Rain continued to play spoilsport in the pink ball women's daynight Test between India and Australia in Carrara, robbing the fans of almost a session and a half of play on Day Two on Friday. Rain had severely curtailed proceedings on Day One too.
Riding on Smriti Mandhana's magnificent 127 (216b, 22x4, 1x6) - the highest score by a visiting batter in Tests in Australia - India seemed to be in a commanding position at 195/1, before losing four wickets in the space of 79 runs as the Aussies fought back. When play was stopped for good due to bad weather, the visitors were 276/5, having frittered away some of the advantage Mandhana had given them.
With so much time being lost due to lightning, hailstorms, rain and then a wet outfield, only 44.1 overs were possible on Day One and 57.4 on Day Two. A result is now looking unlikely. A lastminute shift due to Covid-related issues from Perth to Carrara seems to have cost this fixture heavily. Thankfully, no more rain is predicted for the next two days. A total of 108 overs are scheduled on each of the two days.
Besides Mandhana's classy ton, the talking point of the day was a decision by Poonam Raut to instinctively 'walk' after edging behind to wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy off Sophie Molineux. The umpire had negated the appeal from the Aussies. Raut at that point was batting on a resolute 36, that took her 165 balls with two fours. While her gesture was laudable for maintaining the spirit of the game, it was debatable too since the innings was at a crucial stage.
Earlier, batting on 80 overnight, Mandhana went to the 90s with a superb straight drive off Annabel Sutherland, before completing her maiden hundred with a pulled four off Ellyse Perry. The Indian vice-captain, who had earlier escaped being out caught at point on 80 off a no-ball from Perry, was finally dismissed by the Aussies when she was caught at short mid-off by Tahilia McGrath off Ashleigh Gardner.
That ended a 102-run stand in 259 balls for the second wicket between Mandhana and Raut.
Yastika Bhatia (19) showed glimpses of her talent before she was caught superbly at gully by a diving Beth Mooney, who had earlier dropped Indian captain Mithali Raj, while trying to play Perry on the leg side.
Mithali (30, 86b, 5x4) could not benefit from that lapse as she was run out while going back to her crease after setting off for a sharp single, as Annabel Sutherland fired in a superb direct hit, swooping in from mid-wicket.
SCORES: India 276-5 (Smriti Mandhana 127, Poonam Raut 36, Mithali Raj 30) vs Australia
