Key events
Evening session
51st over: Australia 158-3 (McGrath 47, Healy 5) Been on a tea-break desperate search for the sellotape/ribbon box for one of my son’s to wrap a secret santa present. Just one from Deepti’s over.
Sorry, Stephen, I’ve got time to answer your question now! I think you’re quite right with Deepti, NSB and Ash Gardner. I’d also throw Laura Woolvardt, Hayley Matthews, Tahlia McGrath and Smriti Mandhana into the mix. But I don’t watch as much women’s cricket as I’d like to. I’ll ask Raf – she’s better placed than me! Oh, and also throwing in a distinguished long-service award to Meg Lanning .
Very open to ideas!
TEA Australia 156-3 trail India by 31 runs
50th over: Australia 156-3 (McGrath 46, Healy 4) Rajeshwari, into the footmarks. Healy beckons McGrath down the pitch to point out something. McGrath cuts, but super fielding by Deepti at point cuts off the run. She cuts again next (short) ball, later, and this time pierces the gap and picks up four. And that, is tea. The session Australia’s, despite the late wicket of Perry.
49th over: Australia 152-3 (McGrath 42, Healy 4) Deepti rolls up her sleeves and adjusts her trousers; in the ground, chants from what sounds like an enthusiastic group of young girls. Australia playing for the break here.
48th over: Australia 150-3 (McGrath 41, Healy 2) One zips past the outside edge of Healy’s bat as she pushes forward, and rebounds off Yastika’s glove. Rajeshwari whistles through her over. Tricky out there
47th over: Australia 148-3 (McGrath 40, Healy 2) Woman of the moment, Deepti Sharma, takes the ball. Healy chews her gum and surveys the field as Harmanpreet directs this way and that. One from it, with ten minutes till tea.
46th over: Australia 146-3 (McGrath 39, Healy 1) Rajeshwari suddenly has mischief in her fingers. McGrath starts the over missing a sweep, finishes the over missing a sweep, bringing four byes.
An email drops in to my inbox with a festive jingle. Hello Stephen Nichols!
“Thanks for all your commentary this year – I’ve really enjoyed reading it. I was wondering who you thought were the best 5 women’s cricketers of the year? Ash Gardner has bowled beautifully in a couple of Tests, Nat S-B was immense earlier in the summer, and Deepti Sharma has been deeply annoying to all her opponents – wickets and runs exactly when her team needed them. Who’s on your list?”
“Merry Christmas to you all” Oooh let me think for a couple of overs, and a very happy Christmas to you too.
45th over: Australia 142-3 (McGrath 39, Healy 1) And another maiden as, click by click, the pressure ratchets up
44th over: Australia 142-3 (McGrath 39, Healy 1) Ooof, suddenly, the ball is full of possibilites, Rajeshwari whistles through a maiden.
43rd over: Australia 142-3 (McGrath 39, Healy 1) The end of a fabulous innings, and a crucial 84-run partnership which has ushered the Aussies towards parity.
WICKET! Perry c Yastika b Rana 45 (Australia 140-3)
From nowhere! Spins, Perry goes back, tries to flick away leg side, but gets a faint edge to the keeper. Joy unconfined from India.
42nd over: Australia 140-2 (Perry 45, McGrath 38) A birds eye view of the glorious Wankhede, over where the sun seems to be shining, though pollution hovers over the city in the background (the reading “unhealthy “again today.) Rajeshwari – a careful maiden.
41st over: Australia 140-2 (Perry 45, McGrath 38) Rana once more. McGrath tucks into the loose ball, soft hands, leans back and angles the ball away to the rope. Those two dropped chances earlier in the day hanging in the air like unwelcome air balloons.
40th over: Australia 134-2 (Perry 44, McGrath 33) Sorry, missed most of this over answering the door to the postman.
39th over: Australia 130-2 (Perry 44, McGrath 29) A maiden from Rana! India could do with a succession of those to build some pressure, they need something.
38th over: Australia 130-2 (Perry 44, McGrath 29) India present the ball to the umpire in a dissatisfied way. He puts it through his handcuffs, and it passes the Test – I think…Rajeshwari wheels in. A fabulous stop in the covers by Rana prevents a boundary from the advancing McGrath. She examines her bashed fingers with a sore shake. Rajeshwari ends the over with a beauty that grips and turns. Do drop me a line, whether you’re having a quiet moment by the Christmas tree or toiling away at work, would love to hear from you.
37th over: Australia 129-2 (Perry 43, McGrath 29) Eight off Jemimah’s over, and this has the feel of Australia unstoppably building their castle, slab by great slab. Perry slams a full toss through extra cover for four.
36th over: Australia 121-2 (Perry 36, McGrath 28) My fifteen year old has just headed off into the smudgy black for his last Saturday paper round of the year. Sparkling sunshine in Mumbai for the first time I can remember this match. Australia looking at ease, Perry magnificent. A change of ends for Gayakwad. A couple of easy singles and a dreadful lbw review from India that pitched outside off. The deficit has crept down to 66.
35th over: Australia 119-2 (Perry 35, McGrath 27) Thanks Jim, sterling work in the small hours. Time for some Jemimah off spin. A pea roller lands within a few inches of McGrath and bounces twice before almost coming to a standing stop on her pads. The next is dispatched through cover for four.
James Wallace
34th over: Australia 114-2 (Perry 34, McGrath 25) Perry hangs back and works a single to leg. That’s the first hour post lunch done, Australia are hanging in there. Time for me to let go of the OBO reins, Tanya Aldred is here to grasp them and take you through to the close! Goodbye.
