Megan Schutt stars with five as Australia run riot over India
In their first international game since their T20 World cup four-peat attempt went up in smoke with a shock semifinal exit, Australia made a statement with a comfortable five-wicket win over India in Brisbane on Thursday. It wasn't without a few hiccups though as Renuka Thakur triggered a mini top-order collapse, but the 48-run opening stand had laid a solid platform for the 101-run chase following Megan Schutt's maiden ODI fifer to shoot India down cheaply in under 35 overs. Georgia Voll was the star with the bat for Australia on debut, making an unbeaten 46.
Megan Schutt took 5/19 to wrap up India's long tail cheaply and finish with a career-best performance. India folded for an even 100 in just 34.2 overs.
Debuting for Australia, Voll got off the mark in ODI cricket with a four first-ball but it was her fellow opener Phoebe Litchfield who stole the limelight in the 48-run opening stand with six consecutive boundaries off pacers to set the tone for the modest chase. However, Litchfield departed on 35 off 29 deliveries after running down the pitch and picking out the Indian captain at mid-off with perfection.
Voll kept going, adding 27 runs with Annabel Sutherland who perished against the run of play as she looked to hammer a half-track leg-side but dragged it straight to the waiting hands of Smriti Mandhana at short mid-wicket. Thakur returned but for a very expensive solitary over, in which Voll took her to the cleaners with a four and a six.
However, the hosts were just a hit away at that point and skipper Tahlia McGrath completed the formalities second ball into the 17th over, to wrap up an easy win and two crucial ICC World Championship points with it.
Brief scores: India 100 in 34.2 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 23; Megan Schutt 5-19) lost to Australia 102/5 in 16.2 overs (Georgia Voll 46*, Phoebe Litchfield 35; Renuka Thakur 3-45, Priya Mishra 2-11) by 5 wickets