Voll, Litchfield blow India away to hand Aussies series lead

Georgia Voll's second ODI century has powered Australia to a five-wicket win over India in the second one-dayer in Hobart.

Voll hammered 101 from 82 deliveries and shared in a 119-run stand with opener Phoebe Litchfield (80 from 62) as Australia mowed down a target of 252 in 36.1 overs at Bellerive Oval.

It has handed Australia a 6-4 lead in the multi-format, points-based series – the first time they have had the advantage, and the first time either team has strung together consecutive wins – ahead of the third and final ODI to be played in Hobart on Sunday before attention switches to the sole Test in Perth.

Australia's day was soured before the first ball when news broke that vice-captain Sophie Molineux would miss the remainder of the series with a back injury, as Nicola Carey took her spot in the XI.

Put into the field by India, Australia's attack led by Ashleigh Gardner (2-39), Alana King (2-41) and Annabel Sutherland (2-37) restricted the tourists to a below-par 9-251, with Harmanpreet Kaur (54 off 70) and Pratika Rawal (52 off 81) their main contributors.

Kashvee Gautam then got the early breakthrough India sorely needed, bowling Alyssa Healy for six, but after Voll joined Litchfield, the pendulum swung firmly back in Australia's favour.

Litchfield's 62-ball innings was the 22-year-old at her seemingly effortless best: producing her full array of drives, pulls and reverse sweeps to leave India scratching their heads.

Her half-century came from 42 balls, just minutes after she became the second youngest Australian to score 2,000 runs across all formats behind the legendary Meg Lanning.

The left-hander appeared unstoppable as she eyed her fourth one-day hundred, but ultimately, her departure on 80 was an act of her own doing, bowled looking to scoop pace bowler Gaud, ending a knock that featured 11 fours and a six.

Voll, who was put down on 19 when Gaud missed a tough diving chance at long-on, carried on the attack, reaching her own fifty from 44 balls in a display of power to contrast with Litchfield's touch.

The 22-year-old Queenslander was almost denied her hundred when she was put down behind the stumps on 99, but she scampered through for the single to bring up triple figures off 80 deliveries.

Her luck ran out later the same over as she was caught for 101, and India landed a couple of final blows to dismiss Beth Mooney for 31 and Sutherland for 10, but the damage was already done as Gardner iced a dominant victory.

Earlier, a late fightback from India helped the tourists to 9-521 during an innings that saw momentum swing between the fierce rivals.

After Harmanpreet won her fifth consecutive toss from as many matches this series and elected to have a bat, India's openers made a safe if not rollicking start.

Smriti Mandhana got a life on 15 when Gardner was unable to hang onto a tough chance diving to her left, and another on 26 when Tahlia McGrath missed a chance at mid-on.

In the end, her dismissal came from an uncharacteristic attempt to ramp Gardner, only to be bowled for 31 off 37.

Sutherland had Jemimah Rodrigues caught behind for 11, and a disastrous mix-up between Rawal and her skipper Harmanpreet saw the opener run out for an 81-ball 52.

Harmanpreet's call was a firm 'no', but Rawal didn't hear and found herself at the same end as her captain.

It left India teetering at 3-100 and their position became even more tremulous at 4-103, having lost 3-5 when Deepti Sharma holed out for one.

Local hero Nicola Carey claimed a wicket in her first ODI since early 2022, removing Amanjot Kaur (13), and Richa Ghosh (22) struck the first six of India's innings before being trapped lbw by Alana King.

At the other end, Harmanpreet had dug in, steadily bringing up her half-century from 66 balls. While not going at the pace she would have liked, she held the innings together and set the scene for their big finish.

Batting alongside Gautam (25) and Gaud (19), India added 73 from the final 10 overs, with Harmanpreet eventually dismissed for a 70-ball 52.

NRMA Insurance Australia v India Multi-Format Series

Australia lead the multi-format series 6-4

First T20I: India won by 21 runs (DLS)

Second T20I: Australia won by 19 runs

Third T20I: India won by 17 runs

Australia ODI squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Sophie Molineux (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

 

India ODI squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Renuka Thakur, Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Kashvee Gautam, Amanjot Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Uma Chetry, Harleen Deol, Pratika Rawal

February 24: Australia won by six wickets

February 27: Australia won by five wickets

March 1: Third ODI, Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 2:50pm AEDT

Australia Test squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Sophie Molineux (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

 

India Test squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh, Sneh Rana, Amanjot Kaur, Uma Chetry, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma, Sayali Satghare

March 6-9: Test match, WACA Ground, 4:20pm AEDT (D/N)