33rd over: Australia 113-2 (Perry 33, McGrath 25) Perry and McGrath rotate strike and notch up their fifty partnership. They’ve batted well and frustrated India in this first hour after lunch.
32nd over: Australia 11o-2 (Perry 32, McGrath 23) Rana replaces Deepti Sharma and is greeted with a solid drive for two by Perry. A wristy flick for a single will see her keep strike for the next.
Good morning Guy Hornsby!
“Morning Jim, morning everyone. This is such a gripping Test match. There’s something going on every ball. I hope Australia can set something, but the first innings showed that things can unravel pretty quickly on this surface.”
Yep, its all about partnerships and chipping away. Get to parity and then every run hurts India that little bit more. Will be a belter tomorrow if Australia can bat out the day. Big IF.
31st over: Australia 1o7-2 (Perry 29, McGrath 23) McGrath starting to find her timing, punching for two into the off side and then going back onto her tiptoes and driving off the back foot for a sublime four!
30th over: Australia 1o1-2 (Perry 29, McGrath 15) Shot! Deepti tosses one up above the eyeline and Perry drives it straight as you like back past the bowler for four. That brings the hundred up for Australia and this partnership between Perry and McGrath inches into the forties.
29th over: Australia 97-2 (Perry 25, McGrath 17) Drop! Tricky chance at slip as McGrath pokes a length ball from Gayakwad, the ball scooches through and the batters pick up a couple. Australia eke their way towards three figures.
28th over: Australia 94-2 (Perry 24, McGrath 15) Deepti looks to stitch together a second maiden in a row but Perry dances down to the last ball and drives compactly for a single. The India lead stands at 93 runs. What would Australia need to post here? Anything over 150 would likely be a very tricky chase for India in the fourth innings with the pitch going up and down. That still feels a long way from here though.
27th over: Australia 93-2 (Perry 23, McGrath 15) Two balls in a row from Gayakwad die in the surface and basically roll along the floor. McGrath manages to get an under edge on the second and the ball trickles away for four past the keeper. If we do make it into tomorrow then this surface should throw up some fun and games.
26th over: Australia 89-2 (Perry 23, McGrath 11) Deepti and Perry continue their tussle. India know that if they get Ellyse then they likely get the game. The pressure cooker just starting to hiss as the second maiden in a row is notched up.
Two Australian openers run out in a women’s Test match:
v India at Ahmedabad, 1984
v England at Perth, 1984
v England at Hove, 1987
v India at Wankhede, 2023#INDvAUS— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) December 23, 2023
25th over: Australia 89-2 (Perry 23, McGrath 11) Rajeshwari Gayakwad comes into the attack to replace Vasrtrakar. She’s left arm around the wicket with a slip and silly point in place. McGrath is back to being watchful, dot x six = a maiden. No need to show my working.
24th over: Australia 89-2 (Perry 23, McGrath 11) Deepti has her hands on her bead as Perry plays late and flicks a ball in the air behind square for a couple. It looked a bit inside-edgey.
23rd over: Australia 83-2 (Perry 21, McGrath 11) Close! McGrath has a wild hack at a length ball on the off side and us lucky to connect only with fresh air. That would’ve been a nasty way to go. A drive down the ground and a clip into the leg side bring her a couple of twos – seems like she’s decided to put her foot down a little. There you go – a crunching back foot drive sees the ball trace away to the boundary. Eight runs off the over and a near miss.
22nd over: Australia 79-2 (Perry 21, McGrath 3) Deepti spins one back into the pads of McGrath and offers a strangled appeal – it was sliding down. Nice ball though. McGrath shows a deft touch by waiting and dropping the hands on a length ball, pocketing a single behind point on the off side. Australia whittling away at the deficit.
21st over: Australia 76-2 (Perry 21, McGrath 2) Vastrakar bustles in under bright sunshine, three dots are soaked up before McGrath glides to point for a single and Perry collects two off the last ball with a controlled drive through the covers. The deficit ticks down to 109 runs.
20th over: Australia 75-2 (Perry 19, McGrath 1) Deepti Sharma into the attack and she serves up a high full toss that Perry doesn’t miss out on, whipping it away to the midwicket boundary.
19th over: Australia 71-2 (Perry 15, McGrath 1) Vastrakar from t’other end, she lands it on a hankie. Perry pushes a single into the off side. Mumbai looking a picture. Still pitch black here in London.
18th over: Australia 70-2 (Perry 14, McGrath 1) Australia need Ellyse Perry to come to the party this afternoon… and probably this evening too. She gets going with a delightful cover drive for four.
The players emerge after lunch, Sneh Rana is going to bowl the first over of the afternoon session.
The ultimate brain fade from Beth Mooney.
Even though the Aussies are on the back foot in this match, it’s an engrossing battle.
And I’m sure regardless of the result, it won’t be 40 years until we’re back for the next Test. #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/7D8m7mOaub
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) December 23, 2023
Lunch: Australia 63-2 (trail India by 124 runs)
17th over: Australia 63-2 (Perry 7, McGrath 1) Deepti sends down a testing maiden, McGrath content to batten down the hatches for lunch. An absorbing morning of cricket, Australia polished off the last three India wickets in good time this morning and were going well at 49-0 when Beth Mooney decided to take an ill advised wander out of her crease. Litchfield fell shortly afterwards and India ramped up the pressure in the run up to the interval. The home side well on top.
16th over: Australia 63-2 (Perry 7, McGrath 1) Close! Perry defends with hard hands, the ball flicks the inside half of her bat and flies to Richa at short leg who can’t cling on. Tough chance but seen them taken. That would have been a huge scalp for India on the stroke of lunch. Perry gets another edge through the slips and picks up two. It’s all happening.