Australia began the third morning with renewed energy. Their short-ball ploy, particularly that of Annabel Sutherland, did wonders as the resilient Indian pair of Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar departed early on Day 3. The hosts were eventually lasted for just 45 minutes. With a first-innings target of 188, things looked to fall in place for the visitors, with the opening pair of Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield getting off to a promising start as well. But all ended in a moment of sheer brain fade from Mooney, who incurred a run out in freakish fashion before Litchfield too got out playing a needless reverse sweep almost at the stroke of Lunch. (India vs Australia One-off Test Day 3 Live score)
It happened in the 12th over of the third innings of the one-off Test match between India and Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai when Mooney blocked a fuller one to silly point. And after doing so, for some strange reason, she walked out of the crease, as if resetting her guard. It was a moment reminiscent of what Jonny Bairstow had in the Ashes series earlier this year, and the fate incurred as similar as well.
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Richa Ghosh, showing excellent game awareness, collected the ball quickly at silly point and hit the stumps directly. Mooney wasn't even part of the frame when the ball rattled against the stumps. And she walked straight towards the pavilion without uttering a word.
11 deliveries later, Australia went two down as Litchfield, who still looked positive after Mooney's departure, looked to execute a premeditated reverse sweep against Sneh Rana and perished after being beaten by the late dip on the ball. The delivery sneaked past the bottom edge and hit the base of the off stump as the visitors went two down for 56.
{{/usCountry}}11 deliveries later, Australia went two down as Litchfield, who still looked positive after Mooney's departure, looked to execute a premeditated reverse sweep against Sneh Rana and perished after being beaten by the late dip on the ball. The delivery sneaked past the bottom edge and hit the base of the off stump as the visitors went two down for 56.
{{/usCountry}}At the end of the second session on Day 3 of the one-off game, Australia were still 124 behind with 8 wickets in hand