sweeps a fuller ball to the boundary, then goes about adding easy singles.
44th over: Australia 242-5 (Sutherland 80, McGrath 32) The runs are flowing now! McGrath is a touch fortunate to find a boundary off a thick edge but there is no luck involved as Sutherland rocks back and hammers a pull shot through midwicket for the same result. Fortunate favours the brave once again McGrath steps outside the line on the off-side, slogs away but somehow the inside edge misses leg-stump and trickles away to the rope at fine leg. Titas Sadhu finishes wicketless and goes for 65 runs but has bowled much better than those figures might suggest.
43rd over: Australia 226-5 (Sutherland 75, McGrath 21) Harmanpreet holds back Arundhati’s last over with another change to give Minnu Mani her third over. Australia find five easy singles but the pick of the over is a reverse sweep from McGrath that could hardly have been finer as it finds three runs. That brings up the 50-run partnership from 52 balls.
42nd over: Australia 218-5 (Sutherland 72, McGrath 16) Double change for India with Titas Sadhu thrown the cherry. McGrath is quickly out of her crease and slogs to the leg-side for a hard-earned single. The Australia skipper looks to have added a boundary but an inspired chase in the heat then a dive from Rodrigues saves a couple of runs.
41st over: Australia 214-5 (Sutherland 71, McGrath 13) Arundhati Reddy comes back into the attack with four wickets in her pocket and India needing to strike again before it’s too late. The India pacer immediately has the ball swinging around but Sutherland and McGrath are able to keep her out. Arundhati has one over left and Australia will be pleased to see the back of her.
40th over: Australia 211-5 (Sutherland 70, McGrath 12) Sutherland lights up! 2-4-6-4 to start the over shows little respect for Sharma’s off-spin as the Australian batter adds 17 runs. A pair of shorter deliveries allow Sutherland to rock back and pull for four, but the best of the bunch is in between with a glorious straight drive for six.
39th over: Australia 195-5 (Sutherland 53, McGrath 12) McGrath picks up her first boundary of the innings with a blazing cover drive that is placed perfectly through a gap in the infield. There was a warning shot off the previous delivery that McGrath mis-timed slightly to only pick up two. Looks like the Australia skipper is done with hanging around.
38th over: Australia 187-5 (Sutherland 52, McGrath 5) Flicks and tucks allow the Australian pair to find four singles from another neat Sharma over. It feels like calm before the storm.
37th over: Australia 183-5 (Sutherland 50, McGrath 3) Huge review from India as Renuka Singh finds a way through to Tahlia McGrath’s pads. The Australia skipper played around an angled delivery and was trapped on her crease but the ball was doing a bit too much as replays show it would have missed leg-stump. Sutherland reaches fifty with a punch to mid-off for a very handy knock off 59 balls with four boundaries and a six.
36th over: Australia 180-5 (Sutherland 48, McGrath 2) Deepti Sharma hadn’t done much to trouble Australia until picking up the critical wicket of Gardner but is being treated with full respect now. Sutherland picks up a pair of singles straight down the ground.
35th over: Australia 177-5 (Sutherland 46, McGrath 1) Renuka Singh turns the pressure up with a tidy over as Tahlia McGrath looks to settle in.
34th over: Australia 174-5 (Sutherland 44, McGrath 0) Deepti Sharma picks up a much-needed wicket for India and it is the most-threatening batter in Gardner that makes way. But there is little respite for India as Australia skipper Tahlia McGrath joins Sutherland. Still, India are edging closer to the tail with plenty of overs left.
WICKET! Gardner c Mani b Sharma 50 (Australia 174-5)
Fifty for Gardner! Then gone. The Australian brings up her sixth ODI half-century off 60 balls with five boundaries but is on her way soon after. Gardner steps back and slices away at a shorter ball but can’t keep it down as Minnu dives forward at point to take a sharp chance. Gardner is yet to score an international ton and with 16 overs still to come an opportunity was perhaps there for the taking.
33rd over: Australia 172-4 (Sutherland 43, Gardner 49) Thwaaack! Sutherland clobbers a boundary over cover. Too full from Thakor as the India bowlers start to run out of ideas. Both batters are picking up singles with ease. Another drinks break as India need to hatch some fresh plans.
32nd over: Australia 164-4 (Sutherland 37, Gardner 47) Australia find runs off very ball of the Sandhu over to keep the run-rate rising. 300 looks on the cards again unless India find a breakthrough.
