Australia A romp to T20 series win over India A

A dominant display with bat and ball has helped Australia A romp to a 37-run victory over India A on the Gold Coast, sealing a T20 series victory with one game still to play.

Electing to bat first, powerful knocks from Tahlia McGrath, Bridget Patterson and Sammy-Jo Johnson helped the hosts to 5-145 at Bill Pippen Oval, before Molly Strano (2-6) and Maitland Brown (2-15) restricted India A to 8-108.

Fresh of their emphatic nine-wicket win in the opening 20-over match, Australia A suffered a blow when Elyse Villani – the experienced international opener hoping to push her case for a World Cup recall – was caught for 10 from 12 deliveries in the fourth over.

Another Cup hopeful, Erin Burns, also failed to press on with a start when she was bowled for 13, but at the other end McGrath found the boundary with ease, striking five fours and a six before she was caught for 46 from 40 deliveries.

Patterson was likewise lively in her 27-ball 37, while the hard-hitting Johnson again thrived at her club ground, hitting two maximums in a 12-ball 24.

Annabel Sutherland then had Yastika Bhatia (0) caught from the first ball of India’s chase, before off-spinner Molly Strano continued her hold over talented 15-year-old Shafali Verma (1), as the aggressive teenager was out stumped the following over.

Strano, who has made a serious case for an Australian recall with 11 wickets in five games against India A, has now dismissed Verma four times in five matches.

A fighting 38 from 35 from India A captain Veda Krishnamurthy added some respectability to their chase but she failed to find a partner to stick around, as the tourists were limited to 8-108.

Australia A and India A will meet again on Monday at the same venue at 10am local time.

Australia A T20 Squad: Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Josie Dooley, Heather Graham, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Bridget Patterson, Sammy Jo Johnson, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington

India A squad: Veda Krishnamurthy (c), Anuja Patil (vc), Priya Punia, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Devika Vaidya, D Hemalatha, Tanusree Sarkar, Sushma Verma (wicket-keeper), Nuzhat Parween, Mansi Joshi, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Manali Dakshini, T P Kanwar

Australia A v India A

First OD: India A won by 16 runs

Second OD: Australia A won by 81 runs

Third OD: Australia A won by three wickets

First T20: Australia A won by 9 wickets

Second T20: Australia A won by 37 runs

Third T20: December 23, Bill Pippen Field, Gold Coast, 10am