Bowlers script win for India

Cricket First ODI: Hosts post 17-run win over New Zealand

 Indian bowlers produced an inspired performance to pull off a 17-run win over New Zealand in a low-scoring first one-day international at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Sunday.

Indian skipper Mithali Raj’s decision to bat first proved to be a disastrous one as the hosts were bundled out for a paltry 142 in 44.3 overs, with Jhulan Goswami’s maiden half century being the only bright spot in an otherwise shoddy performance.

The White Ferns’ bats­women, however, failed to complement their bowlers as they were bundled out for 125 in 45.3 overs. Sneh Rana claimed three for 26 to spur India to a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. 

Earlier, the woeful form of Indian openers continued, with both ‑Poonam Raut (5) and Smriti Mandhana (13) falling cheaply. New Zealand bowlers made life miserable for the Indian batters with some disciplined bowling display and managed to pick wickets at regular intervals.

After Mithali (17)  was caught brilliantly at short midwicket by Katie Perkins off debutant off-spinner Leigh Kasperek in the 16th over, the Indian batting unit struggled to fetch runs and were reduced to 52 for five in 19 overs.

Desperate of some runs to post a decent total, the experienced Jhulan came up with a fearless batting display to notch up a crucial 57-run knock. Laced with six fours and one six, Jhulan waged a lone battle with no genuine support from the other end. By sending the loose balls to the boundary and rotating the strike cleverly, Jhulan batted with purpose on a pitch that appeared to have no real demons in it.

For the visitors, Kasperek (3/39), the stand-out performer in the warm-up game, was the star performer with the ball. Indian batswomen struggled to read the 18-year old off-spinner and gifted their wickets with soft dismissals. 

New Zealand began their chase in a shaky manner, scoring just six runs in as many overs and losing the wicket of opener Rachel Priest (0) in the process. Indian spinners Ekta Bisht (2/18), Harmanpreet Kaur (2/16) and Rana bowled in tandem to keep the pressure on the visiting batswomen.

Karnataka’s Rajeshwari Gayakwad, the left-arm orthodox bowler, bagged the important wicket of skipper of Suzie Bates (28), who looked on course to take her side across the line with her patient approach. Some sloppy fielding in the deep from the Indians and clever batting from Kasperek (21 n.o.) kept the match in balance, but the hosts managed to finish on the right side of the result. 

score board

INDIA: Smriti Mandhana st Priest b Nielsen 13, Poonam Raut b Tahuhu 5, Raj Mithali c Perkins b Kasperek 17, Shikha Pandey lbw Tahuhu 5, Harmanpreet Kaur c Priest b Kasperek 7, Veda Krishnamurthy lbw Kasperek 1, Jhulan Goswami b Tahuhu 57, Sneh Rana c Broadmore b Nielsen 7, Ekta Bisht c Satterthwaite b Nielsen 12, Ravi Kalpana c Bates b Devine 3, Rajeshwari Gayakwad (not out) 3, Extras (LB-2, W-10) 12, Total (all out; 44.3 overs) 142.

Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-38, 3-44, 4-46, 5-52, 6-55, 7-71, 8-87, 9-113. 
Bowling: Lea Tahuhu 8.3-0-25-3, Sophie Devine 5-1-18-1, Morna Nielsen 10-1-24-3, Kate Broadmore 6-0-20-0, Leigh Kasperek 10-0-39-3, Anna Peterson 3-0-10-0, Suzie Bates 2-0-4-0. 

NEW ZEALAND: Suzie Bates b Rajeshwari 28, Rachel Priest lbw Bisht 0, Amy Satterthwaite c Mandhana b Rana 4, Kate Broadmore (run out) 5, Sophie Devine c Bisht b Harmanpreet 24, Katie Perkins lbw Harmanpreet 9, Leigh Kasperek (not out) 21, Anna Peterson b Rana 6, Maddle Green c&b Rana 3, Lea Tahuhu (run out) 4, Morna Nielsen c Mithali b Bisht 9, Extras (B-1, LB-5, W-6) 12, Total (all out, in 45.3 overs) 125.
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-20, 3-38, 4-45, 5-71, 6-91, 7-103, 8-110, 9-114.

Bowling: Jhulan Goswami 10-1-25-0, Ekta Bisht 6.3-0-18-2, Sneh Rana 9-1-26-3, Shikha Pandey 6-2-12-0, Rajeshwari Gayakwad 10-2-22-1, Harmanpreet Kaur 4-0-16-2.