Australia women's cricket team's all-rounder Ellyse Perry played a splendid knock on December 29 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to take the game away from Harmanpreet Kaur-led India. Perry and 20-year-old Phoebe Litchfield shared a 148-run partnership for the second wicket in the successful run chase as Alyssa Healy was dismissed for a three-ball duck. The young opener praised Perry for her 72-ball 75 and compared it to Glenn Maxwell's monstrous double ton against Afghanistan in ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 where battled cramps in testing Mumbai heat.
“She had a cramp in her calf and it was pretty funny. I sort of had flashbacks to Glenn Maxwell’s innings but she just was pretty much cramping and struggling. But I think she cramped and then hit a six down the ground. So that’s Ellyse Perry for you,” Litchfield said after Australia’s six-wicket win over India in the ODI series opener.
“She got into the game a bit more after she started cramping because she realised she won’t be there for too long from that point,” she added.
Litchfield scored 78 runs from 89 balls featuring eight fours and a six before getting bowled by off-spinner Sneh Rana. Despite Litchfield and Perry getting out in their 70s, Australia chased down the target comfortably. Beth Mooney scored 42 runs from 47 balls before getting bowled by Pooja Vastrakar. However, it was Tahlia McGrath who did not let India make a comeback. McGrath smashed 11 boundaries in her unbeaten 55-ball 68 to take Australia home.
Earlier Jemimah Rodrigues had scored 82 runs from 77 balls to take India to 282/8. She had support from Vastrakar who remained unbeaten for 62 off 46 balls.
India's fielding coach Munish Balli also revealed that Rodrigues had hydration issues while she rescued India from a batting collapse.
“Our message to her was just to bat as long as she can. Jemi is the heart of our team and she was struggling in the heat. But she still went on,” Bali said after the game.
“She is a gem of a person. She is keeps the team together and we missed her on the field today, because her energy rubs off on others on the field. She encourages those around her and the fielding atmosphere is different when she’s around,” he added.
The hosts will have a chance to make a comeback in the ODI series on December 30 at the same venue.
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