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34th over: Australia 125-3 (Perry 57, Sutherland 35) Now Sutherland gets in on the act, a straight drive off Sayali to ice a wedding cake. From the commentary box to the crowd, everyone purrs.
33rd over: Australia 119-3 (Perry 56, Sutherland 30) Perry is looking in ominous form. She eyes up a ball Gaud hangs outside off and late cuts, like a knife through a pineapple, to the rope.
32nd over: Australia 112-3 (Perry 52, Sutherland 27) Another change as Satghare comes on from the Inverarity end. A thick edge from Sutherland, ugly but effective, runs away towards the rope but a great bit of last minute finger scooping by a diving Rodrigues saves the boundary.
An email! Good morning Peter Warrington: “I don’t see this as close at all, India couldn’t quite capitalise with the ball due to their neophyte attack. If there was a second Test they might have made us finally question Litchfield and Voll up top. But Perry and Sutherland could easily bat all day in the heat today, and then there’s Mooney, then Gardner – why, even McGrath, specialist #8, might fancy a twirl at 6-400 or so to justify her baffling selection.
“Then Sutherland Gardner and King will find the pitch wearing as we bowl again. It shouldn’t really surprise, this Indian team is in serious transition and is at least 3-4 players away from our level, out here. No shame in that.”
From the first few overs today, I think you’re right. India are busy in the field but it looks like a long, hot day ahead.
31st over: Australia 109-3 (Perry 52, Sutherland 24) Gaud replaces Rana at the Lillee Marsh End and is immediately on the money, length and line, giving them nothing. A maiden.
30th over: Australia 109-3 (Perry 52, Sutherland 24) Sutherland picks up a single from Gautam’s first ball to bring up an ominous fifty partnership.
Fifty for Perry
29th over: Australia 107-3 (Perry 51, Sutherland 23) Spin immediately from Sneh Rana. India usher in the field and Perry responds by hoeing six into the leg side to reach her fifth Test fifty. I think we can say her eye is in.
First session
28th over: Australia 100-3 (Perry 45, Sutherland 22) Perry defends the last ball of the first over from Gautam, which contained four singles to get the juices going.
It’s a fiery 38 degrees today at the WACA as the players emerge onto the grass. India huddle, Perry and Sutherland march on, Sutherland’s helmet bright green, Perry’s faded to grey.
Justin Langer says this is a good battting pitch, and will get better and better. Sutherland and Perry are nicely set and India have no lights to help them now, they’ll need every catch to stick, every ball to nip.
Preamble
Tanya Aldred
Hello! Thirteen wickets fell on a restless first day in Perth to leave Australia in the more promising position – by the width of a cigarette paper. India were bundled out for just 198 midway through the day, and Australia finished 102 behind at stumps, though crucially with seven wickets still in hand.
Things could have been worse for India had Jemimah Rodrigues not knotted together a patient fifty against the firepower of Annabel Sutherland (4 for 46) and left-arm whiz-kid Lucy Hamilton, just 19 but who finished with three wickets on her Test debut.
India’s own bright young thing, Sayali Satghare, had a moment of her own, removing Alyssa Healy in her penultimate innings for Australia, caught at point for 13. But Ellyse Perry was unbeaten on 43 at stumps and Annabel Sutherland is lingering ominously.
It should be fun. Do join us, play starts at 1.20pm local/4.20pm AEDT/10.50am IST.