31st over: Australia 155-4 (Sutherland 34, Gardner 41) Minnu continues with her neat off-spinners that aren’t posing too many problems for Sutherland and Gardner. Both batters are stepping onto their back foot to tuck or chip away singles. Gardner finishes the over by striding out of her crease and slogging to deep midwicket. This is getting away from India again and it will be hard to lift their spirits without a wicket as the sun belts down.
30th over: Australia 148-4 (Sutherland 32, Gardner 36) Everything is falling Gardner’s way now as the Australia swipes outside off and gets a thick edge that races away to the boundary. Sadhu can’t keep the pressure on with a wide ball as the Australian pair share singles.
29th over: Australia 140-4 (Sutherland 30, Gardner 31) Minnu Mani replaces Sharma and Gardner dispatches a first ball loosener to the boundary at backward square leg. That pitched about half way down the track. The of-spinner finds her length with plenty of flight from there.
28th over: Australia 134-4 (Sutherland 29, Gardner 26) DROP! Gardner survives and India are paying the price for grassing three chances. The Australia all-rounder steps down the wicket and clips off her pads but picks out substitute fielder Radha at deep midwicket. Radha has to dive forward while on the move, making it a tough one to grasp, and the ball pops out of her hands as she lands on the ground.
27th over: Australia 131-4 (Sutherland 28, Gardner 24) Australia’s ridiculously deep batting lineup is paying off once again as Sutherland and Gardner took time to get their eye in but now are motoring. Gardner brings up the 50-run partnership with a boundary through square leg. No signs of trouble with the short ball that some attacks try to use against Gardner.
26th over: Australia 124-4 (Sutherland 27, Gardner 18) Gardner follows Sutherland’s lead with the first ball of the over as she pulls a short ball from Thakor to deep square leg. Renuka lost the ball in flight but not sure she would have got to the drop anyway. The fielder recovers to grasp the ball from just off the rope to save two runs. Gardner gets her boundary off the next shorter one.
25th over: Australia 117-4 (Sutherland 27, Gardner 11) Sharma brings spin into the attack for the first time today. Gardner and Sutherland look happy with the change that takes the pace off the ball as they ease ones and twos. That’s until Sutherland dances down the pitch and opens up to clobber a straight drive back over Sharma’s head. One bounce and over the rope to end the over.
24th over: Australia 108-4 (Sutherland 22, Gardner 7) The Australian pair are settling in now. Sutherland clubs a fuller delivery from outside off back between midwicket and mid-on to the boundary. It looks like Arundhati will be given a spell next with Deepti Sharma warming up.
23rd over: Australia 101-4 (Sutherland 17, Gardner 6) First signs of fatigue from Arundhati as the pacer drifts down leg for three wides. Gardner is made to work hard for the third as Mani hits the stumps with the throw from the outfield but the Australian has her bat well across the line. Probably time for Harmanpreet Kaur to hold back Arundhati’s last two overs as Australia move into triple figures. The India quick has four for 18 from eight overs.
22nd over: Australia 96-4 (Sutherland 16, Gardner 5) SIX! And then a dropped catch! Sutherland wallops a six over cover but is almost out next ball. Mani dives to her right but grasses the chance after Sutherland cuts away through point. Sutherland makes her pay with a well-timed drive back past the bowler for four.
21st over: Australia 86-4 (Sutherland 6, Gardner 5) Arundhati Reddy continues for a seventh straight over after the lengthy drinks break with the mercury rising to 41 degrees! Australia will be happy to see her off as they pick up a couple of singles in a cautious over.
20th over: Australia 84-4 (Sutherland 5, Gardner 4) Sutherland sweeps a single through cover and Gardner picks off a drive for one more run as Australia will enjoy the opportunity to reset as both teams head into the rooms for a breather away from the stifling heat. That might work in India’s favour by giving Arundhati Reddy a break after six straight overs.
19th over: Australia 82-4 (Sutherland 4, Gardner 3) Gardner uses up two lives as the right-hander chips straight to mid-on but is dropped by Rodrigues as the India fielder is diving forward. The field was set to trap Gardner on the on-side but the shot fell just short enough to make it difficult for Rodrigues. Arundhati takes everyone else out of the equation with the next delivery that moves a long way in the air at into Gardner’s pads. The finger is raised but a review shows the ball did too much and would have missed leg-stump. Maiden over … but so much more.
18th over: Australia 82-4 (Sutherland 4, Gardner 3) India swing the changes from the opposite end to Arundhati as Renuka Singh takes the cherry. This might be part of a pre-match plan to the ever-dangerous Gardner as the India quick targets the fourth or fifth stump. The Australians do well to find a few singles.
