Perry, Harris hit new highs as Aussies take 2-1 lead

Career best knocks from Ellyse Perry and Grace Harris and a stirring fightback with the ball have led Australia to a 21-run victory in the third T20I against India in Mumbai.

Perry (75 off 47) and Harris (41 off 18) were the clear standouts with bat in hand as Australia posted 8-172 after again being sent into bat first at Brabourne Stadium.

Image Id: AD2A114825364D5789B6F1060AA8B795 Image Caption: Grace Harris was at her destructive best, whacking 41 off 18 // Getty

Two early blows from Darcie Brown (2-19) had India on the back-foot early in reply, but the powerful pairing of Shafali Verma and Harmanpreet Kaur rallied – aided by some uncharacteristic errors in the field – to have India needing 94 off 60 with eight wickets in hand at the halfway point of their innings.

But a double strike from Ashleigh Gardner (2-21) triggered a collapse of 5-40 as India were restricted to 7-151, handing Australia a 2-1 lead in the five-game series.

Image Id: F643AA2A5FD2432687DC9BE355896C43 Image Caption: Darcie Brown rallied for two wickets after a wayward first over // Getty

Perry’s fifty came off just 33 balls – her fastest half-century in any format for Australia, beating a 41-ball effort in a T20I against India in 2016.

She also bettered her previous best T20I score of 60no, but it was her strike rate of 159.6 that was particularly noteworthy given her extended period on the sidelines of Australia’s 20-over side due to concerns over her strike rate.

Image Id: 19D2C0829CC049FFA411017453A4F806 Image Caption: It was a career best T20I knock for Ellyse Perry

Harris was in a punishing mood after missing the second game due to illness, smashing three sixes in her whirlwind knock at No.6.

Brown then made a wayward return to the XI after missing the first two matches, with nine runs coming from wides in her first over.

But right-arm quick bounced back in her next over to remove Smriti Mandhana for one and had a second when she trapped Jemimah Rodrigues (16 off 11) lbw.

Verma was given a life on 13 when Gardner put down a chance diving forward in the deep, and Kaur survived a missed stumping chance on nine.

Brown thought she had finally removed Verma on 48, but replays showed the teenager had overstepped.

Verma brought up her half-century, but was gone shortly after, as Gardner this time held onto the chance off the bowling of Nicola Carey, breaking their 73-run stand.

Image Id: 48FA198CBC704442B70D48983CE5BD5B Image Caption: India's teenage firebrand Shafali Verma was given two lives by the Australians // Getty

Gardner’s first over had gone for 12 runs, but she responded superbly with the wickets of Devika Vaidya (1) and – crucially – that of the destructive Richa Ghosh (1), leaving India 5-113 needing 60 off the last five overs.

When Kaur could not clear Annabel Sutherland on the mid-on boundary, caught for 37 off 27, her departure left too much for the lower-order to do as Deepti Sharma’s unbeaten 25 off 17 went in vain and Australia closed out a 21-run win.

Earlier, Perry and Harris’ crucial stand came after Australia were in early trouble at 2-5; Healy (1) was forced to depart in the opening over, trapped on the pads by a Renuka Thakur in-swinger.

 

Image Id: A19B4B76388B43AB845EB4770E870BFB Image Caption: The Australian captain fell victim to Renuka Singh // Getty

 

Newly crowned world No.1 T20I batter Tahlia McGrath (1) was dismissed for the first time this series five balls later, bowled by a superb delivery from left-armer Anjali Sarvani that seamed back in and hit the top of middle stump.

Beth Mooney was joined by Perry, batting in a T20I for the first time since October last year, and the pair set about the repair job, helping the Aussies to 2-43 at the end of the powerplay.

A switch to the leg-spin of Vaidya procured the key scalp of Mooney for the first time this series, out for 30 off 22, ending a 62-run third-wicket stand.

Vaidya then deceived an advancing Gardner (7 off 10), with the powerful allrounder stumped to leave Australia 4-89.

Perry and Harris piled on 55 runs from the next five overs to add much-needed acceleration to the Aussie innings; but the tourists stalled over Perry fell to an attempted ramp at the start of the 17th over.

Game Three replay: Watch on Kayo Sports

Australia lost 4-23 from the final four overs, as Sutherland (1), Harris and Carey (6) followed in quick succession amid another strong display at the depth from Thakur and Sharma.

Earlier, Kaur won a second consecutive toss and again sent Australia into bat.

Australia made three changes for the game; Brown and Harris returned from illness and Carey was also added to the XI, replacing Heather Graham, Kim Garth and Phoebe Litchfield.

Australia's T20I tour of India 

1st T20I: Australia won by 9 wickets

2nd T20I: Match tied (India won the Super Over)

3rd T20I: Australia won by 21 runs

4th T20I: December 17, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai (Dec 18, 12.30am AEDT) 

5th T20I: December 20, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai (Dec 21, 12.30am AEDT) 

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Devika Vaidya, S Meghana, Richa Ghosh, Harleen Deol