Lanning and Perry dust themselves down to deny India

SOMEDAYS are all about the numbers. Heading into Australia’s contest with India – one the world champions ultimately romped in by eight wickets – one point separated five teams with two games to go.The stuff statisticians dream of with all their various permutations.

But there were better figures than that on show at Bristol, those that punctuated an otherwise pedestrian game. Sure, a clinical display from Australia – with a quick return to form with the ball after their troubles against England – yet not a fixture that will live on. What will: that this was the day Mithali Raj topped the charts for the most ODI runs by a woman. A mighty personal achievement, surpassing Charlotte Edwards’ 5992 in 16 fewer innings. That the Indian skipper has amassed those runs at an average of 51.5, across 18 years, speaks for itself.

Minutes later, when reaching 41, she also became the first to pass the 6000-run barrier by lifting legspinner Kristen Beams over the long-off rope. As a moment, it was an outlier to an otherwise cautious stay.

No.3 Raj combined for 157 with opener Punam Raut – who collected a fine century – but never at a pace that to bother the Australians.

That was a job ready-made for Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry, the former also with milestones to collect. Her 40th run constituted 5000 in internationals across the formats, all by the age of 25.When finishing unbeaten on 76 she was one short of 3000 in ODIs, in turn missing out on equaling Belinda Clark’s 62-match mark by the smallest margin.

But this hardly bothers the Australian skipper. Raj’s record – and any other she fancies – will be in hers before long. Batting at the moment with a busted shoulder, of course.

The unblemished 114 she and Perry put on for the third wicket is the latest addition to their matchwinning list. Five times they have added 100 or more in successful chases – only once they haven’t reached 50 together in nine attempts. “We enjoy ourselves while we are out there,” said Lanning of their relationship. They sure do.

Perry’s 60 not out was the fourth time in a row she has raised the bat in this campaign. Just as importantly, she also impressed with ball.

Against England the talisman embodied a ropey bowling performance, knocked off in a nail-biter after conceding 32 extras.The quick’s rhythm continued to elude her early again before fighting back in two subsequent spells, her two wickets cutting off any Indian momentum in the slog overs.

For Raj, it was the same as it ever was. For all the accolades, today stitching together her 49th half-century, it was never enough. It seldom has been. She spoke despairingly about that reality. Winning four on the trot to start the tournament, they now have to beat New Zealand in their final game to progress.

As for Australia, their weekend wobble corrected, they depart for Taunton to play South Africa with their progress assured; that box ticked.

Now for the hard part: defending their title in the most competitive Women’s World Cup ever staged. A challenge they will relish.