Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield Fire Australia To 5-Wicket Win vs India, Clinch ODI Series 2-0

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Georgia Voll (101) made the most of three lifelines while Phoebe Litchfield hit a belligerent 80 to power Australia to a five-wicket win against India.

Georgia Voll (101) made most of three lifelines while Phoebe Litchfield hit a belligerent 80 to power Australia to a five-wicket win and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match women’s ODI series against reigning world champions India in Hobart on Friday. After India posted 251/9 on a batting-friendly deck following fifties from Pratika Rawal (52) and Harmanpreet Kaur (54), Australia batsmen romped home with 13.5 overs to spare. Voll completed her hundred after a dropped catch down the leg by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh permitted her to scamper for a single. She was dropped twice before reaching her second ODI ton.

Voll added 119 runs for the second wicket with Litchfield to put Australia on track for victory after the hosts had lost the T20Is 1-2 earlier.

The 22-year-old was on 19 when Kranti Gaud failed to hold on to a tough chance diving to her front at long on, off Dipti Sharma in the 14th over. Later on, a regulation chance at deep mid-wicket was spilled by Smriti Mandhana off Kashvee Gautam.

Voll eventually fell for an 82-ball 101 with 13 fours and a six.

If Voll picked the gaps at will and looted plenty of runs on the on-side, Litchfield once again tore into the Indian bowlers with her commanding stroke play on either side of the wickets.

However, like it has been a few times before, Litchfield only had herself to blame after she squeezed herself for room and missed connecting on a ramp shot, with Gaud’s delivery hitting the top of middle stump. Litchfield hit 11 fours and a six in her 62-ball knock.

Gautam had previously produced a beautiful inswinger to clean up Alyssa Healy (6) for an early breakthrough and India also took two late wickets to stem Australia‘s progress, but none of that helped the visitors’ cause.

With one ODI (two points) and a one-off Test (four points) left to be played, Australia now lead the all-format series 6-4.

Earlier, Pratika and skipper Harmanpreet struck half-centuries to help India cross 250.

Pratika’s knock, off 81 balls with six fours, was instrumental in giving India a strong start but Harmanpreet’s 70-ball innings was even more decisive after a stutter in the middle overs.

Rawal provided a strong start with a 78-run partnership with Mandhana (31) as India looked to make the most of good batting conditions. However, some ordinary shot selection landed the Indians in trouble for the second successive time in the series.

Mandhana, who had also got two reprieves, missed a paddle sweep and Ashleigh Gardner’s (2/39) delivery hit her leg-stump, while Jemimah Rodrigues (11) played a loose shot outside the off-stump to be caught behind off an innocuous delivery from Annabel Sutherland (2/37).

Dipti Sharma (1) was caught at deep mid-wicket in her bid to get off the blocks quickly off Alana King (2/41), who also pinned the dangerous Richa Ghosh leg-before for 22.

To her credit, Gautam (25) put on a crucial 55-run stand for the seventh wicket with Harmanpreet, which took India past the 200-run mark.

The third ODI is scheduled for Sunday at the same venue.

Georgia Voll bludgeoned a century and Phoebe Litchfield cracked 80 as Australia issued a reminder of their 50-over mastery after crushing World Cup champions India at Bellerive Oval to clinch the ODI leg 2–0.

Chasing India’s middling total of 251 for 9 on a very good batting surface, Litchfield and Voll combined for a second-wicket partnership of 119 in quick time as Australia reached the finish line in the 37th over. Australia now leads 6-4 on points in the multi-format series with just the ODI final and one-off Test in Perth left.

Despite dropping several catches in the field, Australia rebounded well after being rocked pre-match by the news that Sophie Molineux would miss the remainder of the multi-format series with a back injury.

Australia’s attack bowled with far more discipline than their Indian counterparts in the mild conditions. Annabel Sutherland took 2 for 37 but curiously only bowled seven overs, with spinners Alana King and Ashleigh Gardner also claiming two wickets apiece. Nicholas Carey finished with 1 for 55 off eight overs as a late inclusion for Molineux in her first ODI since the 2022 World Cup.

The ODI leg wraps up on the same ground on Sunday and a win for Australia would mean they can’t lose the multi-format series outright.

After a stirring 2-1 triumph in the T20Is, it has been a disappointing return to ODI cricket for India after their historic victory at last year’s World Cup on home soil, which included a semi-final upset of Australia.

After the coin fell in their favor for the fifth straight time, India were left ruing not capitalizing on a sloppy fielding performance from Australia with reckless batting proving costly.

Opener Pratika Rawal and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur bookended the innings with half-centuries, but India’s chances of posting a big total nosedived when they lost 5 for 52 between the 17th and 31st overs.

Rawal and Smriti Mandhana, who rode good luck after a pair of dropped catches, had laid a strong platform with a 78-run opening partnership. But India were unable to kick on after several meaningless dismissals including Mandhana, who was clean bowled by nemesis Gardner after shuffling across her stumps.

Rawal’s classy 81-ball knock ended with a horrendous run-out on 52, where she was left stranded mid-pitch after a mix up with Harmanpreet. Jemimah Rodrigues also fell tamely to Sutherland at 11 after being elevated back to No.3 where she performed such heroics at the World Cup with Shafali Verma rested from this match.

Harmanpreet, who proved her fitness after sustaining a knee injury in the ODI opener, hit 54 from 70 balls to lift India from major trouble at 130 for 5. She was supported by cameos from several batsmen in the lower-order to at least ensure India posted a seemingly competitive total.

But it proved not nearly enough against a rampant Australia batting-order although retiring captain Alyssa Healy missed out after her half-century in their six-wicket victory in the first ODI.

In the penultimate ODI match of her career, Healy fell for 6 after being knocked over by a fantastic yorker from Kashvee Gautam, who celebrated her first international wicket in style to continue an impressive all-round series.

Having effectively replaced injured Ellyce Perry, Voll was under pressure after a golden duck in the ODI opener. But she was undaunted and received a confidence boost by executing a brilliant lap scoop that motored to the boundary.