Tejal, Raghvi half-tons go in vain as Australia A win opening one-dayer

Mackay (Australia), Aug 14 (PTI) Fine half-centuries by middle-order batters Raghvi Bist and Tejal Hasabnis went in vain as India A Women lost their opening one-day match against Australia A by four wickets, with Katie Mack scoring a century for the winners here on Wednesday.

This is the fourth successive defeat for India A on their tour of Australia following their 0-3 whitewash in the T20 series in Brisbane.

India, after setting a modest victory target of 250, thanks mainly to Tejal's 53 (67 balls, 7x4) and Raghvi's 82 (102 balls, 6x4), were thwarted by Aussie opener Katie's 129 (126 balls, 11x4).

Katie enjoyed fruitful half-century partnerships with fellow opener Maddy Darke (27) and Charli Knott (26) and a century stand with skipper Tahlia McGrath (56) as Australia easily won the opening game of the three-match one-day series.

India's pace bowling stalwart Meghna Singh (2/43) and spinner Minnu Mani (2/53) took two wickets each.

With only a handful of senior India players in the side, India had an inauspicious start, losing openers Shweta Sehrawat (1) and Priya Punia (6) cheaply. At 56/3, India A were in dire straits but Tejal and Raghvi, both making their one-day debut for the country, stitched a 55-run partnership to take the visitors past the century mark.

Raghvi also shared half-century stands with skipper Mani and Shipra Giri (25 not out) as she gave the visitors a respectable total to defend.

Brief scores: India A 249 for 9 in 50 overs (Tejal Hasabnis 53, Raghvi Bist 82; Nicola Hancock 2/40, Maitlan Brown 4/23, Grace Parsons 2/40).

Australia A 250 for 6 in 47 overs (Katie Mack 129, Tahlia McGrath 56; Meghna Singh 2/43, Minnu Mani 2/53). PTI AM AM ATK ATK