Litchfield ton lifts Australia to record total vs India

Steve Barrett | January 3, 2024

Phoebe Litchfield’s sparkling century and captain Alyssa Healy’s emphatic return to form have carried Australia to a formidable 7-338 in the third women’s one-day international in Mumbai, their highest total against India.

Litchfield (119) and Healy (82) dominated from the outset, putting on 189 off 179 balls for the first wicket – the best by any opening pair against India – to have Australia well placed to seal a 3-0 series sweep at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.

India, with the series already lost, will need to pull off the greatest run chase in the history of women’s ODIs if they are to notch a consolation win.

Red-hot Litchfield, boasting scores of 78 and 63 in the opening two games, combined deft scoops and reverse sweeps with authoritative down-the-ground drives during her masterful knock.

Healy, meanwhile, reversed her scratchy form this tour by posting her first ODI half-century since her famous 170 against England in the 2022 World Cup final.

The skipper’s dismissal, playing on to Pooja Vastrakar, sparked a 4-27 mini-collapse with Ellyse Perry (16) trapped plumb in front by Amanjot Kaur while Beth Mooney (3) and Tahlia McGrath (0) went lbw off successive deliveries from spinner Shreyanka Patil.

After spending 23 balls in the 90s dealing solely in singles, Litchfield raised her second career century and lifted her career ODI average above 60 before finally falling, miscuing Amanjot to Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

Ash Gardner (30) and Annabel Sutherland (23) submitted valuable cameos before tailender Alana King blasted three sixes in an unbeaten 26 off 14 balls to leave India further dispirited.