GOLD COAST: India dug in deep instead of going for quick runs to reach 359 for seven at dinner on the third day of the rain-marred day/night women's Test against Australia here on Saturday.
Resuming at their overnight score of 276 for five after rain and lightning had brought a premature end to the second day's play at the Carrara Oval, India scored 83 runs for the loss of Taniya Bhatia and Pooja Vastrakar's wickets in the long first session.
Taniya made 22 off 75 balls, while Pooja made 13. At the dinner break, Deepti Sharma was batting on 58.
Taniya's dismissal brought to an end a 45-run stand for the sixth wicket with Sharma that came at a much slower pace than Thursday as the two teams seemed like they would be contend with a draw rater than forcing a result after a significant part of the match was wiped out by inclement weather.
The duo of Taniya and Deepti consumed more than 28 overs to get those 45 runs.
It was Stella Campbell who dismissed Taniya, caught behind by Alyssa Healy off a back-of-a-length delivery on off-stump that moved away, for her first Test wicket.
While they did not lose many wickets, what did not help India's cause was that the batters could not capitalise on the loose balls on a pitch that looked pretty flat.
Meanwhile, Deepti, who started the day on 12, got to her second Test fifty with a sweep behind square, reaching the landmark in 148 balls with the help of five boundaries.
Deepti went past her previous best Test score of 54.
Ellyse Perry provided Australia another breakthrough when she had Pooja Vastrakar brilliantly caught by Beth Mooney at gully as the batter looked to drive through covers.
This was Perry's 300th international wicket.
Brief Scores: India 1st innings 359/7 in 142.3 overs (Smriti Mandhana 127, Deepti Sharma 58 batting; Sophie Molineux 2/45, Ellyse Perry 2/67)
