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Bolton century guides Stars to emphatic win

An outstanding bowling effort backed up by a masterful century from Nicole Bolton sees Australia claim series opener

A superb century from opener Nicole Bolton has guided Australia to an emphatic eight-wicket win in their opening one-day international against India.

After a four-wicket haul from Jess Jonassen helped restrict India to 200, Bolton’s brilliant knock anchored a clinical chase as the tourists reached their target with 17.5 overs to spare.

Alyssa Healy was the aggressor early in the Southern Stars innings, finding the boundary six times before being dismissed for 38 (29).

But when she departed, opening partner Bolton rose to the occasion, sharing key partnerships with Meg Lanning (33) and Ellyse Perry (21no).

Handed a life on 66, Bolton made the most of the opportunity, escalating late in the chase to bring up her fourth ODI ton from 101 deliveries, finishing unbeaten on 100 having found the boundary 12 times.

The century came in her first international knock on Indian soil and in tough conditions, with the temperature gauge pushing 40 degrees Celsius.

In a memorable day for the tourists, Lanning claimed a piece of history of her own when she came to the crease in the 10th over, becoming the second-fastest woman to 3000 ODI runs.

Her return international knock wasn’t Lanning in full flight but the 25-year-old appeared comfortable working the ball around, striking five fours and producing cross-bat shots without any apparent discomfort to her repaired shoulder.

Bolton passed fifty during the pair’s 68-run stand, but a mix-up in the middle cost Lanning the chance to rack up a half-century of her own, departing for 33 off 38 when Veda Krishnamurthy’s direct hit caught her shy of her crease.

Earlier, a collapse of 5-49 had India in all sorts at 5-87 before a 76-run eighth-wicket stand between wicketkeeper Sushma Verma and No.9 Pooja Vastrakar rescued the hosts.

With captain Mithali Raj ruled out due to illness, India openers Poonam Raut and Smriti Mandhana made a positive start but that rapidly changed once off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner struck in the 10th over, removing Mandhana (12).

The wickets of debutant Jemimah Rodrigues (1), Raut (37) and Deepti Sharma (18) fell in quick succession, leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington striking twice.

Harmanpreet Kaur, the explosive batter who ripped apart Australia’s World Cup dreams last July and who was handed the captaincy in Raj’s absence, never looked comfortable as she crawled her way to seven from 29 before being caught behind off a Schutt slower ball.

From a precarious position at 7-112 in the 3nd over, wicketkeeper Verma (41) and quick Vastrakar (51) then rode their luck in a 76-run stand that added crucial runs and a much-needed run rate boost.

Australian debutant Nicola Carey (0-28 off 10) was unlucky to go wicketless on debut, while Jess Jonassen (4-30 off 10), Wellington (3-24 off six) and Schutt (1-37 off 10) caused plenty of problems for the Indian batters.

Australia and India go head to head again at the same ground on Thursday.

Commonwealth Bank Tour of India

Australia ODI squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Australia T20 squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Naomi Stalenberg, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington

India ODI squad: Mithali Raj (Captain), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain), Smriti Mandhana, Punam Raut, Jemimah Rodrigues, Veda Krishnamurthy, Mona Meshram, Sushma Verma, Ekta Bisht, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shikha Pandey, Sukanya Parida, Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma

England T20I squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Katie George, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones, Anya Shrubsole, Bryony Smith, Nat Sciver, Fran Wilson, Danni Wyatt

Warm-up match Australia beat India A by 321 runs. Report

Warm-up match Australia beat India A by seven wickets. Report

ODI series

First ODI Reliance Stadium, Vadodara, March 12

Second ODI Reliance Stadium, Vadodara, March 15

Third ODI Reliance Stadium, Vadodara, March 18

T20I tri-series

First T20I Australia v India, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, March 22

Second T20I Australia v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 23

Third T20I India v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 25

Fourth T20I Australia v India, Brabourne Stadium, March 26

Fifth T20I Australia v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 28

Sixth T20I India v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 29

Final Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, March 31