Incisive bowling by Tess Flintoff (3/39) and Charli Knott (3/34), who both grabbed three wickets each, helped Australia A defeat India A by 45 runs in the unofficial one-off women’s Test here on Sunday.
Chasing a target of 289, India A were bundled out for 243 as they managed to add just 94 runs to their overnight score of 149 for 6 on day 4 of the contest.
Overnight batters Raghvi Bist (26) and Uma Chetry (47) played cautiously and added 61 valuable runs to the total before the latter was dismissed by Flintoff as the last recognised India A partnership was broken.
Bist, who emerged as one of the most dependable batters in the multi-format series, too departed in the same over with right-arm pacer Flintoff wrecking the woodwork, as India A slumped to 212/8.
Flintoff then provided the lethal blow four balls later as she bowled Bisht.
All-rounder Sayali Satghare did put up a fight with a 36-ball 21 but it was not enough on the day.
Australia A had put the visitors on the mat on day 3 itself on Saturday with the home team’s spin attack putting them in a precarious situation at 149/6.
Chasing a victory target of 289, built around Maddy Darke’s unbeaten 105, India A looked to build a foundation but rival spinners — Charli Knott (3/34), Grace Parsons (2/37) and Lilly Mills (1/25) — struck in regular intervals. The visitors lost five wickets for just 42 runs across 21 overs.
At stumps, Raghvi (16) and Uma Chetry (10) were at the crease with India A still needing 140 runs to win with four wickets in hand.
Brief Scores: Australia A – 212 and 260 all out in 92 overs (Emma de Broughe 58, Maddy Darke 105 not out; Minnu Mani 6/92) beat India A 184 and 243 in 92.5 overs (Shubha Satheesh 45, Uma Chetry 47; Charli Knott 3/34, Grace Parsons 2/37, Tess Flintoff 3/39) by 45 runs. (PTI)
