Perry dominates to lead Australia to win over India
ELLYSE Perry continued her impressive build up to the Twenty20 World Cup, shining with bat and ball in Australia’s victory over India in Canberra yesterday.
The hosts were made to work for it, but Australia atoned for a rare loss to England yesterday by winning game three of the women’s T20 international tri-series.
Perry claimed second-best career figures of 4-13 and belted 49 runs as Australia chased 9-103 to win by four wickets with seven balls to spare.
India looked on track for a reasonable total when they got to 3-78 after 13 overs but then lost 5-4 during a shocking middle-order collapse at Manuka Oval.
“It was tough. India bowled really well, especially defending such a low total,” Perry said. “They bowled a bit slower and it was about adjusting to that. It was a really good tussle today and a great challenge but I thought our bowling was exceptional.
“We put the screws on pretty well the whole way through and didn’t let them get away and we took wickets at crucial times.
“It was nice to get those wickets in succession and when you do that you halt all the momentum of the batting side.”
Perry was on a hat-trick and took three wickets in five balls in the 14th over to crush India’s momentum as the visitors added just 25 runs from the final seven overs. The world’s top-ranked all-rounder Perry should have had a career-best five-wicket haul but teenager Annabel Sutherland dropped a catch in her final over.
Australian bowler Tayla Vlaeminck also cashed in, taking 3-13 off four overs, while fielders Beth Mooney and Nicola Carey took three catches apiece. India made their intentions known early and smacked 15 runs off the first five balls of the match as opener Smriti Mandhana (35) topscored, but Harmanpreet Kaur (28) was her only support act.
The three teams play each other again in Melbourne next weekend.