Stars Shine In India

Jodie Fields

Australia's captain and wicket keeper, Jodie Fields, was among a number of Southern Stars who shone brightly in the win over India in Ahmedabad, in the first of three ODI matches. Her run a ball 64 in the middle order was the driving force behind Australia adding 60 off the last ten overs. It was a momentum the Indians were never able to match. Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning put Australia on a firm footing, adding 84 for the second wicket off 16 overs after losing Leah Poulton early. The middle order stumbled until Fields found a willing accomplice in Erin Osborne, the pair adding 64 to accelerate the end of the Australian innings.

India were tied in knots by the tight bowling of Julie Hunter (1-36), Elysse Perry (2-36) and Lis Sthalekar (2-25) who each bowled out their ten overs. Under pressure to get the innings moving forward, the India's lost 5-36 after being 1-72 in the 23rd over. Harmanpreet Kaur and Jhulan Goswani exploded in a 7th wicket partnership of 77 which put the Indians back in the game but their dismissals with the return of Hunter and Perry closed the game down.

The southern Stars won by 30 and will go confidently into their next game at Mumbai on Thursday. The ODI series will be followed by a five match T20 Series, a format being greatly favoured in women's international cricket in recent times. Their are no Test matches scheduled for this tour.

After this tour, the Southern Stars will compete in the Women's T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka during late September and October.