Australia‘s women have extended their world record winning streak to 26 one-day internationals in the most gripping scenes in Mackay, after a contentious no-ball call kept their chances of a last-delivery win alive.
India appeared to have ended Australia’s phenomenal run in the second ODI when Nicola Carey holed out to square leg 49.5 overs into the innings, but the hosts were reprieved when the umpire called a no-ball, deeming an above-the-waist delivery had been bowled.
Needing two runs to win off the final delivery of the innings, opening batter Beth Mooney then bunted a Jhulan Goswami delivery to deep mid-on and the Australians scurried through for two.
The win capped an astonishing comeback in which Australia, chasing 275 to win, had been reeling at 4-62 in the 16th opener.
But Mooney plundered a sparkling 125 not out off 133 deliveries and Tahlia McGrath peeled off 74 runs off 77 balls, leading Australia to a dramatic five-wicket win.
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Mooney was dropped at square leg on just one run, before heaping misery on India in a knock that included 12 fours.
The left-hander played a series of textbook drives and wowed the North Queensland crowd with some inventive brilliance, including a reverse sweep for four and a lap shot that also raced to the boundary.
Her unbeaten 125 stands as the top score of her international career, while it was her first ODI century since February 2017.
Mooney combined for a 126-run partnership with McGrath, who walked to the middle at No.6 and racked up nine fours in her innings of 74.
The right-hander played a mix of elegant strokes and punishing shots on both sides of the wicket as she carved out her maiden ODI half-century.
Her excellent innings ended when she was caught at backward square leg when playing a pull shot off the bowling of left-arm orthodox spinner Yastika Bahtia.
“It’s pretty remarkable that we came back to win that game,” Mooney said of the epic comeback.
“I thought we were gone for all money at one point.
“And when Ash (Gardner) and I built a little partnership, followed by Tahlia and I, I think just working out the maths in my head I didn’t think we were too far off the mark.
“I tried to not let the balls get too far away from how many runs there were. If that gap was getting too big I think it was going to get a bit out of hand.
“But wickets in the shed at the 40-over mark really helped us and having set batters and, as well as Tahlia, Nic came in and played the house down.”
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Mooney played down the controversy when asked about the critical no-ball decision.
“I’ve been talking to some people on the sideline and they said it was a clear no-ball,” Mooney said.
“I wasn’t sure because of everything happening. Essentially we were just trying to work out if we got a run for the run that we did or who was on strike and things like that. Obviously it was a pretty tight call in the end.”
McGrath paired her knock of 74 with 3-25 off nine overs.
Australia and India are now set to meet in a third ODI in Mackay tomorrow.
They will then play one Test match and three T20s.
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