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Jaya helps India humble Australia

Special Correspondent

WINNING KNOCK: Jaya Sharma, who made a comeback to the Indian team, carried her bat through in the host's win. — Photo: K. Pichumani

Chennai: Riding on opener Jaya Sharma's unbeaten 104, India finished at the right end of a thriller against Australia on Friday in the ICC quadrangular women's one-day competition.

When the left-handed Jaya jumped down the track to smash Cathryn Fitzpatrick, the quickest bowler in the women's circuit, through the off-side, India, chasing 214, won with three wickets and six deliveries remaining at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

At the IIT-Chemplast ground, New Zealand emerged a 19-run winner in a high-scoring game against England. The Kiwis, like the Indians, have two wins from two games.

Jaya, on a comeback, used her feet well. Importantly, she stayed till the finish. "This is among her best innings," said India skipper Mithali Raj. Jaya had not been a part of India's tour of England and the Asia Cup.

Early stumble

India stumbled early on as the in-form Karuna Jain was castled by Fitzpatrick and Mithali's ambitious attempted strike against Kirsten Pike's medium pace saw her stumps in disarray. Soon, the experienced Anjum Chopra was run out and the host was 63 for three.

Karen Rolton captained shrewdly, keeping as many as seven fielders in the circle even after the end of the field restrictions. The idea was to deny the singles and invite the Indians to hit over the top as the pressure gradually built on the Indians.

Jaya (104, 140b, 15x4) decided to attack, and rightly so. She cleared the ring with deft footwork and sound stroke-selection as the Aussie game-plan was disrupted.

Crucial lapse

On the one occasion when Jaya mistimed during this critical phase, she was put down on the mid-wicket fence. The Aussies anguished over the crucial lapse.

Jaya received useful support along the way from Amita Sharma, Rumeli Dhar, and Hemalata Kala, who were not lacking in enterprise either.

India stuttered slightly towards the end — Amita succumbed to a direct hit from mid-on and Deveika Palshikar after consuming time to get her eye in stroked one back to medium pacer Clea Smith — but Jaya piloted the side home.

Rolton erred by not using tidy off-spinner Lisa Sthalekar in the later stages. Smith, the pick of the bowlers, curtailed the run-rate at one end but runs leaked from the other.

The pitch eased during the second half of the day. Mithali later said, "It was a good toss to lose."

There was more assistance for the medium pacers early; Jhulan Gowsami and Rumeli Dhar were spot on. "This is where we lost the match," conceded Rolton. "We made very little in the first ten overs."

Recovery

Dhar struck early, but Australia recovered through a well-constructed unbeaten 87 (111b, 7x4) from Sthalekar. The compact Sthalekar displayed sound cricketing sense. For India, left-arm `chinaman' bowler Preeti Dimri scalped three. She holds promise.

At IIT-Chemplast, New Zealand surged to 291 with Sarah Tsukigawa top-scoring a 56-ball 78 (7x4, 4x6). Opener Maria Fawhey (50, 67b, 8x4) continued her good form, while skipper Haidee Tiffen contributed 58 (85b, 7x4).

England, led by its fluent skipper Charlotte Edwards' 93-ball 86 (13x4), mounted a spirited chase. The Kiwis survived, but not without a scare.

The scores:

Australia: A. Blackwell c J. Sharma b Dhar 11, L. Poulton c Kala b Dhar 0, K. Roltan c Dhar b Dimri 20, L. Sthalekar (not out) 87, S. Edwards c Jain b Dimri 1, S. Nitschke b Al Khadeer 17, J. Purves (run out) 7, C. Fitzpatrick c A. Sharma b Dimri 28, K. Pike c Jain b A. Sharma 17, E. Sampson (not out) 1; Extras: (lb-12, w-8, nb-4): 24; Total (for eight wkts. in 50 overs): 213.

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-19, 3-56, 4-61, 5-91, 6-120, 7-163, 8-208.

India bowling: Goswami 10-4-25-0; Dhar 10-2-23-2; A. Sharma 9-0-49-1; Dimri 10-0-46-3; N. Al Khadeer 7-1-32-1; D. Palshikar 4-0-26-0.

India: K. Jain b Fitzpatrick 21; J. Sharma (not out) 104; M. Raj b Pike 0; A. Chopra (run out) 4; H. Kala c Smith b Nitschke 18; R. Dhar lbw b Pike 22; A. Sharma (run out) 26; D. Palshikar c & b Smith 6; J. Gowsami (not out) 6; Extras (lb-1, w-6, nb-1) 8; Total (for seven wkts. in 49 overs) 215.

Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-37, 3-63, 4-119, 5-151, 6-197, 7-203.

Australia bowling: Fitzpatrick 10-2-39-1; Sampson 5-0-32-0; C. Smith 9-1-29-1; Pike 10-1-47-2; Sthalekar 5-0-21-0; Nitschke 10-0-46-1.

At IIT Chemplast:

New Zealand: M. Fawhey (run out) 50, S. Bates c Sarah Taylor b Brent 12, H. Tiffen st. Sarah Taylor b Colvin 58, R. Rolls c Brent b Colvin 6, S. McGlashan b Newton 13, S. Tsukigawa (not out) 78, A. Mason c Morgan b Newton 19, N. Browne (not out) 36; Extras (lb-9, w-8, nb-2): 19; Total (for six wkts. in 50 overs): 291.

Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-109, 3-116, 4-150, 5-152, 6-187.

England bowling: Gunn 7-0-40-0, Brent 5-0-24-1, Guha 8-0-59-0, Morgan 9-0-36-0, Colvin 8-0-40-2, Newton 9-0-51-2, Edwards 4-0-32-0.

England: C. Atkins c Mason b Milliken 0, L. Newton c Rolls b Watson 12, Clea Taylor c Rolls b Mason 56, Sarah Taylor (run out) 41, C. Edwards lbw b Milliken 86, L. Greenway c & b Burke 13, B. Morgan st. Rolls b Bates 20, J. Gunn c Browne b Burke 15, E.R. Brent c Bates b Burke 7, I. Guha (not out) 1, H. Colvin lbw b Bates 0; Extras (lb-8, w-12, nb-1): 21; Total (in 48.2 overs): 272.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-25, 3-107, 4-127, 5-164, 6-230, 7-256, 8-265, 9-271.

New Zealand bowling: Milliken 10-0-60-2, Watson 6-0-36-1, Burke 7-0-42-3, Browny 6-0-22-0, Mason 8-0-48-1, Tsukigawa 7-0-36-0, Bates 4.2-1-20-2.

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