Australia A v India A | Third T20

Shafali Verma found form to give Australia A a scare, but Sianna Ginger’s all-round class helped the hosts hang on for a four-run win in the final T20 in Mackay.

India A needed to respond following Saturday’s 114-run defeat and after an improved bowling display held Australia A to 8-144, opener Verma hammered 41 off 25 to give her team the ideal start to their chase.

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It was 20-year-old Queensland allrounder Ginger who intervened in the eighth over to secure the key wicket of Verma, and she again helped peg the tourists back when she had the in-form Raghvi Bist (25) stumped in the 15th over.

Still, India A kept the run rate in hand and remained firmly in the hunt for their first win of the tour, before Ginger’s 19th over, which picked up a further two wickets and went for just three runs, left too much for the tailenders with 15 required off the last.

“We felt like we had it somewhat under control, obviously we know it’s a really nice batting wicket, and the outfield is really quick, so it’s difficult to defend at times,” Australia A captain Nicole Faltum said.

“But with the bowlers that we had and the experience on field, we were pretty confident that we were going to be able to defend it.

“We had the four pacies at the back end to use and then we just wanted to kill the game as early as we possibly could … we felt like Ginge was our most ‘on’ bowler for the day, so she bowled that 19th over to pull back all the momentum and give them a big chunk of runs to chase in that last over and then backed our experience in Tess Flintoff who did an exceptional job to defend that.”

Ginger bags four to help Aus A seal tight win

Earlier, Alyssa Healy again looked threatening at the top of the order scoring 27 off 21 including three fours and a six, while senior Aussie teammate Kim Garth sat out following her heroics on Saturday evening.  

Tahlia Wilson (14) and Anika Learoyd (22) made starts, while Maddie Penna’s 32-ball 39 added impetuous to the Australia A innings before Ginger added the finishing flourish with an unbeaten 17 off seven.

The teams now to travel to Brisbane ahead of the first one-dayer on Wednesday. 

Australia A v India A multi-format series

Australia A T20 squad: Nicole Faltum (c), Tahlia Wilson (vc), Lauren Cheatle, Amy Edgar, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Alyssa Healy, Anika Learoyd, Madeline Penna, Rachel Trenaman, Courtney Webb

India A T20 squad: Radha Yadav (c), Minnu Mani (vc), Shafali Verma, D. Vrinda, Sajana Sajeevan, Uma Chetry (wk), Raghvi Bist, Prema Rawat, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Tanuja Kanwer, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Dhara Gujjar

First T20: Australia A won by 13 runs

 

Second T20: Australia A won by 114 runs

 

Third T20: Australia A won by four runs

Australia A 50-Over squad: Tahlia McGrath (c), Nicole Faltum (vc), Lauren Cheatle, Darcie Brown, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Ella Hayward, Alyssa Healy, Anika Learoyd, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia Wilson

India A 50-over squad:Radha Yadav (c), Minnu Mani (vc), Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Dhara Gujjar, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Prema Rawat, Yastika Bhatia

First one-dayer: August 13, Northern Suburbs Cricket Club, Brisbane, 9.30am AEST

 

Second one-dayer: August 15, Northern Suburbs Cricket Club, Brisbane, 9.30am AEST

 

Third one-dayer: August 17, Northern Suburbs Cricket Club, Brisbane, 9.30am AEST

Australia A four-day squad: Tahlia Wilson (c), Nicole Faltum (vc), Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Ella Hayward, Anika Learoyd, Maitlan Brown, Lilly Mills, Georgia Prestwidge, Rachel Trenaman, Courtney Webb

India A four-day squad: Radha Yadav (c), Minnu Mani (vc), Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Nandini Kashyap (wk), Dhara Gujjar, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Prema Rawat

Only four-day match: August 21-24, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 9:30am AEST

All matches will be streamed live on cricket.com.au and Kayo Sports.