Aust women beat India, set new ODI target

Having secured the women's one-day series over India and sitting atop the ICC rankings, Australia have set their own goal as a 300-run, one-day side.

Australia's top-ranked international women's cricket team have set themselves a new target as a 300-run one-day side.

After a solid six-wicket win to claim a series victory against India at Bellerive Oval on Friday, opener Nicole Bolton said her teammates were striving for more lofty goals.

"We're always looking to get better and I think we're getting close to being a 300-team," she told reporters after the match.

The 27-year-old West Australian contributed a valuable 77 runs on Friday, helping the Southern Stars to 4-253 with more than three overs to spare in reply to the visitors' 8-252.

"It's good to get back to playing some 50-over cricket ... and really happy that I could finally contribute to the team," she said.

After Tuesday's 101-run win in Canberra, Australia have an unassailable two-nil lead in the three-match series.

It was a turnaround from the preceding T20 tournament in which the tourists were successful, 2-1.

"It's just time," Bolton said of the shift in format.

"Fifty overs, you've got a lot more time than what you think, and a lot of the girls (are) taking some of their form from the T20 format into the 50-over format with the opportunity to bat for longer."

Bolton paired with skipper Meg Lanning who scored 61 in a 138-run partnership on Friday, setting a good base.

Lanning was first to go, caught behind from a ball she thought she didn't edge.

Bolton top-scored for Australia, reaching her half-century from 49 balls and belting 10 boundaries before being trapped lbw by Shikha Pandey (2-50).

India earlier won the toss and chose to bat first.

Nursing a shoulder complaint, 19-year-old opener Smriti Mandhana (102) made her maiden ODI century in a classy performance.

After missing the Manuka fixture due to injury, it was a convincing comeback, but the talented teenager was harsh in self-assessment.

"I threw my wicket after getting (a) century and, when I got out, 10 overs (remained) so I could have accelerated and we could have got 275 and that would have been a good score," she said.

"I take that responsibility."

Perry with 3-54 was the pick of Australia's bowlers and Megan Schutt chipped in with 2-35.

The third and final fixture is on Sunday, again in Hobart.


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3 min read
Published 5 February 2016 2:28pm
Updated 5 February 2016 10:28pm
Source: AAP


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