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Four half-centuries on Day 2 have helped Harmanpreet Kaur-led continue their domination over Australia in the only Test at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The unbeaten 102-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar helped India take a 157-run lead before the end of the day's play.
Starting the day at 98/1, Smriti Mandhana reached her half-century from 67 balls. Sneh Rana went on a blockathon while Mandhana scored boundaries. Ashleigh Gardner broke the partnership just before the drinks break. Rana got bowled. She scored nine runs from 57 balls. A few overs later, Mandhana was run out as she was a little hesitant before going for a quick single. The opener scored 74 runs from 106 balls including 12 fours.
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Richa Ghosh got an early reprieve when she was dropped by Ellyse Perry at mid-on off Gardner's bowling. She was batting on 14 then. Jemimah Rodrigues and Ghosh batted cautiously. Richa survived a runout scare as Rodrigues went for a quick single. At the end of the first session, India were 193/3. Rodrigues and Ghosh frustrated the Australian bowlers. Rodrigues reached her half-century from 86 balls. A couple of overs later, Ghosh got to her fifty from 98 balls.
Kim Garth broke the partnership in the 70th over. Ghosh went for the pull shot against Karth and was caught by Gardner in the deep. In the next over, Gardner dismissed skipper Kaur lbw for a two-ball duck. Gardner in her next over trapped Yastika Bhatia in front of the stumps as she went for a sweep shot. She struck again to send Rodrigues back to the dressing room. She scored 73 runs from 121 balls including nine boundaries.
After losing seven wickets for 274, India needed a partnership. After the tea break, Deepti and Vastrakar were very cautious. Deepti survived a runout scare as well. But the partnership grew and Australians were on the back foot again. Deepti reached her half-century with a boundary in the 110th over. She took 115 deliveries. Towards the end of the day's play, the partnership crossed the 100-run mark.
At Stumps, Day 2, India were 376/7. Deepti was batting on 70 off 147 balls whereas Vastrakar had faced 115 deliveries to score 33 runs. Their unbeaten 102-run partnership is the second-highest for India in the format for the eighth wicket. They need five more runs to break Minoti Desai and Shubhangi Kulkarni's partnership record of 106 against England created in June 1986. On the other hand, the record for the highest partnership for the eighth wicket belongs to Australian pair Sally Griffiths and Debbie Wilson who shared an 181-run stand against New Zealand in 1990.
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