By Justin Chadwick
Ellyse Perry set a new national record and Annabel Sutherland posted her fourth Test century as Australia took control of their pink ball clash with India at the WACA Ground.
On a day when the temperature hit 40C in Perth, Australia reached 8-310 by dinner on day two in reply to India’s 198, with Sutherland making 129 off 171 balls and Perry 76 off 116.
Ellyse Perry set an all-time record for Test runs – surpassing the previous Australian women’s record of 1002.Credit: Getty Images
Although Perry missed out on making her third Test century, her score was enough to take her to 1006 Test runs – surpassing the previous Australian women’s record of 1002 held by Karen Rolton.
That 16-year-old record was broken when Perry lofted spinner Deepti Sharma down the ground for four to move to 74 late in Saturday’s opening session.
Perry now sits 10th on the all-time women’s Test run scoring list.
Former England star Jan Brittin, who played 27 Tests until 1998, sits on top with 1935 runs.
But Perry can lay claim to being the only woman to have passed 1000 runs and taken more than 30 wickets.
Perry’s knock was eventually ended when she was adjudged lbw on review at the hands of Sharma.
Sutherland and Perry’s 128-run fourth wicket partnership moved Australia to a position of strength after the hosts had stumbled to 3-58 on Friday night.
Annabel Sutherland taking the wicket of Jemimah Rodrigues of India during day two of the Women’s Test Match between Australia and India at WACA.Credit: Getty Images
The home side had another wobble as they went from 4-240 to 8-277 before tailenders Alana King (21no) and debutant Lucy Hamilton (12no) added valuable runs.
Sutherland walked to the crease on Saturday unbeaten on 20, and her love affair with the WACA continued as she whacked India’s heat-stricken attack to all parts of the ground.
She’d hit 17 boundaries before her innings came to an end, caught at long-on off Sharma.
The 24-year-old’s only other Test visit to the ground came two years ago when she cracked 210 in a comfortable win over South Africa.
Sutherland has now posted three consecutive Test centuries, with her 163 against England at the MCG last year sandwiched between her two big knocks at the WACA.
Her Test batting average now sits at an elite 89.37 midway through her seventh Test.
Sutherland also starred with the ball on Friday, snaring 4-46 while also having four catches dropped off her bowling. She now has 17 wickets at an average of 25.1.
India’s sharp fielding ensured Australia’s first-innings lead didn’t blow out too much.
Jemimah Rodrigues took a sharp catch on Friday night to dismiss retiring captain Alyssa Healy for 13.
And she was at it again on Saturday, taking a ripping catch at short cover to send Beth Mooney on her way for 19.
Smriti Mandhana produced an even better effort at short leg when her cat-like reflexes resulted in a catch to dismiss Tahlia McGrath for 13.
Australia’s collapse of 4-37 has at least boosted the chances of Healy having one final chance to bat in her farewell to international cricket.
Day one wrap: Healy out cheaply in final Test as pink ball swings wildly in Perth
Retiring captain Alyssa Healy has been dismissed cheaply in her farewell match as India fought back against Australia in the day-night Test in Perth.
Australia went to stumps on day one at 3-96 in reply to India’s 198 on Friday at the revamped WACA Ground.
Alyssa Healy heads out to bat.Credit: Getty Images
Healy entered the fray late on with Australia battling at 2-31 following the dismissals of openers Phoebe Litchfield (9) and Georgia Voll (2).
With the pink ball swinging wildly under lights and the WACA’s new water slides pumping in the background, Healy endured a series of nervous moments in front of 3439 spectators before falling for 13 when she spooned a catch to backward point.
But star allrounders Ellyse Perry (43no) and Annabel Sutherland (20no) guided Australia to stumps, with the pair to front up again on Saturday on a day when the mercury is forecast to hit 39C in Perth.
Annabel Sutherland at the WACA ground on Friday night.Credit: Getty Images
Sutherland was the star of the show on day one, snaring a career-best 4-46 off 17 overs and watching four other catches go down off her bowling in a butter-fingered effort from Australia.
Teenage debutant Lucy Hamilton (3-31 off 11) was also excellent on a day when the temperature hit 36C.
Hamilton snared the first wicket when she bowled star opener Smriti Mandhana for four in the sixth over, sparking wild celebrations.
“Smriti is a really high-quality player, and it was nice to get my first wicket,” Hamilton said.
“Obviously in the ODI I didn’t get a wicket, so it was nice to get that and kind of get the monkey off the back.
“And then it kind of just kept rolling on from there.”
Lucy Hamilton is congratulated by her team after dismissing Smriti Mandhana.Credit: Getty Images
Wickets fell at regular intervals after Hamilton’s initial strike, but Australia’s grassed chances proved costly.
Sutherland had four catches dropped off her bowling.
The first came when Hamilton grassed Indian debutant Pratika Rawal at gully.
Rawal, who was four at the time, went on to make 18.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who was dropped at gully on 10, went on to make 19, but the most costly missed chance was when Jemimah Rodrigues played a shot to Voll at short leg.
Voll couldn’t hold the one-handed chance when Rodrigues was yet to score.
The India batter went on to make 52 off 84 balls, with her knock including four consecutive boundaries from leg-spinner Alana King’s first over of the day in the 40th over.
Hamilton eventually had Rodrigues caught at square leg, but her half-century ensured there was no dire crumble from India.
Sutherland watched a fourth catch off her bowling go down when wicketkeeper Beth Mooney had three juggles before dropping an easy edge from Kashvee Gautam.
Gautam was on 16 at the time, and she went on to make an unbeaten 34 off 54 balls.
India unleashed three debutant pace bowlers for the match, and it was Sayali Satghare (2-24) who struck first with a wildly swinging delivery that started well outside off before crashing into the top of Voll’s leg stump.
Litchfield departed a short time later when Rodrigues took an excellent diving catch at backward point.
But it was Healy’s dismissal that was the most deflating, with the retiring 35-year-old left to rue her decision to reach for Satghare’s wider and slower delivery.
Healy may still have one more chance to bat, especially if Australia are unable to manufacture a huge first-innings total.
Australia lead the multi-format series eight points to four, meaning India must win the Test to come away with a draw.
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